This deliciously moist Black Forest Cake is a cut above the rest with homemade whipped cream, rich chocolate ganache, and sweet spiked cherries.
One reader, Majella, commented: “I’ve been making this cake for my husband’s birthday every year since 2019, so I thought it was about time I left a comment! Every year I am blown away by how delicious it is—thank you, Sally, for this amazing recipe! ★★★★★“
One reader, Katrina, commented: “Not only was this the best Black Forest Cake I’ve ever had, it’s also up there for one of the most delicious cakes I’ve ever had! The texture and flavor combinations were sublime! ★★★★★“
This post is sponsored by KitchenAid.
Today’s blog post is one of the most special you’ll ever read here on SBA. I am both honored and excited to partner with KitchenAid for its 100 Year Celebration. This once-in-a-century celebration commemorates 100 years of KitchenAid inspiring culinary passion and creating new possibilities in the kitchen. The same core value launching KitchenAid back in 1919 is continuously instilled in the products created today: an inspiration by those who love to make…and I am certainly one of those people.
What is Black Forest Cake?
This is my rendition of the traditional German black forest cake aka Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. Today’s towering beauty has 4 parts:
- My go-to chocolate layer cake
- Dark sweet cherries
- Fluffy vanilla whipped cream
- Dark chocolate ganache
Chocolate Cake
The cake recipe comes from this tuxedo cake, which was adapted from my favorite chocolate cake. It has a cake crumb so moist and chocolate-y, it sticks to your fork and melts on your tongue. Curious about the ingredients used? Hop on over to that recipe for detail. One thing I’ll mention because it’s worth repeating: hot liquid is a must in this cake batter. Why? The hot liquid encourages the cocoa powder to bloom and dissolve instead of just sitting there. For the hot liquid, I recommend coffee which will deepen the chocolate flavor. The cake will not taste like coffee, I promise! Or you can use hot water.
Cherries & Whipped Cream
Grab a couple cans of dark sweet cherries that are soaked in heavy syrup (the can is sold as such). Reduce the syrup down on the stove as the cakes bake. Have any cherry liquor around? Add a splash and brush the mixture all over the cakes while they’re still warm. This cherry soaking syrup guarantees the moistest, most flavorful chocolate cake you will EVER taste. Think of the best chocolate cake you’ve ever eaten. This one’s better and we have the cherry- soaking syrup to thank.
Those cherries from the can? They’ll be layered right into the cake, seeping their magenta juices into the vanilla whipped cream. Swirled pink, the whipped cream is light, billowy, and doesn’t weigh down the cake. While this black forest cake is certainly decadent, it’s not overly heavy. A breath of fresh air considering most chocolate cakes are dense as bricks!
Most of vanilla whipped cream is layered inside the cake, but be sure to reserve some to lightly spread on top and around the cake. This seals in the cake’s moisture. Have I mentioned this cake is moist?
How to Make Chocolate Ganache
Black forest cake is traditionally finished with chocolate shavings, but I took it a step further and opted for chocolate ganache. Instead of covering the entire cake like we do with chocolate raspberry cake and chocolate peanut butter cake, we will let the chocolate ganache gently drape over the sides for mega drama. (Because when it comes to chocolate cake, there’s gotta be drama!) Made from heavy cream and pure chocolate, there’s no garnish more appropriate for this cake masterpiece.
I’m so excited for you to try this black forest cake, a recipe that came to life from the one who inspired me to get in the kitchen.
Now let’s talk about the gorgeous stand mixer you see in all these photos! The 100 Year Limited Edition Stand Mixer comes in a custom and classic color, Misty Blue—a soft blue with a hint of green that is reminiscent of one of the first KitchenAid stand mixer colors ever introduced. It displays a heritage-inspired KitchenAid® logo, a white-coated stainless steel bowl and a custom Power Hub cover celebrating 100 years of KitchenAid. 10 speeds, tilt head, 5 quart, a testament to the past 100 years!
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Black Forest Cake
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This deliciously moist Black Forest Cake is a cut above the rest with homemade whipped cream, rich chocolate ganache, and sweet spiked cherries.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 cup (65g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder*
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (180g) full fat sour cream, at room temperature*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) hot water or coffee*
- 2 (15 ounce) cans dark sweet cherries in heavy syrup*
- 2 Tablespoons cherry liquor (sold as kirsch or kirschwasser)*
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup (240ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- two 4-ounce semi-sweet chocolate bars (226g), finely chopped
- optional: 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup*
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups (480ml) cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup (30g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the chocolate cake: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using) together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using a KitchenAid stand mixer fitted with a flat beater, beat the oil, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla together until combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add the hot water or coffee, and beat it all until the batter is completely combined.
- Divide batter evenly between 3 pans. Bake for 21-25 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool for 30 minutes in the pans, then remove cakes from pans and set on a cooling rack. Be careful and use two hands when handling the cakes.
- After the cakes have cooled, use a large serrated knife or cake leveler to slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!).
- Prepare the syrup: Drain the cherries, reserving 3/4 cup (180ml) of the heavy syrup. Set cherries aside. Simmer syrup and cherry liquor in a small saucepan over low heat until reduced down to 1/4 cup (60ml). Brush reduced syrup all over the cakes, reserving any leftover syrup.
- Slice the cherries in half, leaving a few whole cherries for garnish. Set aside.
- Make the ganache: Place chopped chocolate and corn syrup, if using, in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil—that’s too hot!) Pour over chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. Slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes as you prepare the whipped cream.
- Make the whipped cream: Using a KitchenAid stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 4 minutes. Medium peaks will hold their shape but the tip will gently curl when you lift the whisk.
- Assemble the cake: Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Spread 1 heaping cup of whipped cream evenly on top. Dot with half of the halved cherries and drizzle with a spoonful of reduced syrup. Top with 2nd cake layer and evenly cover the top with 1 heaping cup whipped cream, the remaining halved cherries, and another drizzle of reduced syrup. Top with the 3rd cake layer. Spread the remaining whipped cream on top and all around the sides in a thin layer using an icing spatula. Use a bench scraper to smooth out the whipped cream on the sides of the cake.
- Pour chocolate ganache on top of the cake. Spread to the edges of cake allowing it to gently drip down the sides. Top with whole cherries. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Cover and store leftover cake at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. For the cherry syrup, cool then cover and refrigerate overnight. The whipped cream can be prepared, covered tightly, and refrigerated overnight. Chocolate ganache can be prepared, covered tightly, and refrigerated for up to 3 days before using. Let ganache sit at room temperature to soften or microwave for 5-10 seconds before using. The assembled cake can be refrigerated for up to 1 day before slicing and serving. The frosted cake can also be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Stand Mixer | Cooling Rack | Saucepan | Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Bench Scraper | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Why Room Temperature Ingredients? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more about the importance of room temperature ingredients. Instead of sour cream, try using plain yogurt. The cake won’t taste as rich, but it’s a fine substitution.
- Cocoa Powder: Use natural cocoa in the cake, not dutch-process. Here’s the difference between dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder.
- Espresso Powder: Espresso powder and coffee will not make the chocolate taste like coffee. Rather, they deepen the chocolate flavor. I highly recommend them both. You can find espresso powder in the coffee aisle at the grocery store or online. If coffee isn’t your thing, you can leave out the espresso powder and use boiling hot water instead of the hot coffee.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute if needed. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 cup. (In a pinch, lower fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Cherries: Canned dark sweet cherries in heavy syrup (they are sold as such) are imperative to the recipe. The syrup will be reduced down. Do not use fresh dark sweet cherries, sour cherries, or maraschino cherries.
- Cherry Liquor: The cherry liquor is optional, but really gives the soaking syrup (step 4) that over-the-top delicious flavor setting this black forest cake apart from others. You can also add a splash to the whipped cream!
- Corn Syrup: I like to add a touch of light corn syrup to the ganache to give it some glistening shine. This is an optional ingredient.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I have been following SBA for many years, and it has recently become clear to me why some of these recipes have not turned out as expected. While using a scale and measuring ingredients precisely does help, there is also some inaccurate information in the recipes. I attempted to make this cake four times and feel so blessed I did not need it for an event or special occasion!
On my first attempt, the cake was so bitter, collapsed in the middle, and fell apart. When I tried again, making some adjustments, it still sank in the middle and had an overpowering taste of bitter coffee. I usually follow these recipes to a T because I strongly dislike wasting time and ingredients. However, I must caution new bakers that a lot of these recipes out on the internet are flat out wrong!
To improve the cake, I made several changes: I added an additional ¼ cup of sugar, removed one teaspoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of espresso powder (you really don’t need so much!) The initial cakes were too weak to withstand the leavening agents, lacked sweetness, and were overly dense. Additionally, I reduced the sour cream by ¼ cup, as the cherry syrup adds more than enough moisture. The goal is to achieve a well-structured cake with a deep and sharp cherry chocolate flavor that complements that light whipped topping. You don’t want this turning right back into batter when chewing it.
Once I made all these changes, I made my version an additional two times and THAT was pure perfection and an actual hit with everyone I gave slices to.
Don’t overfill your pans and use store-bought buttermilk. The homemade buttermilk recipe completely accurate either; you’ll need a tablespoon of buttermilk per cup of milk. My homemade buttermilk (think vinegar) may have been reacting too quickly with the baking soda, causing the cake to rise and then collapse in the middle.
This was a very frustrating recipe, but once I was able to hack it, I really did enjoy the cake.
Hi Rebecca, thanks for the feedback. I noticed you mentioned the cakes were weak and also dense. Were they weak and filling apart because they were too soft? Or falling apart because they were too heavy? I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review, as I’m always working to perfect my recipes so everyone can have satisfying results.
If I’m baking the cakes ahead of time, should they be soaked with the cherry syrup after baking and before refrigerating or before assembly the next day? Thanks
Hi Freda, we recommend brushing the cakes with syrup before assembling. See the recipe Notes section for make-ahead instructions.
Making this cake today for my son’s birthday. Just wanted to pass along that I found the dark sweet cherries in the canned fruit section at Walmart, not in the baking section where the pie fillings are. And I found cherry liqueur at the liquor store (I found Dr. McGillicuddy’s cherry liqueur). Happy baking!
I made this recipe several years ago and it had chocolate bark around the outside, not a ganache. Am I imagining things,
or did you change it? I saved the link to the recipe and it was titled “Black Forest Cherry Cake” but now this is the only one I can find on your site. I was hoping to share it with a friend but I don’t want to share this recipe that I haven’t tried. I guess I’m just wondering, did you change it? I do see the recipe says updated in 2022 but I was hoping you’d at least give instructions for an alternative way to do it with the chocolate bark, not having the ganache be the only option. I love your recipes and your site is my go-to for new things to bake, but I haven’t made this cake in years so didn’t notice it changed.
Hi Nikki! Could you be thinking of another website perhaps? This is the only black forest cake we’ve had on our website and it hasn’t had chocolate bark on the sides. However, you could certainly skip the ganache and cover with chopped chocolate bark if you wish. Let us know if you do give this one a try!
Hi,
If I were to make a Vanilla Cake with this same Recipe but Increase to All Purpose Flour to 2 Cups ( Instead of the Cocoa Powder ), would that work?
Thanks!!
Hi Swetha, though we haven’t tested this, you could reduce the cocoa powder in the recipe, but we wouldn’t recommend replacing it completely. It’s not a 1:1 substitution, but we would add a little more flour since you are reducing a dry ingredient. If you don’t want chocolate cake layers, you could use this vanilla cake recipe instead – it’s buttery, great flavor, soft, but sturdy for these layers.
Thanks for the reply, Erin. I’m looking for an oil based cake rather than butter based .
Hi! How do you juggle pouring hot things (cherry reduction, chocolate ganache) on whipped cream? If you leave them to cool, they won’t be drizzilable, but if hot the whipped cream will evaporate?
Hi NBT, the cherry reduction and chocolate ganache will be cooled slightly by the time you assemble the cake, but still be pourable. Refrigerating the cake for at least 30 minutes after assembling will help everything firm up, too.
This is fantastic! I ended up using Dutch process cocoa (oops, listen to the instructions people) but it still turned out amazing.
This is a seriously delicious chocolate cake, baked mine today. Will most definitely be baking another one.
Hello! Love everything on Sally’s Baking Addiction — it’s always my go-to for recipes! If I want to use cake flour instead of AP flour, how should I adjust the other ingredients on this recipe?
Hi Anna, this cake is already quite light due to the cocoa powder, so we don’t recommend cake flour. It’s best to use all-purpose flour here.
This cake was such a showstopper. It might be the best cake I’ve ever made, thanks to this recipe.
I went to five stores looking for dark cherries in heavy syrup with no luck. Eventually I settled on canned pie filling. I rinsed the berries and simmered the thick sauce with some water and plenty of cherry liqueur (Luxardo’s Sangue Morlacco). It was SO good soaked into the cake layers. I had quite a bit more than 1/4 cup of the cherry syrup and used almost all of it.
I didn’t have enough whipped cream to spread evenly around the edges but ended up covering the whole thing in the ganache anyways.
One day I’ll try it with the proper cherries but I’m so happy with how this turned out. Absolutely delicious and I’ll definitely make it again!
I also struggled finding the canned cherries in heavy syrup but ended up finding them at my local Walmart! I made this cake for a friends birthday back in September and I’m planning to make it again for a Galentines dinner!
If you were using this for cupcakes, how long and what temperature would you use?
Hi Sara, you can use this recipe for at least 2 dozen cupcakes; fill them halfway with batter. About 20-22 minutes bake time at 350F. Or, if you need a smaller yield, you can use our chocolate cupcakes recipe instead. Enjoy!
Thank you! I have made this cake three times already and my daughter requested cupcakes for her birthday Wonderful recipe!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Made it and it was a bomb! Had to hide it from d kids n hubby so i dont i hv to rebake so soon
Hello! Looking forward to trying this out, however nowhere near me sells Kirsch or Cherry Liquor…Any ideas of potential, readily available, substitutes?
Hi Stephan, the cherry liquor is optional, you can just leave it out if not available.
WOW, WOW, WOW!!! Awesome cake!! Took the cake to neighbor’s NYE gathering. Everyone LOVED it!! And I agree, add both the espresso powder and the hot coffee gave the cake layers a super chocolaty flavor! As well as being super moist and tender in texture. Another Great recipe Sally!!!
I made this cake for my husband’s 55th birthday as he is a big cherry fan. It was so moist and delicious and enjoyed by all. Love all the helpful baking tips and links throughout the recipe.
I was making this cake for a smaller gathering, so I halved the recipe and used 6in cake pans. I get the temperature the same but baked 19-21 minutes. The cakes came out super moist and the assembly went great.
If I’m using three 8-inch cake pans, how does that change the bake temp or time?
Hi Ashley, You can use 8 inch cake pans for this cake. The layers will be slightly thicker and require a slightly longer bake time (not much though).
Shoot, I think I took them out at 21 min still and the layers are very crumbly and hard to work with (falling apart trying to move the layers). However my tester came out clean and internal temp was 200F. Did I underbake these? And if so is it still safe to eat since it got to 200?
Will be making this cake – can I use frozen dark cherries
Hi Almuth, You can try using frozen cherries. Thaw them, then cook down the juices they released. We have not tried this and there will be a slight loss of flavor without the heavy syrup, but we can’t see why it wouldn’t work. Let know how it turns out for you!
Can I make this without using a stand mixer, either by mixing by hand or using a handheld mixer?
Hi Ashley, you can use your hand mixer to mix on a low-medium speed until the ingredients are combined. Be careful not to over mix, which could lead to a dense cake. Happy baking!
I have to make this cake for a friend to be served at Christmas. Unfortunately I will be out of town from the 17th to 29th of December. Can I freeze this cake?
Hi Almuth, absolutely! Here’s everything you need to know about how to freeze cakes.
Not only was this the best Black Forest Cake I had ever had, it’s also up there for one of the most delicious cakes I’ve ever had!
The texture and flavour combinations were sublime!!!
So excited to try this recipe – couldn’t find dark sweet cherries at the store and was considering substituting with cranberries – would that work?
Hi Roaine, we have not tested this cake with cranberries, but if you wish to try it we recommend fresh berries cranberries. Let us know if you give it a try!
What brand of cherries is your go-to? I have yet to find something that says “heavy syrup” in any of my grocery stores.
Hi Kathleen, we use canned dark sweet cherries in heavy syrup (they are sold as such). The syrup will be reduced down. We don’t recommend using fresh dark sweet cherries, sour cherries, or maraschino cherries. If you can only find cherries in light syrup instead of heavy syrup, you can use them in a pinch with no changes necessary.
Can I use gluten free flour
Hi Mary Anne, we haven’t tested this cake with gluten free flour, but let us know if you do.
This is my best friends cake, I’ve made it for the past three birthdays, everyone loves it! Can I make these as cupcakes? We are through a larger party than usual and cupcakes seem like an easier option. Thanks!
Hi Barbie, you can use this recipe for at least 2 dozen cupcakes, fill them halfway with batter. About 20-22 minutes bake time at 350F. Or, if you need a smaller yield, you can use our chocolate cupcakes recipe instead. Let us know how it goes!
Could I half the recipe to get a dozen cupcakes? Or is that going to mess with it too much?
I want to make them for my husband’s birthday as he loves Black Forest cake, buy it’s only us and our 3 little ones so I don’t want to make a whole big cake.
Hi Lara, we recommend you use the chocolate cupcakes recipe as a base instead, it yields 14-16 cupcakes and doesn’t require any adjusting.
Hi Sally, I live in the UK and we seem to only have cans of “cherries in LIGHT syrup” – is there a different solution so it comes out the same?
Hi Asli, you can use cherries in light syrup instead of heavy syrup. No changes necessary.
Everything about this recipe was divine. Texture, flavour and appearance. Thank you!
A birthday crowd pleaser! The cakes on this blog have never failed to impress at family functions, but this one was particularly delicious. Fudgy cake, pairs well with the whipped cream, chocolatey and fruity. 10/10
I have to make a blackforest cake for an Octoberfest Celebration for my community in a couple of weeks. We are planning for 40 residents. Is there enough cake batter in your recipe for a 9×11 cake pan?
Hi Linda, you can bake this cake in a 9×13-inch baking pan. Same oven temperature, about 35-40 minutes bake time. You may need to get a little creative with how you layer the whipped cream, ganache and cherries – you’ll likely need less of each. Hope it’s a hit!
I love this recipe so much and wondered if I can make this into a Black forest Roll Cake..
Hi Indira, we haven’t used this recipe as a cake roll, but you could use our chocolate cake roll recipe to try and make a black forest version. Let us know what you try!
This cake was so moist and delicious and everyone loved it! I did something wrong with the ganache because, even though I waited more than the recommended 10 minutes, it melted the whipped cream a bit so it didn’t look as pretty as yours BUT it definitely did not affect the flavor. I will be making this recipe again and again.
Can I use vanilla frosting in this recipe instead of whipped cream?
Hi Sharon, absolutely!