White Forest cake recipe has everything to fall in love: soft vanilla sponge cake layers, decadent white chocolate, juicy maraschino cherries, and luscious Chantilly cream. This cake is an absolute winner.
The best White Forest cake is a fresh twist on a classic German dessert. This triple-layered beauty soaked with authentic Kirschwasser (or simply Kirsch) is created for grownups.
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But don't worry: this cake has the option to become kid-friendly.
Filled and topped with maraschino cherries, this cake is not only stunning to look at, but it is also downright delicious. So, why not try this innovative dessert and switch up your usual dessert routine?
White Forest cake vs. Black Forest cake
What is the difference between White Forest cake and Black Forest cake?
White Forest cake features a fluffy vanilla cake decorated with white chocolate, while Black Forest cake (aka forest gâteau) is a rich chocolate sponge cake adorned with dark chocolate.
Cherries, sweetened whipped cream, and Kirsch are shared elements in both cakes.
White Forest cake recipe
- This White Forest cake recipe is both simple to prepare and offers a make-ahead option.
- A simple White Forest cake design is beginner-friendly.
- This 7-inch layer cake is perfect for any occasion, whether a birthday, wedding celebration, anniversary, etc.
Ingredients
For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.
- Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature.
- Sugar: The recipe calls for granulated or caster sugar for making a sponge cake and icing sugar for making creme Chantilly.
- Vanilla sugar brings a beautiful taste and flavor to the cake.
- Flour: Use homemade or store-bought cake flour for the best results.
- Heavy cream: Opt for heavy or heavy whipping cream with at least 30% fat content.
- Cherries: Use sour canned or maraschino cherries to make the cake all year round or fresh cherries when in season. Make sure to save some cherries with stems to decorate the cake.
- White chocolate: Opt for premium white chocolate when making chocolate shavings. Store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. Alternatively, you may also consider using pre-packaged white chocolate curls.
- Kirsch (Kirschwasser) is the star of the authentic Black Forest cake. Use authentic Kirsch, make it yourself with a cherry brandy essence, or substitute it with other spirits. For serving the cake to children, replace the alcohol with clear fruit juice or diluted cherry syrup.
Recipe variations
- Sponge cake: Opt for Genoise cake as a substitute for traditional sponge cake. Alternatively, use a rich buttery cake option.
- Flavorings: Replace a cherry brandy Kirsch with fruit-based brandy, rum, or cognac (with an alcohol content of approximately 40%).
- Cherry filling: Substitute maraschino cherries with cherry compote, cherry sauce, or cherry pie filling.
How to make White Forest cake
Making White Forest cake consists of a few steps: preparing a vanilla sponge cake, making Kirsch syrup and Chantilly cream, and assembling the cake.
Step 1. To make vanilla sponge cake, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
Step 2. Grease a 7-inch (18 cm) cake pan with softened butter and dust with flour. Remove flour access and place the pan aside. Sift flour with a flour sifter two times. Alternatively, line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper.
Pro tip: Consult a classic sponge cake recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.
Step 3. Place whole eggs, vanilla, and granulated sugar in a heat-proof bowl and lightly beat with a hand whisk.
Step 4. Bring the bowl over a bain-marie or water bath and whisk constantly. Warm the egg mixture to 104°F (40°C), checking with a cooking thermometer.
Step 5. Remove the bowl from the water bath and beat with an electric or stand mixer with a whisk attachment until the volume is tripled, for 8 to 10 minutes (photo 1).
Step 6. Decrease the mixer speed to low and beat for 2 minutes to adjust the texture. Add the sifted flour in two additions and gently mix with a rubber spatula (photo 2).
Step 7. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan (photo 3) and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Check the cake's doneness with a toothpick or a cake tester.
Step 8. Take the sponge cake out of the oven, and let it cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes (photo 4). Then remove it from the pan by turning it upside down and cool it on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes. Flip the cake over, and let it cool completely.
Step 9. To make sugar syrup, pour water and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove it from the heat once the sugar is dissolved, and add a few drops of Kirsch.
Step 10. To make Chantilly cream, place heavy cream in the chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat until soft-medium peaks form. Use an electric mixer as an alternative.
Pro tip: Consult a Chantilly cream recipe for step-by-step photographed explanations, helpful tips, and tricks.
Step 11. Weigh about 5-7 oz. (140-200 g) of cream (you will use it for decoration), cover the bowl with cream with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Use the remaining frosting to assemble the cake.
Step 12. To assemble the cake, use a serrated knife and slice the sponge cake horizontally into three equal layers. Ensure that the thickness of each layer does not exceed ½ inch (about 1.5 cm). If the top of the cake is domed, level it out to create a smooth surface.
Step 13. Place the first cake layer on a cake board (photo 5) and soak it with the Kirsch syrup. Spread a layer of whipped cream.
Pro tip: For a neat appearance, use an adjusting mousse cake mold lined with an acetate strip.
Step 14. Arrange a few drained cherries over the cream (photo 6) and cover them with more cream (leave a few cherries for decoration).
Step 15. Cover with the second cake layer, soak with Kirsch syrup, and spread the cream. Place cherries, and spread the cream again. Finish the cake with the top layer and soak it with the syrup.
Step 16. Cover the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream and decorate the sides of the cake with a cake scraper (photo 7).
Step 17. Take the chilled cream frosting from the refrigerator and beat it with a hand whisk a few times if needed. Transfer the cream to a piping bag with an open star tip, and pipe a few cream swirls on top of the cake.
Step 18. Place a stemmed cherry on top of each swirl. Sprinkle the sides and top of the cake with chocolate shavings (photo 8). Refrigerate the cake for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
Expert Tips
- To make your cherry liquor, follow a traditional Black Forest cake recipe with instructions on using a cherry brandy essence.
- Make sure to drain maraschino cherries well using a paper towel.
- Make-ahead option: Bake the sponge cake a day ahead, store it covered with plastic in the refrigerator overnight, and put the finishing touches on it the following day.
Storing and freezing
Store White Forest cake under a glass dome in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Keep leftover cake in an airtight container refrigerated.
Can you freeze White Forest cake? While it is not advisable to freeze the entire cake due to the heavy cream, you can preserve the sponge cake by wrapping it in plastic and freezing it for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQ
White Forest cake mixes vanilla and Kirsch flavors, while vanilla cake sticks to its classic vanilla taste.
White Forest cake, a fresh twist on the classic Black Forest cake, is made with vanilla sponge cake layers, soaked with Kirschwasser, and filled with sweetened whipped cream and cherries.
White Forest cake is made with vanilla cake layers, soaked with Kirsch, and generously filled with fresh whipped cream and cherries. Topped off with delicate white chocolate shavings, this sweet treat is a true delight for a birthday celebration.
Dark chocolate forest gateau is perfect for any special occasion, while White forest cake is an elegant choice for a wedding.
Love cake recipes? Try these next!
- Cake Sans Rival
- Uruguayan Cake Chaja
- Berry Cake
- Italian Torta Mimosa
- Korean Fresh Cream Cake
- Or browse all the cake recipes
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White Forest Cake
White Forest cake recipe has everything to fall in love: soft vanilla sponge cake layers, decadent white chocolate, juicy maraschino cherries, and luscious Chantilly cream. This cake is an absolute winner.
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Ingredients
For a sponge cake:
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup minus 2 teaspoons (92 g) granulated sugar
- 1 sachet (9 g) vanilla sugar
- 1 cup minus 4 teaspoons (92 g) cake flour
For sugar syrup:
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
- ⅓ cup (60 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Kirsch
For Chantilly cream:
- 2 ½ cups (600 g) cold heavy cream, 30% fat
- 2 ½ tablespoons (20 g) icing (powdered) sugar
For filling and decoration:
- 8 oz. (230 g) drained maraschino cherries
For assembling:
- 3.5 oz. (100 g) white chocolate
Instructions
- To make a sponge cake, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C). Grease a 7-inch (18 cm) cake pan with softened butter and dust with flour. Alternatively, line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper. Remove flour access and place the pan aside. Sift flour with a flour sifter two times.
- Place whole eggs, vanilla, and granulated sugar in a heat-proof bowl and lightly beat with a hand whisk. Bring the bowl over a bain-marie or water bath and whisk constantly. Warm the egg mixture to 104°F (40°C), checking with a cooking thermometer.
- Remove the bowl from the water bath and beat with an electric or stand mixer with a whisk attachment until the volume is tripled, for 8 to 10 minutes. Decrease the mixer speed to low and beat for 2 minutes to adjust the texture. Add the sifted flour in two additions and gently mix with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Check the cake's doneness with a toothpick or a cake tester.
- Take the sponge cake out of the oven, and let it cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Then remove it from the pan by turning it upside down and cool it on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes. Flip the cake over, and let it cool completely.
- To make sugar syrup, pour water and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove it from the heat once the sugar is dissolved, and add a few drops of Kirsch.
- To make Chantilly cream, place cold heavy cream in the chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat until soft-medium peaks form. Use an electric mixer as an alternative. Weigh about 5-7 oz. (140-200 g) of cream (you will use it for decoration), cover the bowl with cream with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Use the remaining frosting to assemble the cake.
- To assemble the cake, use a serrated knife and slice the sponge cake horizontally into three equal layers. Ensure that the thickness of each layer does not exceed ½ inch (about 1.5 cm). If the top of the cake is domed, level it out to create a smooth surface.
- Place the first cake layer on a cake board and soak it with the Kirsch syrup. Spread a layer of whipped cream. Arrange a few drained cherries over the cream and cover them with more cream (leave a few cherries for decoration).
- Cover with the second cake layer, soak with Kirsch syrup, and spread the cream. Place cherries, and spread the cream again. Finish the cake with the top layer and soak it with the syrup. Cover the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream and decorate the sides of the cake with a cake scraper.
- Take the chilled cream frosting from the refrigerator and beat it with a hand whisk a few times if needed. Transfer the cream to a piping bag with an open star tip, and pipe a few cream swirls on top of the cake.
- Place a stemmed cherry on top of each swirl. Sprinkle the sides and top of the cake with chocolate shavings. Refrigerate the cake for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
Notes
- To make your cherry liquor, follow a traditional Black Forest cake recipe with instructions on using a cherry brandy essence.
- Make sure to drain maraschino cherries well using a paper towel.
- Make-ahead option: Bake the sponge cake a day ahead, store it covered with plastic in the refrigerator overnight, and put the finishing touches on it the following day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 401
- Sugar: 48.2 g
- Sodium: 38 mg
- Fat: 6.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 44.2 g
- Fiber: 0.6 g
- Protein: 4.4 g
- Cholesterol: 72 mg
The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.
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