As with most recipes steeped in history (and booze), there are a few Black Forest cake origin stories. Some corners of the internet claim the German dessert, also called Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, has been around since at least the 16th century—an unlikely theory since chocolate wasn’t readily available in Germany until the early 1600s, and at the time was primarily used as a medicine. Others say Josef Keller, a pastry chef in Bad Godesberg, penned the world’s first Black Forest cake recipe in 1915.
Whatever its provenance, the perennial favorite is traditionally made with a chocolate sponge cake batter. Its airy texture comes not from leavening agents, like baking soda or baking powder, but by whipping whole eggs with sugar and vanilla until voluminous before folding in the dry ingredients.
As with many fancy desserts, says legendary pastry chef Hubert Keller, the assembly for this German cake is easy; it just takes a lot of words to describe. A good Black Forest cake should be very moist and have a distinct flavor of kirsch, a cherry liqueur native to Germany’s Black Forest region, so be sure to use a good-quality spirit. Keller uses kirsch two ways: to preserve the sour cherries that get sandwiched between the cake layers and in the syrup he uses to soak them. Outside of cherry season, he says you can use frozen cherries—or shop for jarred or canned sour cherries (look for Morello or Amarena cherries; steer clear of candy red maraschino cherries). If you’d prefer to make this cake without alcohol, choose sour cherries in 100% cherry juice and use the strained liquid instead of the liqueur and water in the cherry syrup.
This recipe was excerpted from ‘Souvenirs’ by Hubert Keller. Buy the full book on Amazon.
If using canned cherries in syrup, drain them, reserving both the syrup and the cherries. Measure the amount of syrup and set aside. Macerate the cherries in a glass bowl in ½ cup of kirsch for 1 hour, tossing them occasionally. Drain the cherries, reserving them and the kirsch separately. Pour the syrup into a small saucepan with the kirsch and add sugar, if needed, to make a slightly sweet, cherry-flavored syrup. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and set aside until needed. You need about 1 cup of syrup for the cake. Use the rest as a sauce for ice cream.
Recipe information
Total Time
3 hours 20 minutes
Yield
8–12 servings
Ingredients
Cake:
Syrup:
Assembly:
Preparation
Make the cake:
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°. Place the rack in the center of the oven. Butter and flour a 10" cake pan that is 3" deep such as a springform mold.
Step 2
Sift ½ cup (60g) unbleached all-purpose flour, ¼ cup (21 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt onto a sheet of parchment paper and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 6 large eggs, at room temperature, ¾ cup (148 g) superfine sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract at high speed until the mixture has tripled in volume and is very thick, about 8 minutes. When the whisk is lifted, the batter will form a thick ribbon as it falls back into the bowl.Step 3
Lower the speed to stir and carefully tap the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. As soon as all the flour has been added to the eggs, stop the machine. Pour in 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled, leaving the white, milky solids behind. With a large rubber spatula, using as few strokes as possible, finish folding the flour mixture and butter into the batter until evenly mixed.
Step 4
Immediately scrape the batter into the prepared pan, place the pan on a baking sheet, and bake until the cake feels just firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, about 40 minutes. Transfer the cake pan to a wire rack and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Then turn the cake upside down onto the rack to cool completely. This will flatten the slightly domed top.
Make the syrup:
Step 5
Combine ½ cup (99 g) sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add 2 Tbsp. kirsch and remove from the heat. Pour the syrup into a small cup or bowl and set it aside.
Assemble:
Step 6
In a large bowl, whip 4 cups (908 g) heavy cream with 1 cup (113 g) powdered sugar and 2 tsp. vanilla extract on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat; the whipped cream frosting should be smooth and firm. Divide the cream into 4 equal portions and chill until ready to use. (This helps prevent getting to the last bit of decorating and discovering you have run out of cream.) If not using fresh cherries, reserve 8–12 cherries from 2 cups Spirited Sour Cherries, drained, or a 24-oz. jar pitted sour cherries such as Morello or Amarena, drained. Divide the remainder into 2 equal piles.
Step 7
Place the cake on a work surface with its original top up. Trim off any hard crusts. With a long serrated knife, cut the cake horizontally into 3 even layers. Transfer the top cake layer to a serving plate or cake stand, arranging it top side down. Brush it liberally with the syrup. With an offset spatula or rubber spatula, smooth on a ½" layer of whipped cream. Push the cream a little beyond the edge of the cake. (This prevents gaps when you settle the next layer of cake on top.) Nestle 1 pile of sour cherries into the whipped cream, scattering them evenly over the top.
Step 8
Place the middle cake layer on top of the cherries, pressing it lightly into the whipped cream layer. Brush with syrup, spread with whipped cream, and scatter the second pile of sour cherries over the cream.
Step 9
Finally, add the last cake layer, cut side up, on top of the cherries, again settling it into the whipped cream layer. Brush with syrup. With an icing spatula or a large rubber spatula, spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the top of the cake. Spread a thicker layer onto the sides.
Step 10
Use about ½ cup (85 g) ground dark chocolate (at least 60% cacao) or chocolate cookie crumbs to make a decorative edge around the base of the cake. Fill your cupped palm with some of the ground chocolate and lift and tilt it onto the sides of the cake all around the bottom edge. Rotate the cake between handfuls. To make the traditional scalloped edge seen in pastry shops, use the heel of your hand to gently press up as you rotate.
Step 11
Rotate the edge of a sharp knife against a single block of dark chocolate, at least 60% cacao, to make curls—or cut shavings with a vegetable peeler—until you have a pile weighing about 75 g (2.5 oz). Pile chocolate shavings on top of the cake.
Step 12
Scoop the remaining whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip. Pipe fat rosettes all around the top edge of the cake. Press 8 fresh cherries with stems (if using) or reserved Spirited Cherries into the center of each rosette. Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours to let the flavors meld. Just before serving, dust the top with powdered sugar.
Do ahead: The cake’s flavor develops as the kirsch soaks into the layers. Give the finished cake a minimum of four hours in the refrigerator before serving—it’s even better made a whole day in advance.
Editor’s note: Head this way for more of our favorite cake recipes →
Recipe notes
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