Very tasty and simple to prepare. Use cheese grater-created spirals of semisweet chocolate as a garnish.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 35 mins |
| Additional Time: | 1 hr |
| Total Time: | 2 hrs 5 mins |
| Servings: | 8 |
| Yield: | 1 8-inch round layer cake |
Ingredients
- 2 cups white sugar, divided
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup shortening
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- ½ cup cherry liqueur, divided
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons cherry liqueur
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 (16 ounce) can pitted sour cherries, drained
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two 8-inch round pans with parchment paper.
- Sift 1 1/2 cups of the white sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Beat shortening and remaining 1/2 cup white sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat 1 egg at a time into the shortening mixture; add vanilla extract with last egg. Add portions of flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition to form a smooth batter. Pour batter into prepared baking pans.
- Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Remove parchment from cake bottoms. Cut each layer in half horizontally, making 4 layers total. Pour 2 tablespoons cherry liqueur over each cake half.
- Beat cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Beat in 2 tablespoons cherry liqueur and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat in confectioners’ sugar and salt until cream filling is smooth and stiff.
- Spread 1 cake layer with 1/4 of the cream filling; top with 1/3 cherries. Repeat with 2 additional layers. Place 4th layer on top; frost top and sides of cake with remaining cream filling.
- Cooking spray (such as Pam(R)) can be used in place of parchment paper, if desired.
- Cherry pie filling can be substituted for the canned cherries, if desired.
- Liquid from the canned cherries can be substituted for the cherry liqueur, if desired.
- Create more layers for the cake by slicing each round into thirds or even quarters for a fancier cake.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 694 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 105 g |
| Cholesterol | 89 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Protein | 9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 12 g |
| Sodium | 631 mg |
| Sugars | 78 g |
| Fat | 27 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
My fiancé requested Black Forest Cake for his birthday, and I had never made it from scratch before. This was uncomplicated and delicious. I did use Cherry Pie filling instead of canned Cherries. Next time, I think I will use less liquor throughout and more whipping cream and powdered sugar (the alcohol could be tasted, and there wasn’t enough filling / icing to cover the cake).