Black forest cake

Name: Black forest cake
SKU: gateau-foret-noire

Preparation 40 min

Cooking time 30 min

Servings 8

See all suggested pairings

Ingredients

6 eggs, whites and yolks separated
200 ml (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) sugar
75 ml (1/4 cup + 1 tbsp) milk
2 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
125 ml (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
280 ml (1 cup + 2 tbsp) flour
5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder
2 ml (1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon
1 pinch of salt
1 jar of 540 ml (18 oz) of tart cherries (if not found, replace with black or Bing cherries)
180 ml (3/4 cup) sugar
30 ml (1 oz) kirsch
500 ml (2 cup) 35% cooking cream
75 ml (1/4 cup + 1 tbsp) icing sugar
2 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
100 ml (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) chocolate shavings
8 maraschino cherries

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
In a bowl, mix together the egg yolks and the sugar.
With an electric mixer, beat until the mixture has doubled and gets foamy.
Continue to mix, adding successively the milk, vanilla extract, cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Set aside.
Rinse the mixer blades thoroughly.
In another bowl, salt the egg whites and beat them until stiff peaks form.
Rinse the mixer blades thoroughly.
With a rubber spatula, fold the whites into the rest of the mix one third to one fourth at a time, making sure not to pop the air bubbles.
Place the mixture in two 20 cm (8 in.) springform pans.
Cook in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the tip of a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Let cool for 10 minutes and remove from the pans.
Place the cakes on a rack to cool.
Drain the cherries, keeping 180 ml (3/4 cup) of the juice.
Place the juice in a saucepan.
Add the sugar and boil for about 5 minutes.
Add the kirsch and cook for another minute. Set aside in the refrigerator.
In a bowl, whip the cream, gradually adding the icing sugar and the vanilla extract until the mixture is light and fluffy. Set aside in the refrigerator.
Cut each cake in half crosswise.
On a serving plate, place one slice of cake.
Brush the slice with 1/4 of the syrup. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream, then 1/3 of the tart cherries.
Top with another slice of cake and repeat, following the same directions in the same order, for the next two layers.
Top with the last slice of cake and brush with the remaining syrup.
Coat the top and sides of the cake with whipped cream, keeping some for decoration.
Sprinkle with chocolate shavings.
With a pastry bag, make 8 rosettes of whipped cream around the edge of the cake and one at the centre.
Place 1 maraschino cherry at the centre of each rosette.
Refrigerate overnight.
Cut into slices and serve.