Black forest cake or its origin as the German say “Schwarzwalder Kirschtore “aka Black forest gateau is a rich creamy cake consisting of dense layers of chocolate cake sandwiched with cherries and whipped cream…The Cook Historian says that “It is often prepared with the alcohol”.
I was waiting for the occasion to bake this beauty, so finally I grabbed an opportunity to bake this wonderful cake on my better half’s birthday. Coming back to the recipe I have done a whole lot of research like referring books and blogs. Major part of the recipe is from Nita Mehta’s book. This is one of the best recipe I have ever baked.
Ingredients for the Sponge cake:
All purpose four-2 cups(225 gms)
Aerated cola- 300 ml
Butter-125 gms
Vanilla essence-1/2 tsp
Baking powder-1 tsp
Soda- bicarb-1 tsp
Milkmaid-400 gms
Cocoa powder-3-4 tbsp
Ingredients for Cream icing:
Whipped Cream(chilled) -1 ½ cups
Icing sugar- 2 tbsp
Ingredients for the syrup:
Cherry syrup-1/2 cup
Method for the chocolate sponge cake:
- Sift the maida with soda-bicarb,baking powder and cocoa powder and keep it aside.
- Mix sugar,butter and milkmaid and beat well with an electric beater.
- Add aerated cola and maida mixture gradually beating well after each addition.
- Add essence and beat well for 3- 4 minutes till the mixture is smooth and light.
- Preheat the oven for 160 degree Celsius.
- Bake in a greased baking till for about 40 minutes or till done.
- Cool the cake and keep it aside.
Chocolate flakes(shavings) or curls:
- To prepare chocolate flakes, keep the milk chocolate with the wrappers on it, on the outer surface of a hot oven so that it melts slightly and becomes soft.
- Cool in the fridge but do not make it very hard.
- With the help of a potato-peeler, scrape the back side of the chocolate to get flakes.
- Keep the flakes in the freezer for half an hour to harden.
- I used dairy milk bars.
Method for the cream mixture:
- Add icing sugar to the chilled cream.
- Beat the cream carefully till the cream is thick and can stand in soft peaks.
- Be careful not to over beat it.
- Keep refrigerated till use.
Stone 1 cup cherries, keeping aside a few for the decoration.
For assembling the cake:
- Cut the cake into two layers horizontally.
- Keep the top layer on the serving plate ,top part facing down.
- Sprinkle 3 -4 tbsp of cherry syrup over the cake .
- Spread 2-3 tbsp of beaten cream on each piece of cake..
- Put stoned cherries on the cream on one piece and cover these with the other piece of cake.
- Repeat the procedure.
- Cover the cake completely with cream on all sides and the top.
- Level top and sides with a broad knife.
- Make a border on the edges by piping swirls of cream.
- Place a cherry on each swirl.
- Put chocolate flakes in the centre and dust it on the entire cake.
- Serve chilled.