Moist chocolate cake is filled with a fluffy white frosting and cherries and covered and topped with more frosting, chocolate and even more cherries making this Black Forest Cake one addicting treat.
When it comes to cake this Black Forest Cake recipe is the one you need to keep on hand! Full of flavor, it is a beautiful classic cake that everyone will adore!
Ok, by now you all must know that I’m addicted to cake. I’m not to particular on the type of cake…sheet, bundt, cup, roll, but in all honestly, layer cakes are my weakness. I love frosting, and I love filling, so sometimes just a regular cake that has frosting on top just isn’t enough for this sugar addict.
I’m a huge fan of black forest. You can see my love with these Black Forest Waffles, Black Forest Cupcakes and Black Forest Sweet Rolls! There is something about the flavor of chocolate and cherries that just reels me in and keeps me coming back for more!
Like for Christmas I made these Cherry Brownie Bombs that were seriously SERIOUSLY addicting! It was brownies crumbled and mixed with chocolate frosting and some cherry preserves and then you take the mix and wrap it around a cherry and dip it in chocolate, I was in heaven. Literal heaven.
WHAT IS BLACK FOREST CAKE?
Traditionally black forest cake is a 4 layer cake made up of a sponge cake layer, cherries and whipped cream. This recipe uses a homemade cherry pie filling or 1 can of cherry pie filling. You can do it either way that you’d like. Both taste amazingly delicious.
I also switched it up a little bit in my frosting and went with a cream cheese whipped topping to give it a more rich and deeper flavor that really plays well off of all the other flavors.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CHOCOLATE SHAVINGS?
This is one of my most difficult tasks in making this Black Forest Cake recipe. Now you can get yourself a bar of unsweetened chocolate and use a potato or vegetable peeler and shave some off, that was what I found most simple.
You can also melt some chocolate down and spread it on a cold sheet pan and scrape it up with a flat metal spatula where it will curl up, but make sure it is refrigerated after shaving because it tends to like to melt quickly.
Can I confess something? I totally miss Christmastime already. I know, I must be crazy right? But now we are in a new year and a new month and we all know that brings “healthy” eating. *Throwing a little tantrum* But I don’t want to! I want all the goodies and cookies and cakes and treats!! Gimme all the sugar!
No really though, I really do miss all the goodies, and it’s hard for me to want to always eat healthy because honestly it’s just not how I have been raise to eat. If I crave it, I eat it…in moderation. That is my catch-all phrase, everything can be enjoyed in moderation.
You will see some more healthy recipes from me this year, I’m not going to deny that, but you will still be seeing all the goodies that I normally do, because lets face it, I can’t quit the no matter how hard I try. And trust me my friends I have tried, lasted about a week and I was dying.
Anyways back to this tasty Black Forest Cake! One thing I really like about this cake is that you don’t have to get all professional with the outside frosting and get it perfectly smooth because chocolate shavings are going to cover this bad boy up! Another thing, I made my own cherry pie filling…if you’re just not the type of person who want’s to do that, go ahead and use a canned filling, no shame at all!
Black Forest Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups cocoa powder unsweetened
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup coffee cooled
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla
- Homemade cherry pie filling or 1 21 oz can cherry pie filling
- 1/2 semi-sweet baking chocolate bar shaved
Frosting:
- 2 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 block cream cheese room temp
- 2 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Line 2 9" round cake pans with parchment paper and spray the edges with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix together in large bowl with hand mixer (or stand mixer) sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt until combined.
- Add in eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla and continue to mix until smooth. Don't worry if the batter is runny, it is supposed to be.
- Pour batter evenly into pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until center springs back when touched and toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool for about 5-10 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
- If you are making homemade cherry pie filling now is the time to do it, otherwise skip to next step.
- To make your frosting beat your whipping cream on high until stiff peaks form, set aside.
- In another bowl beat your cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until combined and fluffy. Fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream mixture until combined, set aside.
- To assemble cake, layer one of your cake layers to turntable or cake stand.
- Top with about 3/4-1 cup of your frosting and 3/4-1 cup of your cherry pie filing, place other layer on top.
- Spread about 3/4 of the rest of the mixture over tops and sides of cake until covered.
- Press your shaved chocolate onto sides of cake.
- Place remaining frosting into piping bag fitted with your favorite decorating tip and pipe around top and sides of cake.
- Spread the remaining cherry pie topping on top of the cake.
- Cut and serve, refrigerate any remaining cake.
Nutrition
Tornadough Alli is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value is important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and values can vary depending on which brands were used.
Meg
Hi do you think this would work for cupcakes? Any suggestions for changes for a cupcake version? Thanks!
Tornadough Alli
I have not tried as a cupcake version, I would think that it would work as a cupcake but the baking time would be reduced probably to 18-20 minutes.
Shannon
Thank you for this incredible recipe! I made it for my five-year-old son because he described the cake that he wanted to a tee and this fit his description! I made it the day of but put it in the refrigerator before we ate it because I was afraid it would be too soft with the whip cream cream cheese filling. We loved it out of the refrigerator so I will definitely make this again and I will do it the night before. The only thing I didn’t add where the chocolate shavings which would have been wonderful but he had asked for sprinkles. Thank you again, I just can’t believe how yummy this cake is!
Tornadough Alli
Soooo happy you guys loved it! Your 5 year old has great taste in cakes that is for sure! And sprinkles is such a fun addition!
Marci
If like to make this the night before it’s needed. Would it get too soggy? I’m wondering if it’d be okay if I waited to put the cherry filling on until the morning of. Thanks!
Tornadough Alli
It shouldn’t get too soggy as long as it’s refrigerated but waiting til then next day to put the filling on top would work as well. It will already be in the middle but then it reduced the risk for the top being too soggy.
Marci
Thank You! Looks delicious!
Tornadough Alli
You’re more than welcome Marci! It’s one of my favorites 🙂
Kelsey
Have you ever tried this recipe with 3 – 8” cake pans?
Tornadough Alli
I haven’t but it should be fine, I use a lot of 8″ pans when baking and there should be no problem doing this in them.
Jojo
Hi there!
I want to make this cake over the weekend for a birthday
Just wondering where I can find your cherry pie filling recipe?! Thank you!!
Tornadough Alli
Hey Jojo! I actually gave the recipe in a pervious comment so just scroll up and you should see it.
CakenGifts.in (@cakengiftsin)
Thankyou soooo much it provided us awesome black forest cake it was too simple for understanding.
Mila Pandzic
Can this cake be made in advance and frozen?
Tornadough Alli
Yes. I routinely store my cakes in the freezer before serving. Just make sure you store it tightly.
Ezra
So I made the cake today but a gluten free version and I must say it turned out amazing! I made a few changes but only because I’m trying to steer off gluten and dairy. I used coconut milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon to make a kinda ‘buttermilk’ and I used coconut oil in place of vegetable oil. It still is spongy and moist and delish! Thanks for the recipe!
Tornadough Alli
Ezra, sorry it took me this long to reply! I a so happy you enjoyed this and I’m happy that all the substitutions worked out for you, thats awesome!!
Sherrie
How do you make the homemade cherry filling?
Tornadough Alli
Hi Sherrie, the recipe is above in the comments 🙂
Nikki Heat
How did you make your own cherry filling?
Tornadough Alli
Hi Nikki, I actually gave the recipe in a comment above 🙂 I’m working on a separate post for my pie filling recipe so it soon will have a video and a post just for itself.
Melanie
How do you make your homemade cherry pie filling?
Tornadough Alli
Hi Melanie, I’m actually working on a post about this but I take 2 cans red tart cherries and drain the liquid out you’ll want 2 cups liquid so if it doesn’t give you 2 cups add a little water. Pour your juice and 4-5 Tbs cornstarch in saucepan and heat, stirring until thickened. Once thick add in your cherries and 4 Tbs sugar.
megunprocessed
What a gorgeous creation!
Stephanie
Hi. How much is 1 1/2 block cream cheese in ounces? Thanks. I need to make this and want to do it right.
Tornadough Alli
Hi Stephanie, a block and a half of cream cheese is 12oz 🙂
Shelby
This looks incredible. I really want to make this for Grumpy’s birthday, even if his fav is carrot. lol I don’t think he would hate me for making this though!
Beth
WOW! Alli, this looks amazing!
LaurenKellyNutrition
What a gorgeous, decadent cake!
The Urban Baker
that is one gorgeous looking cake!
amindfullmom
Stunning and such a wonderful flavor combo!
Nettie Moore
I have to make your cake! Beautiful! Nettie
Tornadough Alli
Thank you so much Nettie, we love this cake. One of our favorites for sure!