Description

This Perfect Chocolatey Black Forest Cake recipe combines a light and airy chocolate genoise sponge with luscious cherry syrup, fresh cherries, whipped Chantilly cream, and rich chocolate ganache. It's a delightful dessert that balances fruity sweetness with deep chocolate flavor, perfect for special occasions or an indulgent treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Genoise Cake

8 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
1 cup all purpose flour (130 g)
½ cup cocoa powder (50 g)
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Cherries and Syrup

2 cans (14 oz each) pitted cherries in syrup (mix of dark sweet cherries and maraschino cherries)

Chantilly Whipped Cream

3 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled (720 g)
¼ cup granulated sugar (50 g)
1 tsp vanilla extract
⅛ tsp salt

Ganache

240 g semi sweet chocolate (or mix of dark and milk chocolate)
1 cup heavy cream (240 g)

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Instructions

Prepare the Cake Batter: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line four 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper on the bottom without adding any oil or butter. If you don’t have four pans, three pans can be used but fewer is not recommended. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs and sugar. Whisk on medium-high speed for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture becomes pale, thick, fluffy, and nearly triples in volume. This step is key to a light cake texture so don’t rush it.
Fold in Dry Ingredients: Sift together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold these dry ingredients into the egg mixture using a rubber spatula. Fold slowly and carefully to avoid deflating the batter; stop as soon as the flour streaks disappear. The batter should remain fluffy.
Bake the Cake Layers: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Avoid overbaking. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then remove them onto wire racks to cool completely.
Prepare Cherries and Syrup: Drain the cherry syrup from the cans into a saucepan and reserve. Set aside a handful of whole cherries for decoration and roughly chop the rest. Gently reduce the syrup on medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool completely.
Make Chantilly Whipped Cream: In a chilled bowl, combine the cold heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Whisk on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, where the cream holds shape but is not stiff or grainy.
Prepare Ganache: Place the chopped semi-sweet chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring in between until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Let the ganache cool at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes.
Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer upside down on a serving stand or cake turntable. Brush generously with cherry syrup, spread a thick layer of whipped cream, then evenly distribute a third of the chopped cherries, gently pressing them into the cream. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of ganache over the cream. Repeat with the next two layers.
Frost and Chill: Add the final cake layer, brush with syrup, then frost the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Add Ganache Drip and Decoration: Warm the remaining ganache until runny but not hot. Pour over the top center of the cake and use an offset spatula to spread and encourage drips down the sides. Optionally, pipe whipped cream dollops around the edge using a star tip and top each with a reserved cherry. Finish by sprinkling chocolate shavings or grated chocolate over the cake.
Serve and Enjoy: Slice the cake and serve chilled or at room temperature. This elegant chocolate cherry dessert is sure to impress.

Notes

If using fresh cherries, pit and cook 2 cups of cherries with 4 tablespoons water and 4 tablespoons sugar on medium-low heat for 10 minutes to create syrup. Strain the syrup for soaking and use chopped cooked cherries for filling.
Genoise sponge cakes can dry out quickly; it’s best to decorate and serve this cake fresh or at most one day ahead. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Use parchment paper for easy removal of the cake layers instead of greasing pans to keep the delicate texture intact.
Be careful not to overbake the genoise layers to maintain moistness and softness.
Chantilly cream should be whipped to medium peaks to hold the structure without becoming grainy or curdled.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 450 kcal
Sugar: 35 g
Sodium: 120 mg
Fat: 30 g
Saturated Fat: 18 g
Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 6 g
Cholesterol: 140 mg