I’m revealing a seldom-seen twist on German Black Forest Cake that honors tradition while hiding a clever secret you’ll want to read about.

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I love how a Traditional German Black Forest Cake can feel dramatic without trying too hard. When I cut a slice, the dark chocolate against soft layers makes people actually stop talking.

I won’t give away every trick, but the right eggs and good dark chocolate really lift it from ordinary to something you’ll want to show off. Folks searching for a Black Forest Cake Recipe or curious about German Black Forest versions think it’s only for big parties, yet somehow it sneaks into ordinary nights.

It’s rich but not heavy, and I’ll admit I still mess up the piping sometimes, which makes it feel honest.

Ingredients

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Eggs add protein and structure, yolks give richness and make the crumb tender.
Unsweetened cocoa gives deep chocolate flavor and antioxidants, it’s bitter not sweet.
Sour Morello cherries are tart and juicy, add vitamin C and a bit of fibre.
Heavy whipping cream whips up fluffy frosting, very high fat so super rich.
Granulated sugar sweetens the cake, pure carbs with little nutrients, use sparingly.
Kirsch gives cherry aroma and mild boozy depth, optional but makes it more authentic.
Dark chocolate shavings add bitter sweet contrast and antioxidants, pick about 70 percent.

Ingredient Quantities

6 large eggs, room temp

200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar

160 g (1 1/3 cups) all purpose flour

50 g (1/2 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

60 g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 tsp vanilla extract

800 g (about 28 oz) Morello or sour cherries (jarred or frozen)

200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar for cherries

60 ml (1/4 cup) kirschwasser, optional

2 tbsp cornstarch

120 ml (1/2 cup) water

100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar for syrup

900 ml (about 3 3/4 cups) heavy whipping cream (35% fat)

100 g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract for the cream

1 tsp unflavored gelatin powder, optional (for more stable whipped cream)

150 g dark chocolate, for shavings

12 to 16 fresh cherries for decoration

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Grease and line two 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans with parchment. Sift together 160 g flour, 50 g cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt and set aside.

2. Make the chocolate sponge: in a large bowl beat 6 room temp eggs with 200 g sugar until very thick, pale and ribbon-like, about 7 to 10 minutes (it feels like forever but be patient). Fold in the sifted dry mix gently, then fold in 60 g melted cooled butter and 1 tsp vanilla, careful not to knock out the air.

3. Divide batter between the two pans, smooth tops and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes then turn out to racks and cool completely. When cool, slice each cake horizontally to make 4 layers (or slice into 3 if you prefer).

4. Make the cherry filling: in a saucepan combine 800 g Morello or sour cherries (drained if jarred) with 200 g sugar and 120 ml water. Bring to a simmer. Mix 2 tbsp cornstarch with a little cold water to a slurry, stir into simmering cherries and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 60 ml kirsch if using. Cool completely.

5. Make the kirsch syrup: in a small pan dissolve 100 g sugar in 120 ml water over low heat, cool and stir in a tablespoon or two of kirsch if you want more boozy flavor, or leave it out. Lightly prick cake layers and brush each with this syrup so they’re moist but not soggy.

6. Whip the cream: chill bowl and beaters, then whip 900 ml heavy cream with 100 g powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla until soft to medium peaks. If you want a more stable cream, bloom 1 tsp gelatin in 2 tbsp cold water, warm gently till dissolved and cool slightly, then beat into the cream as it firms.

7. Assemble: place first cake layer on a board, brush with syrup, spread a third of the whipped cream, spoon over some cherry filling (reserve some cherries for between layers and for topping). Repeat with remaining layers, finishing with cake on top.

8. Coat and chill: cover whole cake with the remaining whipped cream, do a neat crumb coat first if you’re fussy, then a final smooth coat. Chill at least 2 to 4 hours so cream firms and flavors marry.

9. Finish and serve: shave 150 g dark chocolate over the top and sides and arrange 12 to 16 fresh cherries on top. Keep cake refrigerated and serve chilled. Enjoy, and dont rush the chilling step or the cake will be floppy.

Equipment Needed

1. Two 9 inch round cake pans, greased and lined with parchment paper
2. Stand mixer or hand mixer with beaters
3. Mixing bowls (large for batter, medium for cream and cherries)
4. Fine mesh sieve or flour sifter
5. Kitchen scale plus measuring cups and spoons (grams matter here)
6. Rubber spatula and whisk
7. Saucepan for the cherry filling and a small saucepan for the syrup
8. Wire cooling rack and a serrated knife for slicing layers
9. Offset spatula or bench scraper for smoothing the cream, and a chilled metal bowl if you plan to whip cream colder for stability

FAQ

Q: Can I use fresh cherries instead of jarred or frozen? A: Yes. Pit them, cook them with the 200 g sugar and the cornstarch slurry until thickened, then cool. Fresh cherries can be a bit less tart than Morello so taste as you go, you might want a little less sugar. If you use frozen, thaw and drain first or they can water down the filling.

Q: How do I stop the whipped cream from collapsing or getting runny? A: Keep everything very cold, whip in a chilled bowl, add the powdered sugar and vanilla as you whip. For extra stability use the optional 1 tsp gelatin: sprinkle it over 2 tbsp cold water, let bloom 5 minutes, warm gently till dissolved, cool a bit and drizzle into the cream when it reaches soft peaks, then finish whipping to stiff peaks. You can also fold in a bit of mascarpone for stability.

Q: Whats a good substitute for kirsch if I dont want alcohol? A: Use cherry syrup from the jarred cherries, or a splash of cherry juice, or simple syrup with a little lemon for brightness. If you want a boozy substitute try cherry brandy or rum. Kirsch gives the classic flavour but cake works fine without it.

Q: How do I keep the cake from getting soggy when I add the cherries and syrup? A: Thicken the cherries with the cornstarch so they arent too runny, brush the sponge lightly with the sugar syrup instead of pouring it on, and chill layers before you assemble so they hold up. Dont over-saturate the sponge, a few tablespoons per layer is usually enough.

Q: Can I make parts of this ahead of time and how do I store the cake? A: Yes. Bake the sponge a day ahead, wrap tightly and keep at room temp or refrigerate. The cherry filling can be made 2-3 days ahead. Assembled cake should be refrigerated and is best within 24-48 hours, 3 days max if you used gelatin. Sponge layers freeze well, but once assembled freezing will change the cream texture.

Q: Any tips for decorating and making chocolate shavings? A: Chill the chocolate and use a vegetable peeler to shave curls from the bar, or grate it for flakes. Pipe a cream border to catch the cherries on top, and press shavings onto the sides while the cream is still tacky. Use fresh cherries for the top just before serving so they look bright.

Traditional German Black Forest Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

160 g all purpose flour: swap for 160 g cake flour for a lighter sponge. if you only have pastry flour, use 150 g pastry + 10 g cornstarch to mimic cake flour.
50 g unsweetened cocoa powder: use 40 g Dutch‑process cocoa for a mellower, chocolatey taste, or substitute with 70 g finely chopped dark chocolate melted and cooled (cut back the melted butter by ~10 g if using melted chocolate).
60 ml kirschwasser (optional): replace with 60 ml cherry juice plus 1 tbsp light rum, or use 60 ml cherry liqueur (maraschino or Cherry Heering). if you want nonalcoholic, omit and stir 1 tsp almond extract into the cherry syrup.
900 ml heavy whipping cream (35%): for more stable filling fold in 250–300 g mascarpone or 200 g full fat cream cheese, or use the optional 1 tsp gelatin dissolved in 2 tbsp warm water as the recipe suggests to help the whipped cream hold up.

Pro Tips

– Beat the eggs and sugar until you really see the ribbon stage, dont stop early. Room temp eggs make it way easier and when you fold in the melted butter add it in a thin stream and fold super gently so you dont knock out the air youve worked for.

– Handle the cherries so they dont turn the cake soggy. If using frozen or jarred, thaw and drain well, even press them lightly on paper towel, and make the compote just thick enough so it wont weep later. Add the kirsch off the heat so the boozy flavor stays bright.

– For neat layers and clean slicing, chill the cakes for 20 to 30 minutes before you cut them and use a serrated knife or a cake leveler, sawing gently. Also prick and brush layers with warm-ish syrup so it soaks evenly, but dont drown them or the cream will slip.

– Make the whipped cream stable so the cake holds up. Chill bowl and beaters, use powdered sugar not granulated, and if you need it to last longer bloom 1 tsp gelatin in a little water and mix in as the cream firms, or fold in a few tablespoons mascarpone. Keep the assembled cake cold for a couple hours before decorating so the chocolate shavings stick and dont slide off.

Traditional German Black Forest Cake Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m revealing a seldom-seen twist on German Black Forest Cake that honors tradition while hiding a clever secret you’ll want to read about.

Servings

servings

Calories

707

kcal

Equipment: 1. Two 9 inch round cake pans, greased and lined with parchment paper
2. Stand mixer or hand mixer with beaters
3. Mixing bowls (large for batter, medium for cream and cherries)
4. Fine mesh sieve or flour sifter
5. Kitchen scale plus measuring cups and spoons (grams matter here)
6. Rubber spatula and whisk
7. Saucepan for the cherry filling and a small saucepan for the syrup
8. Wire cooling rack and a serrated knife for slicing layers
9. Offset spatula or bench scraper for smoothing the cream, and a chilled metal bowl if you plan to whip cream colder for stability

Ingredients

6 large eggs, room temp
200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
160 g (1 1/3 cups) all purpose flour
50 g (1/2 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
60 g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
800 g (about 28 oz) Morello or sour cherries (jarred or frozen)
200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar for cherries
60 ml (1/4 cup) kirschwasser, optional
2 tbsp cornstarch
120 ml (1/2 cup) water
100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar for syrup
900 ml (about 3 3/4 cups) heavy whipping cream (35% fat)
100 g (3/4 cup) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract for the cream
1 tsp unflavored gelatin powder, optional (for more stable whipped cream)
150 g dark chocolate, for shavings
12 to 16 fresh cherries for decoration

Directions

Preheat oven to 180C (350F). Grease and line two 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pans with parchment. Sift together 160 g flour, 50 g cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt and set aside.
Make the chocolate sponge: in a large bowl beat 6 room temp eggs with 200 g sugar until very thick, pale and ribbon-like, about 7 to 10 minutes (it feels like forever but be patient). Fold in the sifted dry mix gently, then fold in 60 g melted cooled butter and 1 tsp vanilla, careful not to knock out the air.
Divide batter between the two pans, smooth tops and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes then turn out to racks and cool completely. When cool, slice each cake horizontally to make 4 layers (or slice into 3 if you prefer).
Make the cherry filling: in a saucepan combine 800 g Morello or sour cherries (drained if jarred) with 200 g sugar and 120 ml water. Bring to a simmer. Mix 2 tbsp cornstarch with a little cold water to a slurry, stir into simmering cherries and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 60 ml kirsch if using. Cool completely.
Make the kirsch syrup: in a small pan dissolve 100 g sugar in 120 ml water over low heat, cool and stir in a tablespoon or two of kirsch if you want more boozy flavor, or leave it out. Lightly prick cake layers and brush each with this syrup so they're moist but not soggy.
Whip the cream: chill bowl and beaters, then whip 900 ml heavy cream with 100 g powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla until soft to medium peaks. If you want a more stable cream, bloom 1 tsp gelatin in 2 tbsp cold water, warm gently till dissolved and cool slightly, then beat into the cream as it firms.
Assemble: place first cake layer on a board, brush with syrup, spread a third of the whipped cream, spoon over some cherry filling (reserve some cherries for between layers and for topping). Repeat with remaining layers, finishing with cake on top.
Coat and chill: cover whole cake with the remaining whipped cream, do a neat crumb coat first if you're fussy, then a final smooth coat. Chill at least 2 to 4 hours so cream firms and flavors marry.
Finish and serve: shave 150 g dark chocolate over the top and sides and arrange 12 to 16 fresh cherries on top. Keep cake refrigerated and serve chilled. Enjoy, and dont rush the chilling step or the cake will be floppy.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.