Black Forest Cake

Anyone remember the cherry bomb cupcakes that I made a few years ago?

 

I wondered what it would look like if I took that same recipe and turned it into a bakery-worthy three layer black forest dream.  

 

I had to make a few minor modifications to the recipe but in general, this cake turned out very similar to its cupcake inspiration.   

Layer of rich chocolate cake and dark chocolate ganache and cherry buttercream - nothing wrong with that.  

So here goes - my very basic recipe for black forest cake.

Black Forest Cake

Mocha three layer cake (or three layers of your favorite chocolate cake)

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon corn syrup
pinch of salt
2 cups chocolate chips

6 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon vanilla

3 cups frozen dark cherries

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons water

1 recipe of sweet vanilla buttercream

Put the cherries, sugar and water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Cook and stir until thick and syrupy. 

 Use an immersion blender to break of the cherries slightly.  Transfer to another bowl to cool.

 

Heat cream and corn syrup until just boiling.  

Pour over chocolate chips and let sit for 3 minutes.  

 

 

Whisk to blend and stir in room temperature butter, one Tablespoon at a time.  Stir in vanilla.  Allow to cool to spreading consistency.  (I put mine in the frig for 30 minutes.)

 Prepare buttercream frosting.  

Fold in cooled cherry mixture.

To assemble the cake, start with a cake layer on the cake circle and then a layer of chocolate ganache. 

Top with a layer of cherry buttercream.

Repeat cake and ganache and buttercream layers.

Finish with third cake layer on top of cake.

 Spread a thin layer of buttercream over entire cake.  Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Spread remaining buttercream on sides of cake and then tspread a thick layer of chocolate ganache over the top. 

This cake reminds me of the cherry bomb cupcakes because I would describe them both as a beautiful mess.  I never claimed that this was a neat cake - just a good cake.

Ciao!