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Black Forest Cake

Prep Time1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Cooling Time3 hours
Total Time5 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 - 16

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 c Guinness Extra Stout
  • 10 tbsp Butter
  • 6 tbsp Cocoa Powder
  • 2 c Sugar
  • 6 tbsp Sour Cream
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla
  • 2 c Flour
  • 2 ½ tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 2 ¼ tsp Molasses

Cherries

  • 24 oz Jarred Sour Cherries in Water
  • 4 tsp Corn Starch
  • ¼ c Kirsch
  • 6 tbsp Sugar

Cream

  • 4 c Heavy Whipping Cream
  • ¾ c Powdered Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 3 tbsp Kirsch

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Add Guinness and butter to a saucepan and place over medium-low heat until the butter melts. Remove from heat. Add cocoa, sugar, cinnamon, and molasses. Whisk to combine.
  • Combine flour and baking soda in a large bowl, whisk to combine.
  • Add sour cream, eggs, and vanilla to a mixer, and mix well. Add the Guinness mixture and continue mixing.
  • Add the flour mixture a little at a time and mix well.
  • Butter two 9in cake pans and line with parchment.
  • Evenly distribute the batter to the cake pans.
  • Bake until risen. Be careful not to over bake. Around 25 mins.
  • Allow to cool completely.

Cherries

  • Drain cherries, keep water in a separate bowl.
  • In a separate bowl combine corn starch and ¼ cup of the cherry water.
  • In a sauce pan bring ¼ cup of cherry water, kirsch, and sugar to a simmer.
  • Add the corn starch mixture and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the cherries and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Cream

  • In a stand mixer, whisk the cream on medium-low speed.
  • Slowly add the sugar, vanilla, and kirsch.
  • Increase speed to medium-high and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form.

Assembly

  • Cut the two cakes in half width-wise so that you have 4 round sponges of equal thickness.
  • Add one sponge to a cake plate. Spread a thin layer of the cream on top of the sponge, and pipe a thicker layer around the edge.
  • Add ⅓ of the cherry mixture to the top, contained by the piped cream.
  • Continue to layer, you will have three layers of cream and cherries with the fourth sponge on top.
  • Use the remaining cream to cover the top and sides of the cake.
  • (Optional) You can decorate the cake with shaved chocolate and fresh pitted cherries.