This easy Black Forest cake recipe isn’t only delicious, it’s also a bit healthier using whole wheat flour. Don’t worry though, this delicious egg-free black forest cake recipe still has a fabulous taste and texture that will keep your guests coming back for more.
This gorgeous chocolate sponge cake is easy enough for beginners, but beautiful enough for even the fanciest celebrations! Just look at this stunning creation: isn’t it just beautiful?
What is Black Forest cake?
Black Forest Cake is a recipe based on a traditional German cake known as Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, which can be roughly translated as ‘Black Forest Cherry Torte’.
I say the recipe is “based on” the German dessert, because German law actually decrees that in order for something to be called Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, a specific alcoholic liqueur derived from sour cherries and called as kirschwasser must be used!
In the simplified, non-German recipe, you can anticipate layers of chocolate sponge cake, cherries, and whipped cream to be present.
My version of this delicious treat is a bit healthier, as I use whole wheat flour exclusively for my chocolate sponge cake and opt to soak my cake layers with simple sugar syrup instead of alcohol.
Ingredients
For chocolate sponge
▢ 1 cup whole wheat flour – 120 grams
▢ 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
▢ ½ teaspoon of baking soda
▢ 1 pinch of salt
▢ ¾ cup of sugar – 150 grams, raw sugar or white sugar
▢ 1 cup of cold water
▢ ¼ cup oil – any neutral oil
▢ 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
▢ ½ teaspoon of vanilla essence or vanilla extract
For the sugar syrup
▢ 1 tablespoon of sugar – raw or white sugar
▢ 3 tablespoons of water
Also Read: Fruit Cake Without Eggs
For the cream frosting
▢ 200 ml whipped cream or heavy cream, cold or chilled
▢ 5 tablespoons of icing sugar, caster sugar or powdered sugar
For layers
▢ ¼ cup chopped red cherries – glazed or canned cherries or fresh sweet cherries
▢ ½ cup chocolate shavings – sweet and sour, dark or semi-sweet, add as needed
For the top layer and sides
▢ 10 to 11 cherries – glazed, canned or fresh, add as needed
▢ ⅓ to ½ cup chocolate shavings – sweet and sour, dark or semi-sweet, optional
Instructions
Preparation
- First grease a round 7.5-inch-diameter pan with oil. You can also use parchment paper for lining the pan. Or use two round cake pans (6 inches in diameter) and divide the dough evenly between two pans.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius/392 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Sift baking soda, cocoa powder, salt, whole wheat flour onto a plate. Use good quality cocoa powder.
- In another saucepan or bowl, take the sugar.
- Add cold water. Stir and mix until all the sugar dissolves.
- Add the oil. Stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes so that everything mixes well and emulsifies. Use any neutral oil.
- Add lemon juice and vanilla extract. Stir and mix again.
- If you don’t have lemon juice, use 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
- Add the filtered dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Using a whisk, mix everything well until you obtain a smooth paste.
- Make sure there are no pieces in the cake batter. The dough has a medium fine consistency.
- Flow the cake batter into the prepared cake pan or pans.
- Pat the pot (s) on the countertop, so that any extra air bubbles are released.
Baking chocolate sponges
- Placing the molds on the center rack of your oven, bake the cakes in the preheated 200 degrees Celsius / 392 Fahrenheit oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Since temperatures vary from oven to oven, stay in control.
- For microwave cooking on convection mode, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius / 356 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Then for 30 to 35 minutes, bake the cake at 180 degrees Celsius/356 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For cooking, check the sponge cake with a toothpick. The toothpick should come out clean.
- If the toothpick is sticky, return the cake to the oven and continue baking for a few more minutes.
- Place the molds on a wire mesh baking sheet and let the cakes cool to room temperature.
- Note that before frosting, let the cake cool completely to room temperature or wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for a few hours. You can store the cake in a covered box and refrigerate.
Whipped cream
- In a stand mixer, take the cold whipped cream and the icing sugar / icing sugar / powdered sugar.
- At maximum speed, whip until the cream becomes firm. This process will vary depending on the power of your blender.
- To check, just invert the bowl. If the cream does not fall off, the cream has steep peaks. Be careful not to over-whip your cream.
- Remember to chill the cream in the refrigerator at least a day or two before using it.
- If you have used the Indian brand of Amul cream, it may take 8-10 minutes to whip.
Assembly
- If you have baked a cake, carefully cut it starting from the center with a large knife or serrated knife. To cut the cake in half you can also use dental floss.
- Place a layer of cake with the bottom side facing you. If the top of your cake is domed, cut the top dome evenly so that it lies flat.
- Make a sugar syrup by dissolving 1 tablespoon of sugar in 3 tablespoons of water.
- Brush the cake evenly and lightly with this sugar syrup. Instead of sugar syrup, you can also use rum or wine.
Frosting Sponge Layers
- Using a spatula, spread about ¼ or ⅓ of the whipped cream on top of the cake.
- Then add a layer of finely chopped glossed red cherries. You can use canned red cherries, fresh sweet cherries, or glazed cherries.
- Sprinkle grated chocolate or chocolate shavings all over.
- Put on the second cake and brush the top with the sugar syrup.
- Spread ⅓ part of the cream evenly on top. Spread on the cake sides as well. If you have a rotating cake stand, this will make much easier to frost the cake.
- TIP: If you don’t have a cake stand, use a small, flat plate lined with foil and place the cake on top before frosting. The foil-covered plate with the cake is kept on a thick board. This way you can easily rotate the foil-covered baking sheet while spreading the frosting on the sides.
Bake a Black Forest cake
- Add the rest of the whipped cream in a piping bag and use any decorative piping. Decorate the cake as desired.
- Place whole cherries on the cake. Garnish with a few chocolate shavings or grated chocolate.
- Now cover the cake sides with the chocolate shavings. Take chocolate shavings in your fingers. Gently pat and press them onto the cream layer with your fingers.
- Turn the cake stand as you place the chocolate shavings on the cream layer on all sides. Chocolate shavings will fall on the cake stand. Collect them and use them for decoration on the sides.
- Cover the cake with a large bowl without it touching the sides and place in the refrigerator for the cream frosting to set. Keep aside to set for 3 to 4 hours or overnight.
- When the cream frosting has set, slice and serve the black forest cake without eggs.
