The Best Black Forest Cake

I can’t quite remember the first time I had a slice of black forest cake, but I know it came from my mom. She made the easy man’s black forest though (no hate, just facts, and I very much enjoyed it) – with boxed devil’s food cake, Cool Whip, and canned cherries.

It seems there is some argument surrounding the origins of this delicious beauty but I’ve always known it to descend from Germany (which would make sense as to why I’ve had it since my grandma was German).

My black forest cake stacks two rounds of my favorite and the most moist chocolate cake, with a simple homemade cherry filling, and fresh whipped cream (with a little softened cream cheese mixed in for extra stabilization). 

This cake is the perfect balance of chocolate to sour to creamy, and I promise you’ll fall in love with every bite. If you do, please rate and review it below and tag @accentgolden in your posts on social!

WHAT IS BLACK FOREST CAKE?

Black forest cake is a tiered dessert made up of layers of chocolate cake, whipped cream, and cherry filling. It hails from Germany, and traditionally, the cake sponges are often soaked in a cherry brandy (not for me or this recipe, but you do you!). You’ll often hear it referred to as a gateux, which is the French word for “cake,” but often signifies a more fancy pants version. Since I’m not a fancy pants person more often than not, you won’t find intricate piping or chocolate shards on my version.

INGREDIENTS

• Water: Loosens your cherry mixture, increasing the goo-factor, and, when boiled, amps up the chocolate flavor of your cake
• Cornstarch: Helps to thicken your preserves
• Cherries: Frozen or fresh, just be sure there are no pits
• Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and structure to your cherries and cake
• Lemon Juice: Necessary to balance, thicken, and preserve your cherry filling
• Flour: Adds structure to your cake layers
• Cocoa Powder: Gives that deep chocolate flavor
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: The rising agents needed to balance this cake
• Salt: Always a flavor balancer
• Eggs: Bring structure, flavor, and moisture
• Half-and-Half: Gives your cake a rich softness
• Canola Oil: Brings moisture to your cake
• Vanilla Extract: Adds a little flavor
• Heavy Whipping Cream: Beat to puffy perfection for layering with your cake and cherries
• Cream Cheese: Adds extra stability for holding your whipped cream up between layers
• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens your whipped filling

HOW TO MAKE BLACK FOREST CAKE

Start by making your cherry preserves, since they will need time to cool before assembling your cake. Stir together your cornstarch and water in a measuring cup to make your slurry, this will help to thicken your preserves. In a medium pot, add all of your ingredients – cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and your cornstarch mixture – and place over medium-high heat. Keep a close eye on your pot, mixing occasionally at first and then regularly as it starts to thicken. Keep stirring just until it’s lightly thickened and then remove from heat and pour into a heat-safe bowl to cool completely at room temperature.

For your cake, preheat your oven to 350F and grease two 9-inch round cake pans before lining the bottom of each with parchment paper. This will ensure an easy removal of each baked cake! In a large bowl, sift together your dry ingredients – sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt – and give a quick stir. Whisk in your eggs, half-and-half, and vanilla, whisking for 2 minutes. While you’re mixing, go ahead and turn your pot of water on to boil. Add your boiling water to the batter slowly, then gently incorporate it with a spatula before whisking in until combined.

Split your batter evenly between your cake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let your cakes cool in their pans for 15 minutes and then use a rubber spatula to gently loosen the sides before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

While your cakes cool, make your whipped cream. To a large bowl, add your room temperature cream cheese and using a hand mixer beat a few seconds to smooth it out. Mix in your heavy cream and sift in your powdered sugar, whipping together until the mixture is light and fluffy. We’re not looking for stiff peaks, more medium-soft. This will ensure the cream holds between layers but doesn’t turn greasy or gritty by overwhipping.

Grab a large plate or cake tray and place one of your cooled chocolate cakes onto it. Split your whipped cream mixture in half and dollop one half of it onto the top of that single layer of cake, spreading so it covers but doesn’t go over the sides. Drop spoonfuls of half of your cherry preserves evenly over your whipped cream layer and then top with the second cake tier. Top again with the remaining whipped cream and then spoon the cherries evenly over top or around the rim of the cake. Slice and enjoy!

3 reasons you’ll love this cake

MAKING AHEAD & STORING

You can make the cherry preserves and the chocolate cake in advance and store them airtight in the fridge or freezer. The cherry preserves will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks or frozen for up to 4 months. The cakes should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in the fridge or stored in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

The whipped topping can be made the day before but note that it might separate a little in the fridge overnight. I would recommend giving it an extra whip-up before assembling to re-form some of that structure.

Your assembled cake should be stored in the fridge and will keep for around three to four days.

MORE CHOCOLATE RECIPES

For another crowd pleaser, this Simple Chocolate Salted Toffee Tart brings together a buttery pastry crust, two-ingredient toffee, and a delicious chocolate ganache. If you want a unique flavor spin, try these Easy Chocolate Dipped Sesame Shortbread Cookies. For my chocolate-mint fans, these No-Bake Layered Mint Chocolate Bars are so simple and absolutely decadent.

The Best Black Forest Cake

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 10

Course Dessert

Cuisine German

This black forest cake stacks two rounds of my favorite and the most moist chocolate cake, with a simple homemade cherry filling, and fresh whipped cream (with a little softened cream cheese mixed in for extra stabilization). It’s the perfect balance of chocolate to sour to creamy and I promise you’ll fall in love with every bite.

Equipment

• 2 9" Round Cake Pans
• Fine Mesh Sieve
• Medium Pot
• Measuring Spoons
• Measuring Cups
• Whisk
• Mixing Bowls
• Spatulas
• Spoon
• Hand Mixer

Ingredients

CHERRY FILLING

• ⅓ cup water
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 ½ cups pitted cherries frozen or fresh
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

CAKE

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup half-and-half
• ½ cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup water boiling

WHIPPED CREAM

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 ½ oz cream cheese room temperature
• 5 tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

CHERRY FILLING

• For the cherries, stir together your 2 tbsp of cornstarch with ⅓ cup of water until dissolved. Then, in a medium pot, add your cherries, ⅓ cup of sugar, lemon juice, and your cornstarch slurry, stir, and place over medium-high heat. Continue to stir until lightly thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat immediately and pour into a heat-safe bowl to cool to room temperature (about 35 minutes). If making in advance, cool at room temperature and then cover and place in the fridge until ready to use

CAKE

• Preheat your oven to 350F and grease and line two, 9-inch cake tins
• In a large bowl, sift together your sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
• Add the eggs, half-and-half, oil, and vanilla, and whisk together for 2 minutes
• Carefully, pour in the boiling water, and gently incorporate with a spatula before briefly mixing on low until fully combined
• Split the batter evenly between each cake round
• Bake 20 – 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes, and then carefully remove from pans onto a wire rack to cool completely

WHIPPED CREAM

• Add your room-temperature cream cheese to a large bowl and beat briefly with a hand mixer to smooth out
• Pour in your heavy cream, sift over your powdered sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. The medium-soft peak stage; where your whipped cream holds a peak but it’s not so firm it’s turned grainy

ASSEMBLY

• Place one of your cakes in the center of a large plate or cake tray and top with half of your whipped cream, spreading evenly across the top of the cake
• Top your whipped cream layer with half of your cherries, dropping spoonfuls across the whipped cream and adjusting as needed to be even without spreading and smearing
• Repeat this process with your second cake layer, stacking it evenly on top of your cherries, and top with remaining whipped cream and cherries
• Slice and enjoy! Store covered in the fridge for 3-4 days

Video

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDUzU2sPFCk/

Notes

Your cherry mixture needs to be completely cool before assembly. If you think you might be in a rush, make them the day before and store them in the fridge. Hot cherries plus cold whipped cream equal a melty mess you don’t want happening

This chocolate cake is moist, so don’t worry if it isn’t doming in the middle as it bakes, just check it for doneness with a toothpick and carry on

Don’t worry if your cakes stick lightly to the cooling rack. This cake is MOIST, so a little stickage is understandable. Feel free to lightly spray your cooling racks with non-stick spray to help with excess sticking

Be careful not to overwhip your whipped cream, which will result in a grainier texture (not the end of the world if you do, but it can be a little greasier in flavor – as you’re on your way to making butter – and not as smooth)