Black Forest Cake
Make this gorgeous Black Forest Cake for your next occasion! Moist chocolate cake, layered with fresh cherries and whipped cream. Positively luscious!
This cake. Omg. I really think this Black Forest Cake might be my crowning cherry-chocolate achievement.
I have quite a few cherry chocolate recipes on this site (see Chocolate Cherry Chip Ice Cream, Chocolate Cherry Galette, and Cherry Almond Mocha Smoothie, to name just a few) and I have waxed poetic about my love for this flavor combination every time. It’s truly a favorite for me.
But I really think this layer cake takes it to a whole new level!
Isn’t it pretty?
I just love the bold visual you get when a semi-naked cake features an enticing drizzle of dark chocolate glaze, dripping temptingly down the sides of the cake.
And the garnish of fresh cherries, chocolate shavings, and powdered sugar couldn’t be simpler or more gorgeous.
But honestly, this cake is more than just a pretty face.
The cake layers are moist and deeply chocolate-y. So much rich flavor! It’s my top favorite chocolate cake recipe of all time. The result is always spectacular, and it all comes together in just one bowl!
But it’s the filling and toppings that really make this Black Forest Cake all that it is. Juicy, sweet summer cherries, glazed with a little jam, and topped with a fluffy whipped cream frosting. It just can’t be beat!
Especially if you’re as much of a chocolate-cherry lover as me!
More great cake recipes on my “Cake Recipes” Pinterest board!
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Black Forest Cake
Ingredients
For the cake layers
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (62.5 g) cake flour
- 1 cup (86 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, , softened
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (200 g) plain Greek yogurt, (sour cream can be substituted)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
For the filling
- 3 cups (414 g) fresh cherries,, pitted and halved
- 1/4 cup (85 g) cherry jam, (seedless raspberry or red currant jam can be substituted)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract,, divided
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) cream cheese,, softened
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2 3/4 cups (654.5 g) heavy cream,, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the garnishes
- 1/4 cup (59.5 g) heavy cream
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) semisweet chocolate,, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- fresh cherries
- chocolate curls*
- powdered sugar
Instructions
To make the cake layers:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, generously mist three 8-inch diameter by 2-inch high cake pans with non-stick spray, and line with circles cut from parchment paper.
- Place the sugar, flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl, and whisk to combine.
- Cut the butter into smaller pieces and add it to the dry ingredients.
- Mix on low speed until the mixture resembles damp sand (30 seconds to 1 minute).
- Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula after each addition.
- When all of the eggs are fully incorporated, add the Greek yogurt, vanilla, and almond extract, and beat on medium speed for about 60 to 90 seconds, to aerate the batter and strengthen the cake’s structure.
- Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared pans, and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part of the cake comes out clean or with one or two moist crumbs. Cool completely, then fill and frost.
To make the filling:
- Place the cherries, jam, and 1/2 teaspoon of the almond extract in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Set aside.
- Place the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large bowl and beat on medium-low speed until smooth.
- Turn the mixer down to medium-low speed and pour the heavy cream down the side of the bowl in a very slow and steady stream.
- When all the cream has been added, turn the mixer up to medium-high and whip until the frosting holds stiff peaks.
- Fold in the vanilla extract and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract.
To assemble and garnish:
- Place one layer of chocolate cake on a serving platter.
- Spread half the cherries on the cake, and top with about 1/3 of the whipped cream frosting.
- Top with the second cake layer, and repeat, topping with the third layer.
- Frost the cake with the whipped cream frosting.
- Heat the cream in a small pot until barely simmering.
- Place the chocolate in a small bowl, and pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, allowing it to stand for 5 minutes.
- Whisk the chocolate and cream together until fully incorporated.
- Whisk in the corn syrup and vanilla, and carefully pour the glaze in a slow stream around the perimeter of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
- Garnish with fresh cherries, chocolate curls, and powdered sugar.
I have made this cake now four times in practice for making a cake for our dear friend’s 75th birthday. He requested a Black Forest cake, and he knew we would do it fancy. So I found your recipe! We made a two-layer, a three-layer, and a four-layer cake, making slight adjustments along the way. The last cake we made was not structurally sound, and it fell apart when we cut it. (It was still tasty!) We added pudding to the cake batter this time, and because we had to use frozen cherries, we not only drained them, but we also cooked them with cornstarch to firm up the filling. The cake is absolutely gorgeous, but we still need dramatic flair, and will be looking to source fresh cherries at least for the top for when we make the cake for the party in May. It will be the first time many people will be together in person since COVID hit, so we are extra committed to making this a fancy cake. We garnished it with edible tiny silver stars and a dusting of crushed dried raspberries. We also used straight-up ganache instead of ganache + corn syrup….I found that it poured and dried better, and tasted better! without the cornstarch. We have also experimented with — and will be making — 36 cupcakes to go along with it. THANK YOU so much for your creativity. We love this cake.
BEST cake ever! It was perfectly balanced
What changes should I make to the recipe if I have 9 inch baking pans?
It is a beautiful looking cake but can not immagine it without Kirsch
Wasser .
What a stunning cake! Where can I get the cherry pitter tool?
It’s linked right above the recipe card.
I loved it! This is the best Black Forest cake I made and had!
My son requested a Black Forest cake for his birthday so I have sifting through various recipes and was very intrigued by yours because of the addition of the almond extract in the chocolate cake batter. Is this something you do in all your chocolate cakes, will it have a strong almond taste? Thank you in advance!
Hey Julie! I add almond extract to all of my cherry recipes because it brings out their flavor. Hope your son has a very happy birthday!
Hi I’m doing a serving for six, do I use the same measurements for the cake tin and if not, what do you recommend?
Can’t wait to make this recipe .. one questions. Currently fresh cherries arent available in Canada.. Can I use canned or glazed cherries instead?
Yes I would look for canned cherries, just cherries, no added sugar or anything like that. Frozen cherries will also work well. Good luck!
This looks beautiful…and so delicious! I’m planning on making it for a friends birthday! Should I use dutch process cocoa or natural cocoa for the chocolate cake? Thanks!
Thanks Natalie! You’ll want to use regular unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutched. Good luck!
Awesome! Thank you! 🙂
Making this next week for my husband’s birthday! Black Forest is his favourite but he usually eats it store-bought so I’m excited to see his reaction! 😀
Hope he loves it Anastasia! Happy birthday to your husband!
I made this for my husband’s birthday party last weekend, BIG HIT! Thank you so much for this
My pleasure Connie! Happy belated birthday to your husband!
Thank you for the great recipes. I made this Black Forest cake today. Whew- what a project! Beating the dry ingredients and the softened butter was a huge, messy proposition. Beating the powdered sugar and cream cheese was also a mess. Beating the whipping cream was even messier. Ha- my kitchen looked like a war zone at the end of this. But oh what a beautiful cake and very yummy! I posted a pic of it on insta and tagged your site!
Haha- baking can be a messy hobby for sure! But the more you do it you start to get better at keeping the mess to a minimum. So happy you enjoyed the cake! I’ll definitely look for it on Insta!
This is the third time I’ve made this cake. What a WOW factor! My husband is a cherry and chocolate nut. He was so stunned by this cake it’s now a birthday ritual. I had to make two this year because everyone was asking about the Black Forest cake for his upcoming birthday party. Wowsers !!!! Thank you for your recipe. If I could figure out how to post a photo I would.
That is so awesome to hear Sue! I am a cherry and chocolate nut too. Love that this has become a tradition for your family! Happy belated birthday to your husband!
are you using paddle attachment for your kitchenmaid for all mixing and beating
what speed number is medium low and medium high
Just go a little higher than the lowest speed, but not all the way to the middle. For medium high it would be faster than the middle but not turned all the way up.
The taste of this cake was amazing, just what I was hoping for. I used frozen black cherries that I thawed overnight and dried with paper towel. I unfortunately did something wrong with the glaze and it wasn’t thick enough, so it just poured down the cake rather than dripped and left thin brown streaks – so I called it a “watercolour glaze” haha. Maybe my corn syrup was too old? The other thing of note with this cake was that it was QUITE sloppy to cut. I had to cut small slices for kids and they ended up being more like “piles” than slices. But no one was complaining cause it tasted delicious. So if you are looking for picture perfect slices then this might not be the one, haha. Open to any tips you might have on the glaze or slicing! I am going to make it again this weekend for the family dinner portion of the bday celebrations, hoping to nail the glaze this time!
So happy you liked the taste! For the glaze, just make sure it’s completely cool before you drizzle. It’s quite thin when it’s warm, but it becomes thicker as it cools down. And to cut neat slices, it really helps if the cake has been refrigerated. You will get much cleaner cuts that way. Hope that’s helpful!
Gorgeous! I am planning to make this for my family’s Christmas dinner. One question: I need to double the recipe as 10 servings won’t be enough. How do you recommend doing this? I appreciate your help!!
Hi Ana! In your case, I would recommend baking two Black Forest Cakes. That would be the easiest answer as I don’t know what size pans you have or how the bake times would need to be adjusted for them. Good luck!