Black Forest gâteau or Black Forest cake is a childhood emotion for me! Layers of sponge chocolate cake with cold whipped cream in between and a delicious cherry liqueur or compote in my case. And then topped with fresh cherries along with shaved chocolate.

Black Forest gâteau or Black Forest cake

Growing up, this was the only variety of cake I liked from a café. The feel of the cold whipped cream with the sponge chocolate cake was priceless.

Believe it or not we cousins used to fight over those overly sweet Maraschino cherries! A delicious cake such as Chocolate with cherry cake calls for real cherries and not some artificial flavored.

My version of Black Forest Cake is not the authentic German Black Forest Cake which is incomplete without kirsh (clear colorless brandy)!

This Black Forest Cake doesn’t have any alcohol.

The Cherry Compote for the Black Forest Cake

It’s a simple cherry compote with sugar and red cherry. To enhance the flavor, I added fresh thyme to it.

Black Forest Chocolate Sponge Cake

This is my standard chocolate sponge cake that I bake quite often. I like to add just a hint of instant coffee powder along with cocoa powder.

I made two 6-inch cake. You can make just one tall 6 inch cake or 1 8 inch cake and then slice to layer in two.

Ingredients for the Black Forest Cake

Simple cherry compote flavored with fresh thyme leaves

Whipped cream

For the chocolate sponge cake

Egg
Sugar
Oil
All purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Cocoa powder
Instant coffee powder
Salt

Steps to prepare the chocolate sponge cake

Whisk the egg with sugar until it turns pale and fluffy.
Then whisk the oil to it.
Sift all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. And fold it to the fluffy whisked egg mixture.
Pour in two separates 6-inch round cake pan
Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes

How to get flat cake top?

You could use one of these baking cake strips or just wrap the outside side of the cake pan using an aluminum foil.

I personally don’t like frosting on cake but with black forest cake, I don’t mind. The cold whipped cream doesn’t feel that heavy on the palate or overly sweet.

While this might not be an authentic Black Forest Cake Recipe, you will surely enjoy the taste of this effortless cake recipe.

MORE CAKE RECIPES

Food Photography of Chocolate Cherry Cake!

Black Forest Cake

Kankana Saxena

Layers of sponge chocolate cake with cold whipped cream in between and a delicious cherry liqueur or compote in my case. And then topped with fresh cherries along with shaved chocolate.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Course Cakes, Cupcakes and Muffins

Ingredients

for the cherry compote

3 cup pitted cherries
⅓ cup white sugar
few fresh thyme leaves

for the chocolate sponge cake

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
¾ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup all purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
⅓ cup hot water

other ingredients

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon sugar
more fresh cherries for garnish

Instructions

Prepare the cherry compote first:Add the cherries, thyme leaves sugar and 2 tablespoon water. Let it cook and simmer in medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Let it cool completely while you prepare the cake.
Prepare the Chocolate Sponge CakePre heat the oven to 350 F
Grease two 6 inch baking pan with oil or butter. Place a parchment paper at the bottom of the pan.
Using an electric whisker, whisk the egg and sugar until it turns pale yellow color. It will also look quite frothy.
Then pour the oil and whisk again to combine everything.
In a bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder and coffee powder. Give a mix to combine everything.
Add the sifted dry ingredients to the egg mixture and using a spatula just fold it to incorporate into a light cake batter. Do not whisk at this stage.
Once done, pour the hot water and fold once again. (hot water helps to keep the cake moist, when you add cocoa powder to the batter)
Divide the batter into two prepared cake pan. You could use one of these baking cakestrips or just wrap the outside side of the cake pan using an aluminum foil.
Bake at 350 F for 30 to 35 minutes or until when poked in the center of the cake with a knife or chopstick, it comes out clean.
Let the cake cool down completely before you layer the whipped cream.
Decorating the cakeWhip the heavy whipping cream with the sugar until it's stiff.
You can choose to the layer the cakes or just leave as is like how I did.
Bush little bit cherry compote juice on the cake then layer a thick amount of whipped cream on top. Spoon some of the cherry compote on top. Place the second layer of the cake and repeat the process.
Garnish with fresh cherries on top and grate some chocolate.

Notes

The baking time of the cake depends a lot on the oven, so keep an eye.

Keyword cake, cherries, cocoa powder, whipped cream