Luxurious Black Forest Cake: A Classic German-Inspired Dessert

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This stunning Black Forest Cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte) combines rich chocolate cake layers with sweet cherries and light whipped cream for a truly indulgent dessert experience. The contrast between the deep chocolate flavor, tart cherries, and cloud-like whipped cream creates a perfect balance that has made this cake a worldwide favorite.

Perfect for special occasions, holidays, or when you want to impress guests with a classic European dessert that looks as spectacular as it tastes!

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Servings: 8 slices
• Calories: 450 kcal per slice

Luxurious Black Forest Cake

Recipe by Kyla Evans

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

35

minutes

Calories

450

kcal

Ingredients

• For the Chocolate Cake

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 cups granulated sugar

• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1½ teaspoons baking powder

• 1½ teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 cup whole milk

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup boiling water
• For the Filling and Frosting

• 2 cups cherry pie filling

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• For Decoration

• ½ cup chocolate chips

• Fresh cherries with stems (optional)

• Chocolate shavings (optional)

Directions

• Preparing the Chocolate Cake
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
• Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
• Add wet ingredients: Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth.
• Incorporate boiling water: Stir in the boiling water. Note: The batter will be very thin, but this is normal.
• Bake the cakes: Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool properly: Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• Preparing the Whipped Cream Frosting
• Chill the bowl: Place a metal or glass bowl in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before whipping the cream.
• Whip the cream: In the chilled bowl, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-beat.
• Assembling the Cake
• Slice the cake layers: Once cakes are completely cool, use a serrated knife to cut each cake layer in half horizontally, creating four thin layers.
• Start layering: Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread with approximately ½ cup of cherry pie filling, leaving a small border around the edge.
• Continue building: Place another cake layer on top and repeat with cherry filling. Continue with remaining layers.
• Frost the cake: Use an offset spatula to cover the top and sides of the cake with the whipped cream frosting.
• Decorate: Garnish the top of the cake with chocolate chips, pressing some onto the sides if desired. Add fresh cherries or chocolate shavings for an extra elegant touch.
• Chill before serving: Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before slicing to allow the layers to set.

Notes

• Cold ingredients: Use cold heavy cream straight from the refrigerator for the best whipped cream results.
  Boiling water: The boiling water makes the chocolate cake extra moist and brings out the chocolate flavor.
  Stabilized whipped cream: For a more stable frosting, add 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin dissolved in 1 tablespoon of hot water (cooled) to the whipped cream.
  Traditional touch: For authentic Black Forest Cake, brush each layer with 1-2 tablespoons of kirsch (cherry liqueur) before adding the cherry filling.
  Make ahead: The cake layers can be baked 1-2 days in advance and wrapped tightly in plastic wrap until ready to assemble.

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cu
  ps granulated sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1&#x
  BD; teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cu
  p whole milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cu
  p boiling water

For the Filling and Frosting

• 2 cups cherry pie filling
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 ta
  blespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Decoration

• ½ cup chocolate chips
• Fres
  h cherries with stems (optional)
• Chocolate shavings (optional)

Equipment Needed

• Two 9-inch round cake pans
• Parc
  hment paper
• Electric mixer
• Mixing bowls
• Cool
  ing racks
• Serrated knife
• Offset spatula
• Cake
  stand or serving plate

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preparing the Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.
2. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
3. ong>Add wet ingredients: Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth.
4. Incorporate boiling water: Stir in the boiling water. Note: The batter will be very thin, but this is normal.
5. Bake the cakes: Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. ong>Cool properly: Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Preparing the Whipped Cream Frosting

1. Chill the bowl: Place a metal or glass bowl in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before whipping the cream.
2. Whip the cream: In the chilled bowl, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-beat.