Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Dark Black Forest Cake




Happy 2013 everyone! A new beginning. A new chapter. A new life to start off with! Hope you guys had an awesome time celebrating with your friends and families and enjoy my very own recipe for a Black Forest Cake! During my 10 day off vacation from school, on one of those days, I went out o see the movie Les Miserable and it was a phenomenon! I was never a huge fan of musicals, but this one was by far a 5 out of 5! A big 2 thumbs up! Anyways....Enjoy! Follow me on this blog for more blog updates and please leave a comment if desired.

For the chocolate cake:
1½ cups hot brewed coffee
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2¼ cups flour
1½ tsp. baking soda
¾ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1½ sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
For the cherry filling:
1 cup heavy cream
5 tbsp maraschino cherry syrup
2/3 cup powder sugar
1 can (20 oz) pitted cherries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp corn starch
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the chocolate frosting:
12 oz. good quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
¼ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
¼ cup very hot water
1 cup + 2 tbsp (18 tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp confectioners’ sugar
Pinch of salt
To make the cake:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Grease 3, 8 inch round cake pans with butter.  
  2. To make cake: In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the hot brewed coffee and cocoa powder until dissolved.  Set aside.  In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Blend in the eggs one at a time, and the vanilla.
  3. Add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the coffee-cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (careful not to over mix). Divide the batter into the 3 cake pans and  bake about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pans briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the filling
  1. In a large mixing bowl on medium high speed, whip together the heavy cream, maraschino syrup, and powder sugar until it thickens; set aside. 
  2. Then, drain the canned cherries, reserving 1/4 cup of the juices. Mix together saved juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Stir constantly until it thickens and stir in vanilla extract. 
  3. Cool completely before using.
To make the frosting
  1. Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.  Set aside and let cool to room temperature.  
  2. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa powder and water and stir until smooth.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar and salt.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  With the mixer on low speed, gradually blend in the melted and cooled chocolate until well incorporated.  Blend in the cocoa powder-water mixture until smooth. 
To assemble:
  1. Place one of the three cake layers on a plate or your cake stand. 
  2. Spread half of your prepared cherry whipped cream and then top half of the prepared cherry topping. Evenly spreading and layering on top of each other. 
  3. Top the second cake layer and repeat with what you had done before. Finally top with the last cake layer. 
  4. Frost the cake with the chocolate frosting and decorate however you would like. Enjoy!



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