
Photo: Karishmark · CC BY-SA 4.0
About this photo & recipe
Black forest cake.jpg. Resized and converted to WebP; no AI alteration of the photograph. Photo used as decorating inspiration; the original photographer did not make or endorse this AI-assisted recipe. Recipe in development, not kitchen-tested.
Chocolate Cherry Cream Layer Cake225 min · 8 wedges · Recipe card
Ingredients
- 180 g all-purpose flour
- 45 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 180 g granulated sugar
- 6 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 2 g fine salt
- 2 large eggs (about 100 g without shells)
- 120 g buttermilk
- 90 g neutral oil
- 5 g vanilla extract
- 120 g hot coffee or hot water
- 300 g pitted cherries, fresh or thawed frozen, divided
- 30 g granulated sugar, for cherry filling
- 15 g lemon juice
- 10 g cornstarch
- 15 g cold water
- 500 g cold heavy cream (at least 35% fat), divided
- 45 g powdered sugar
- 5 g vanilla extract, for cream
- 120 g dark chocolate, for shavings
Let’s make it
- Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 20 cm round cake pan and line the base with baking paper.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; whisk until smooth. Stir in the hot coffee or water. The batter will be thin.
- Pour into the pan and bake for 28–33 minutes, until the center springs back lightly and a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out and cool completely.
- Chop 200 g of the cherries. Put them in a small saucepan with 30 g sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir the cornstarch with 15 g cold water, add it to the cherries, and cook for 1 minute until glossy and thickened. Cool completely.
- Whip 350 g cold cream with powdered sugar and 5 g vanilla to medium-firm peaks. Keep chilled. Level the cake if needed, then split it horizontally into two even sponge layers.
- Set the bottom layer on a serving plate. Spread the cooled cherry mixture over it, leaving a 1 cm border, then spread about a third of the whipped cream over the cherries. Top with the second sponge layer.
- Whip the remaining 150 g cream to firm peaks. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin, textured coat. Press chocolate shavings over the top and sides. Pipe several cream swirls on top and place the remaining 100 g cherries on or beside the swirls.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm the cream. Cut into 8 wedges with a warm, wiped knife. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Kitchen notes
This is an AI-assisted recipe in development, not kitchen-tested; the photo is decorating inspiration rather than the tested result. Contains wheat, eggs, milk, and chocolate; check ingredient labels for additional allergens.
Recipe in development · not kitchen-tested.
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