Description
This German Black Forest Bat Cake is a rich and decadent layered chocolate cake filled with luscious Morello cherries and fluffy whipped cream, topped with chocolate shavings. It combines the classic flavors of Black Forest cake in an easy-to-follow recipe perfect for special occasions or indulgent desserts.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Filling & Topping
- 1 jar (24 ounces) Morello cherries, drained and juice reserved
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chocolate shavings for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans to prevent sticking and ensure easy cake removal.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir well to evenly distribute the ingredients for a uniform cake texture.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Beat the mixture on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and well combined.
- Incorporate Boiling Water: Carefully stir in the boiling water; the batter will be thin, which is expected. This step ensures a moist and tender cake.
- Fill Cake Pans: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans, dividing it equally for consistent layers.
- Bake the Cake: Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. This confirms the cake is fully cooked.
- Cool Cakes: Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes to set, then remove them from the pans and transfer to wire racks to cool completely before layering.
- Slice Cake Layers: Once completely cooled, slice each cake horizontally in half to create four even layers suitable for layering with filling.
- Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of whipped cream made by whipping the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Add a layer of drained Morello cherries on top of the cream.
- Repeat Layering and Finish: Repeat the process with the remaining cake layers, alternating whipped cream and cherries, finishing with a top layer of whipped cream.
- Garnish: Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings and any remaining Morello cherries for a classic Black Forest appearance.
Notes
- Make sure the cakes are completely cool before slicing and assembling to prevent the cream from melting.
- Reserve the cherry juice for possible use in a syrup to moisten the cake layers if desired.
- Use high-quality cocoa powder for a richer chocolate flavor.
- The boiling water helps to bloom the cocoa powder, creating a moister cake.
- The whipped cream should be stiff enough to hold the layers together but still soft and creamy.
