This deliciously moist Black Forest Cake is a cut above the rest with homemade whipped cream, rich chocolate ganache, and sweet spiked cherries.
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!
PrintBlack 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 soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
- 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. 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 version of buttermilk 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.
Hi Sally, I am planning to make this cake for my dada 60th birthday (black forest is his absolute favorite, and he has never had a home.ade one before!). Instead of Cherry Liqueur, could Grand Marnier be substituted instead? Thank you!
Hi Nicole, Grand Marnier would be a great substitute. Hope he enjoys the cake!
Absolutely love this recipe, made this for Halloween, and my family loved it . The chocolate cake was so moist and rich, best Black Forest cake I ever made. Your scone recipe are a hit in my family as well, is my go to recipe for all kinds of scones. Yummy, thank you!
Best cake I’ve ever made.
This is by far the best black forest cake I have ever eaten or made. Absolutely delicious in every way
Hey Sally!! I plan on making this for my husbands birthday in a couple weeks! I’m so excited as all of your recipes have been a hit in our household!
One question: instead of using 3 9 in. pans, am I able to use 3 8 in. pans and just lengthen the bake time a bit? Thanks so much and thank you for having a passion we all benefit from 🙂
Hi, I am making this cake for a friend’s 50th bday but I need to transport it 1.5-2hrs by car. I am worried that the cream isn’t going to hold up. Even if I assemble it there I won’t have any way to whip cream onsite. Would you recommend something else for the icing or do you think it will hold up assembled or in the make ahead containers? I’m just so worried about the cream!
Also side question, have you ever tried the chocolate cake with gluten free flour? Thoughts?
Hi Kat, I recommend placing this assembled cake in the freezer for about 2 hours before your trip. Starting out that cold, it should last the 1.5-2 hours by car. I recommend a cake carrier for transport. (I swear by cake carriers for storing cakes, too!)
My tip is if you need to use Dutch process cocoa, add half a teaspoon of citric acid powder. I can vouch from experience turns out just as spectacularly good.
Can I use bottled morello cherries inatead of tinned?
Yes, the morello cherry is an excellent choice for this recipe. You can find them for a great price at Trader Joe’s!
I love this cake but had some difficulty with stability! I found that the creme squished out the sides and the cake was rather lopsided. Any tips?
Hi Riley, Make sure you are leveling each cake layer before stacking (we just use a large serrated knife to slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface) and that your whipped cream is reaching the soft peaks stage so that it’s not too thin.
Baked this cake for my birthday and it was an absolute hit! So moist and tasty. Thank you for doing what you do
Can I use Marschino cherries?
Hi AB, Unfortunately we do not recommend maraschino cherries. See recipe notes for details.
Made this cake for a friends birthday. It was delicious. Moist tender chocolate cake
with whipped cream and cherries. Brushing each layer with reduced juice and kirsch
made for increased flavor and moistness.
Made this for father’s day over the weekend, and I’ve never made a black forest cake before – I have to say, this is a new family favourite! An absolute gem of a cake! Thanks Sally!
Can’t wait to try it! All I see at my store is canned bing cherries. Is that the same as the canned dark cherries the recipe calls for? Thanks!
Hi Jessica, those should be just fine to use here.
I am so excited to deliver this cake for an anniversary today. The couple did not want my sugarfree cake. So l turned to you the expert! I trust your posts and now this will be another great event cake too! Thank you Sally!
Sally, this is my middle son’s very favorite cake of yours (for me it’s between this one and your triple chocolate) and he wants me to make it for dessert for his wedding rehearsal dinner, except in cupcake form. Should I do anything different? How can I make the whipped cream a bit stiffer so that I can swirl it on top of the cupcakes and then drizzle with the ganache? Thanks for any help you can provide!
This is the BEST CAKE EVER!!!
my son wanted a “cake with cherries on top”for his 6st bday. I’m half german, I lived in Germany for many years, so I thought Ok, Schwarztwalder Kirchtorte it will be! but I didn’t have the recipe, as this is maybe my less favorite cake… until now!!
The chocolate cake is so good! is amazing!!! and the cake all together too much!
The only thing a changed a little bit was the cream, I used whipped cream-cream cheese frosting instead of just whipped cream, for more stability and because I just love that cream!!
EVERYBODY had more than 2 pieces of cake, it was soooo amazingly delisious.
This is our whole family new favorite
thank you Sally so much for this delicious and easy recipe!!
Can I use raspberry or strawberry instead of cherries?
Yes, either should work. Happy baking!
If I only have one cake tin, can I bake all of the batter at once and then cut into 3 separate layers after the cake as cooled?
Or would it be better to divide the batter into equal parts in bowls, and bake each part in the same tin one after another?
Can I use cherry pie filling in its place? I cannot find canned dark cherries anywhere or what do you recommend for a substitute
Hi Brittney, You can layer the cake with the cherry pie filling. Skip the reducing the syrup/brushing the syrup on the cakes steps.
Dear Sally
Made this for my daughter’s birthday last week, and this was my first ever black forest cake baked from scratch – I have to say, this is a new family/friends favourite! An absolute gem of a cake! In fact, I have 3 orders already placed by my family and friends, so yea this is super awesome.
Thanks Sally!
Waoo!! Never made black forest as delicious as this! The chocolate cake is perfect. Thanks Sally♥️
Hi Sally,
If i would like to freeze the cake before icing it, should i still add the cherry syrup when it’s warm from the oven? Will this impact the final cake?
Many thanks!
Hi Isabelle, yes I recommend adding the cherry syrup while the cake is still warm. Cool the layers, then freeze. Here’s how to freeze cakes.
Wonderful cake! Baked it for my friend’s birthday and it was awesome! Thank you for the recipe.
This cake is one of the moistest cake I’ve ever had. I only used one can of cherries and that was enough. Instead of chocolate ganache, I used chocolate shaving.
I am making the cake for my husband’s 79th birthday tomorrow – I have made many Black Forest Cakes but this one sounds like a true phenomenon! Made the cakes today and they turned out perfect, made the syrup reduction etc and tomorrow planned to do the whipping cream and ganache and assembly. My fear is the ganache will weigh down or even melt the whipping cream – I notice you say a “thin layer” so that means just a once over, no real volume? And if I let the ganache cool too much will it still flow or if I put it on too warm, will it melt the layer of whipping cream. I have only used ganache a few times in my life and feel really insecure about putting it on top of the whipping cream!! This question was not addressed in any of the other comments!
Hi Danielle, When you are ready to get started, make the ganache first. It will then be able to cool down as you make the whipped cream and assemble the cake. By then it will be ready to just pour right over the top! You can see from the photos above that it’s not a thick layer like a buttercream frosting would be. After it’s all assembled place the entire cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to make sure everything sets up. We hope he has a great birthday celebration!
Hi Sally,
I want to make a kid-friendly cake, what substitute can I use instead of Krish or Krishwasser? And, will it make a difference in taste?
See recipe note– it’s totally optional! No need to replace with anything.
Made this for 4th of July and even the old German lady loved it. But the canned cherries were too soft. They basically got lost in the cake and added no additional texture, just moisture and some flavor. I’m going to try with either frozen or fresh cherries and make a heavy syrup, but not cook them to soft, just enough to get the flavor in the sugar/water.
I have 2 9 inch round pans. How would this change the cooking time? I’ve never made cake before and I’m making this for my Quarantine birthday cake!
Hi Victoria, You can make this into a 2 layer black forest cake using two 9-inch cake pans. I’m unsure of the bake time but use a toothpick to test for doneness. Have a happy birthday!
Thank you for sharing this recipe , it’s my mother’s 60th birthday and she adores Black Forest . I always make the buttermilk as opposed to shop bought and it was just Devine .
Hey Sally,
Thanks for this wonderful receipe.
It worked our just perrfecctttt… the cake was perfect and super Moist.
Except i had no sour cream and used little more home made buttermilk and it worked well.
I followed the recipe exactly and the cake tastes delicious, but turned out a bit dry. Any ideas for what might have caused dryness? I also found the amount of whipped cream to be too little to get good sized cream layers between each layer of cake, which also contributed to the cake being on the dry side.
Currently eating a slice of this cake! It turned out wonderfully! We have a cherry tree and I found this recipe searching for ways to use up our cherries. To try to follow this recipe, I canned my cherries in a heavy syrup; I think next time I’ll make the syrup a bit lighter so the tartness of our cherries comes through a bit more. But this cake was such a crowd pleaser, and I think it’s even better the next day once the separate elements come together a bit more. Thank you for sharing this recipe! We’ll definitely make it each year when our cherries come in!