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Authentic German Black Forest Cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte)

Sliced Black Forest cake on a white cake stand.
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Authentic German Black Forest cake (Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte) is a classic chocolate cake soaked with Kirsch and layered with cherries and sweetened whipped cream. This traditional black forest cake is topped with dark chocolate shavings and cherries.

Ingredients

Scale

For the chocolate sponge cake:

  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup minus 2 teaspoons (92 g) granulated sugar 
  • 1/2 cup + 3 1/2 teaspoons (72 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons (20 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 g) unsalted butter

For the whipped cream frosting:

  • 2 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons (600 g) cold heavy cream, 30% fat
  • 4 teaspoons (18 g) vanilla sugar

For the filling:

  • 8 oz. (230 g) maraschino cherries, drained

For assembling:

  • 3.5 oz. (100 g) dark chocolate 

For sugar syrup:

  • 4 tablespoons (60 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
  • few drops of Kirsch (see note #1)

* If needed, please refer to Baking Conversion Charts.

**Don't you have the correct baking pan on hand right now? Try this simple Cake Pan Converter!

 

Instructions

  1. To make the chocolate sponge cake, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Butter a 7-inch (18 cm) cake pan and line its bottom and sides with parchment paper. Using a flour sifter, sift the flour with cocoa powder, then set aside. 
  2. Place room-temperature eggs and granulated sugar in a large bowl and lightly beat with a hand whisk. Bring the bowl over a bain-marie (water bath) and continue whisking. Warm the egg mixture up to 104°F (40°C) or warm to the touch. 
  3. Remove the bowl from the water bath and beat with an electric mixer until the volume is doubled, almost tripled, for 8-10 minutes. Decrease the mixer speed and beat for another 2 minutes to adjust the batter's texture. Add the sifted dry ingredients in a few additions, gently mixing with a rubber spatula.  
  4. Melt butter in the microwave at 20-30 second intervals. It should be at 140°F (60°C), measured with a cooking thermometer. Mix two spoonfuls of batter with melted butter using a spatula. Gradually pour the butter mixture into the remaining batter, mixing gently. 
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. Check the cake's doneness with a toothpick or a cake tester: it is ready once it comes out clean from the sponge.
  6. Remove the sponge cake from the oven, and let it cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Then remove it from the pan by flipping it upside down and cool it on a cooling rack for 5- 10 minutes. Turn the cake over and allow it to cool completely.
  7. To make dark chocolate shavings, use a vegetable peeler to shave the chocolate bar. Keep chocolate shavings in the fridge until you assemble the cake. Alternatively, make chocolate shards out of the melted chocolate.
  8. To make the whipped cream, beat cold heavy cream with vanilla sugar until stiff peaks. Refrigerate.
  9. To make Kirsch syrup, bring sugar and water to a boil. Remove it from the heat once the sugar is fully dissolved, then add a few drops of Kirsch.
  10. To assemble the cake, use a serrated knife and cut the baked cake crosswise into 3 identical layers. If the top of the cake is domed, even the surface.
  11. Place the first cake layer on a cake board and, using a silicone brush, soak it with the kirsch-flavored syrup. Next, spread the first layer of whipped cream. Finally, place the drained cherries on the cream and spread more cream to cover the cherries.
  12. Cover with the second cake layer and soak with kirsch syrup. Cover with the whipped cream again, arrange cherries on top, and spread the whipped cream again. Place the top biscuit layer and soak it with the syrup. Cover the surface and the cake's edges with the whipped cream, then sprinkle with chocolate shavings or shards.
  13. Decorate the top of the cake with several swirls of whipped cream, using an open star tip. Place a cherry on top of each swirl and sprinkle with more chocolate shavings or shards. Refrigerate the cake for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

Notes

  1. To make Kirsch yourself, use a cherry brandy essence (0.65 fl. oz. (20 ml). Pour the whole bottle's content with 1-1/4 cups (280 g) granulated sugar into an empty 33 fl. oz. (one-liter) glass bottle. Add 26 fl. oz. (770 ml) neutral vodka, shake very well until the sugar has completely dissolved, and use.
  2. Drain maraschino cherries well using a paper towel.
  3. Keep chocolate shavings or shards in the fridge until ready to assemble the cake.
  4. Make-ahead option: bake the sponge cake the day before, cover it with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, finish the cake.

Nutrition

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