Description
This Perfect Chocolatey Black Forest Cake combines airy chocolate genoise cake layers with luscious cherries soaked in syrup, light Chantilly whipped cream, and decadent chocolate ganache. It’s a show-stopping dessert ideal for celebrations, featuring rich chocolate flavor balanced by sweet-tart cherries and creamy textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Genoise Cake
- 8 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
- 1 cup all purpose flour (130 g)
- ½ cup cocoa powder (50 g)
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
Cherries and Syrup
- 2 14 oz cans or jars pitted cherries in syrup (can mix dark sweet cherries and maraschino cherries)
Chantilly Whipped Cream
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled (720 g)
- ¼ cup sugar (50 g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
Ganache
- 240 g semi-sweet chocolate (can mix dark and milk chocolate)
- 1 cup heavy cream (240 g)
Instructions
- Prepare Cake Batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (no fan). Line the bottoms of four 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper, do not grease the sides. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 7 minutes until pale, thick, and almost tripled in volume.
- Fold Dry Ingredients: Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the egg mixture using a rubber spatula, mixing slowly to retain air and create a fluffy batter.
- Bake Cake Layers: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in pans for 20 minutes, then remove and cool completely on racks.
- Prepare Cherries and Syrup: Drain cherries, reserving the syrup. Roughly chop most cherries, setting aside some whole perfect cherries for decoration. Reduce the cherry syrup slightly in a saucepan over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, then let cool completely.
- Make Chantilly Whipped Cream: In a cold bowl, whisk together chilled heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium-high speed until soft to medium peaks form—cream should hold shape but remain smooth.
- Make Ganache: Place chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second increments, stirring between each, until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Let ganache cool at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Assemble Cake: Place one cake layer upside down on a serving stand. Brush generously with cherry syrup, spread a thick layer of whipped cream, then add one-third of chopped cherries gently pressed into cream. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons ganache over cherries. Repeat with next two layers.
- Finish and Chill: Top with final cake layer, brush with syrup, and frost fully with remaining whipped cream. Chill cake in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Decorate with Ganache Drip: Warm remaining ganache until runny but not hot. Pour over chilled cake, spreading quickly to create drips down the sides. Optionally, pipe whipped cream dollops around edges and top each with a reserved cherry. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings.
- Serve: Slice and enjoy the rich, creamy, and chocolatey Black Forest cake.
Notes
- If using fresh cherries, pit 2 cups and simmer with 4 tablespoons water and 4 tablespoons sugar for 10 minutes to create syrup; reserve syrup and chop cherries for filling.
- Genoise cakes can dry out; assemble and serve fresh or up to 1 day ahead. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator up to 4 days.
- Use parchment paper for easy release; do not grease pans to help cake rise properly.
- Do not overmix batter or overbake cake layers to keep them light and moist.
- Chill whipped cream and equipment before whipping for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (based on 10 slices)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg
