How to Make this Rich & Decadent Black Forest Cake

Learn how to make this rich Black Forest Cake that celebrates the end of summer and the beginning of fall!  

This black forest cake is a decadent cake that is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. The tender dark chocolate cake is layered with whipped chocolate ganache, cold whipped cream, and tart black cherry filling then it’s covered in dark chocolate bark! 

This cake is my favorite dark chocolate cake recipe as it’s super soft and the crumb melts in your mouth. It’s paired with freshly whipped chocolate ganache that’s rich in taste and vanilla whipped cream will cut through the richness of the ganache. 

Then the homemade black cherry filling is like a country-style jam chunky and a little sour. You can use fresh, frozen or canned black cherries (make sure to drain the cherries from the syrup before using) that way you have many options when making this cake. The addition of fresh lemon zest makes the cherries bright and tart! I’m sure you’ll be enjoying this one by the spoonful! 

To complete this Black Forest Cake place dark chocolate bark pieces along the outside of the cake, which reminds me of bark you would find in the black forest. To make this bark, we’ll use a simple yet impressive technique that you will be able to recreate at home!  

This Black Forest Cake is the best of the end of summer flavors using fresh cherries and dark chocolate you seriously can’t go wrong! 

Tips for success: 

• Read through all the ingredients and instructions so you can get a better idea of how much time and what you need to make this cake.

• In this cake recipe, you need 1 cup buttermilk; if you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can easily use 1 cup whole milk mixed with 1 TBSP lemon juice or white vinegar to make your own. 

• This dark chocolate cake recipe needs 1 cup of brewed coffee, but you can also substitute 1 cup hot water mixed with 1 TBSP of espresso powder. This ingredient elevates the chocolate cake and gives the cake a rich and delicious flavor. 

• You can bake the cake layers ahead of time. Wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze up to one month. 

• You can make the chocolate ganache a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight. Then take them out to come back to room temperature. Make sure the chocolate ganache is at room temperature before re-whipping.
• Place stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment into the refrigerator or freezer for 10 minutes to keep heavy cream cold while whipping. 
• You can also make the black cherry filling in advance and keep up to one week before using to fill the cake. However, it’s best to make Stabilized Whipped Cream on the day you plan to decorate the whole cake. Since it can lose its structure and the cream will separate. 

• A single batch of this cake recipe makes three, 6-inch round cake layers or two 8-inch round cake layers. Double the cake recipe to make enough cake batter for three, 8-inch cake layers.

• Be careful not to overmix this cake batter or else the cake will come out dense. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.  

• Serve cake at room temperature. 

What Tools You’ll Need to Make This Cake: 

• 3, 6-inch cake pans or 2, 8-inch cake pans
• Offset spatula 
• 8-inch or 10-inch cake board 
• Serrated knife or cake leveler 
• Turntable 
• Cake scraper or bench scraper
• Piping bag (I use silicone reusable bags)
• #844 Star piping tip
• Whisk or sifter
• Rubber Spatula
• Non-Stick Cooking Spray and Parchment Paper
• Ice Cream Scooper with Trigger Release (for dividing cake batter evenly)
• Cake Stand, optional
• Baking sheet pan

Here’s how to make this rich and decadent Black Forest Cake! 

Let’s Get Baking! 

Dark Chocolate Cake 

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Spray three 6-inch round cake pans or two 8-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
2. In the stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, stir together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 
3. Add the eggs and the vegetable oil on low until well incorporated.
4. Pour in the buttermilk and add brewed coffee. Mix on medium for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
5. Evenly distribute the cake batter among the three cake pans and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
6. Remove cakes from oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks to cool completely — wrap cakes in plastic wrap and place in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes. 

Black Cherry Filling 

1. In a medium saucepan, mix the black cherries, sugar, and lemon juice. Continue mixing with a rubber spatula over low-medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the cherries begin to boil.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Add cornstarch mixture to the boiling cherries and continue to stir with a rubber spatula. 
3. Add Kirsch cherry liqueur. Continue cooking the mixture for 2-3 minutes until it is thickened and coats the back of a spatula. 
4. Pour the cherry filling into a small bowl to cool. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Set aside to fully cool. 

Whipped Chocolate Ganache 

1. Add semi-sweet chocolate chips to a small microwavable bowl. In another small microwavable bowl, heat the heavy cream to a light simmer for about 1 minute. 
2. Pour hot, heavy cream over chocolate chips. Allow chocolate to melt for 1 minute. Use a whisk or rubber spatula to mix the chocolate and cream. Mix until its velvety smooth. If chocolate is still not melted, heat in the microwave in 15-second increments. 
3. After the chocolate ganache has cooled, add the ganache to a clean stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high until the ganache has doubled in size and is light and fluffy. Place the ganache into a piping bag. 

Stabilized Whipped Cream 

1. Place stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment into the refrigerator or freezer for 10 minutes to keep heavy cream cold while whipping. 
2. In a small microwaveable bowl, place the powdered gelatin and pour cold water over the top. Allow gelatin to bloom for 2-3 minutes. After the gelatin has bloomed and softened, melt in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Set aside to cool.  
3. In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream and powdered sugar together on high speed. Whip for 3-5 minutes until you get a soft peak. 
4. On medium, slowly pour in vanilla extract, Kirsch cherry liqueur, and melted gelatin mixture. Whip on high for 15 seconds to incorporate gelatin. Remove from mixer and place into a piping bag fitted with a #844 star tip. 

Dark Chocolate Bark

1. In a medium microwaveable bowl, melt the dark coating chocolate for about 1 minute. Use a rubber spatula to mix the melted chocolate. 
2. Then pour the melted chocolate onto a piece of parchment paper and use an offset spatula to spread it out and make it even. Allow it to cool and dry for 1-2 minutes before rolling the parchment paper into a log. Cool the chocolate log into the refrigerator to set up for 10 minutes.
3. Once the chocolate is set and hard, unroll the parchment paper onto a baking sheet to reveal large pieces of dark chocolate bark. 

Putting It All Together

1. Remove the cake layers from the freezer and unwrap the cake layers. Next, use a serrated knife to cut off the dome of the cakes to make the layers flat and even. 
2. Add a small amount of buttercream onto the center of the cake board. 
3. Layer the chilled dark chocolate cake, cut side up onto the cake board. 
4. Then pipe a thin layer of whipped chocolate ganache on the cake then use an offset spatula to smooth it. Pipe a ring of whipped chocolate ganache close to the outside edge of the cake layer. Then pipe another circle on top of the previous ring of ganache.  
5. Pipe a thin layer of whipped cream inside the ring of ganache. Add ¼ cup of black cherry filling inside the ring of ganache. Use an offset spatula to smooth out the filling. 
6. Place another cake layer cut side down over the top. Repeat the process for another layer — Crumb coat the whole cake with whipped chocolate ganache and freeze for 30 minutes.
7. Add a thick layer of whipped chocolate ganache to the whole cake. Use the offset spatula to distribute the ganache. Add more ganache to fill in any gaps. Then use a cake scraper to make the cake smooth on the top and sides. 
8. Add the dark chocolate bark pieces to the outside of the cake. 
9. Pipe swirls of the stabilized whipped cream on the top of the cake. Then add a whole cherry on top of each swirl. Pipe more whipped cream in the middle and top it with dark chocolate bark pieces. Serve and Enjoy! 

You May Also Enjoy: 

• Sprinkle Fault Line Cake (tutorial)
• How to Cut & Serve Cake (free guide)
• Common Baking Mistakes & How to Avoid Them (free ebook)
• How to Decorate Your First Cake (free course)
• Cake Decorating for Beginners (online course)

Black Forest Cake is a classic cake flavor where every baker has their recipe. This cake has one of my all-time favorite flavor combinations. You seriously can’t go wrong with the perfect bite of dark chocolate, sour black cherries, and fresh whipped cream! It’s the ultimate crowd-pleaser dessert! 

My goal is to help you become a better and more confident baker, let me know in the comments below what’s your #1 baking and cake decorating problem? 

Happy Baking! 

Hey, if you liked this tutorial, you really should check out, Cake Decorating Creator Program, my online cake program. I coach you on everything I teach on these cake tutorials so that you can uplevel your baking and decorating skills. We 10x it so you get the results you want most. Like any new skill, it’s important to learn from the ground up to build a foundation, so you can take on any cake challenge. It is an investment your future self will thank you for. Check it out at XOKatieRosario.com/online-cake-course. I will see you there!

 

Watch The How-to Video Below: 

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