My take on the iconic Black Forest cake consists of a rich, tender chocolate sponge soaked with amaretto and topped with whipped cream, a sweet cherry filling, and chocolate shavings. Its easy method and simple, single layer makes it the ideal dessert to serve at summer dinner parties.
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Why you'll love this Black Forest cake
- Rich, Tender Crumb: This recipe uses the reverse creaming method, a butter-oil combination, and dutch process cocoa powder to create the most tender crumb with a rich chocolate flavor!
- Sweet Cherry Filling: Sweet cherries are the star of the show! All they need is a little sugar, salt, cornstarch, and vanilla to turn them into a delicious topping. Sour cherries (aka tart cherries) would also work well in this recipe!
- Simple, Single Layer: As a one-layer cake, this dessert is so easy decorate and transport to dinner parties!
For more cherry recipes, try my Chocolate Cherry Brownies, Cherry Pie Bars, and Cardamom Cherry Pie.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: Use high quality unbleached all-purpose flour for best flavor and overall result.
- Cocoa Powder: I recommend dutch process powder for a rich chocolatey flavor.
- Butter: I highly recommend European-style butter, as it has a higher fat percentage and less water content than American-style butter. I use Kerrygold!
- Neutral Oil: Using both oil and butter gives this cake a super moist texture without losing out on that buttery taste.
- Cherries: I recommend using fresh cherries for this recipe, but you can also use frozen or canned cherries. If you do use fresh cherries, be sure to get a cherry pitter!
- Cornstarch: A few tablespoons of cornstarch helps to thicken up the cherry pie filling.
- Vanilla Extract: Cherries and vanilla are a match made in heaven, so don't skimp on the good quality extract!
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Here are step by step photos and instructions on how to make this cherry pie bar recipe! For the full ingredient list and method, see the recipe card at the end of this post.
Make the cake batter
Beat the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles wet sand. Add the oil, whole milk, and vanilla, and mix until just combined. In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg whites until medium peaks form. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula until just combined.
Bake the cake
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour. While the cake is still warm, use a serrated knife to trim the top of the cake, creating a flat layer. Immediately brush amaretto on the cake all over. Allow the cake to cool completely before decorating.
Make the cherry topping
In a small saucepan, combine the cherries, sugars, and salt. Place over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. Add the cornstarch and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the juices have thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and amaretto. Place the saucepan in the fridge for a few minutes to cool.
Make the whipped cream & Decorate
Just before assembling, make the whipped cream by beating the cold heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Place the cake layer on a cake stand and top with the whipped cream. Arrange the cherry filling in the center, then top with more fresh cherries and chocolate shavings.
Expert Baking Tips
- Don't over-whip the cream! Whip the cream to until it just reaches stiff peaks. Cream can split very quickly and become grainy.
- Assemble the cake just before serving. Whipped cream can liquify again, so I recommend waiting to whip the cream and assembling the cake until just before serving.
Recipe FAQs
You can absolutely make most of this Black Forest cake ahead of time! For the cherry filling, make it 2-3 days ahead of time and store it in the fridge. For the cake layer, make it one day before serving and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. The day of make the whipped cream and assemble just before serving.
The best cocoa powder for making Black Forest cake is dutch process cocoa powder! Since dutch process is alkalized, it is neutral rather than acidic, and is far richer in flavor than regular cocoa powder.
Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Baking in Grams
All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale.
If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.
But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!
Happy baking! x
Other summer recipes to try
If you tried this recipe, I'd love to know how it turned out for you! Leave a star rating & review below and post a picture (or video!) on Instagram and tag me so I can see your bakes! Not ready to make this recipe yet? Click the heart button on the right of your screen to save it for later 🙂
📖 Recipe
Black Forest Cake
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake layer:
- 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 250 g (1 ¼ cups) granulated sugar
- 84 g (1 cup) dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 113 g (8 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temp
- 100 g (½ cup) neutral oil
- 360 g (1 ½ cups + 3 tbsp) whole milk, room temp
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 egg whites
- amaretto, for brushing
For the cherry topping:
- .5 lb fresh cherries, pitted & quartered
- 36 g (3 tablespoon) granulated sugar
- 13 g (1 tablespoon) brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 8 g (1 tablespoon) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon amaretto
For the whipped cream:
- 340 g (1 ½ cups) heavy cream, cold
- 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
Instructions
For the chocolate cake layer:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut up the butter into small cubes and add to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until it resembles wet sand.
- Add the oil, whole milk, and vanilla, and mix until just combined.
- In a separate medium bowl, add the egg whites. Use an electric hand mixer to whip them until medium peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake the cake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the cakes start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- While the cake is still warm, remove the outside of the springform pan and use a serrated knife to trim the top of the cake, creating a flat layer. Immediately brush amaretto on the cake all over. Allow the cake to cool completely before decorating.
For the cherry topping:
- In a small saucepan, combine the cherries, sugars, and salt. Place over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes or until the cherries start to soften and release their juices.
- Add the cornstarch and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the juices have thickened. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla and amaretto.
- Place the saucepan in the fridge for a few minutes to cool. Alternatively, pour the cherry filling into an airtight container and chill in the fridge overnight.
For the whipped cream:
- In a large bowl, add the cold heavy cream and sugar. Use an electric mixer to whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Careful not to over-whip the cream, as it can quickly split and become grainy!
For assembly:
- Place the cake layer on a cake stand and top with the whipped cream. Arrange the cherry filling in the center, then top with more fresh cherries and chocolate shavings.
Notes
- Don't over-whip the cream! Whip the cream to until it just reaches stiff peaks. Cream can split very quickly and become grainy.
- Assemble the cake just before serving. Whipped cream can liquify again, so I recommend waiting to whip the cream and assembling the cake until just before serving.
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