The Black Forest Cake is a traditional German dessert that is a must for many special occasions, from a wedding anniversary to a birthday celebration. Black Forest Gateau is traditionally made with layers of chocolate sponge cake soaked in cherry syrup or kirsch with whipped cream and cherries. By the way, have you already tried my iconic Sacher Torte or Bee Sting Cake?
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Why You Will Love This Cherry Cake Recipe
- It's Hits the Tri-Fecta of Flavors & Textures! Dense, rich chocolate, tart cherries, and light fluffy whipped cream.
- Truly a Cake Showstopper! This Black Forest chocolate cake looks as beautiful as it tastes.
- All-Occasion Cake. Enjoy this cake for birthdays, celebrations, or simply as an indulgent dessert to end an evening with friends.
Want to try out some more amazing European cake recipes? You're going to love this Esterházy Torte from Hungary and this classic Chocolate Mousse Cake.
What is Black Forest Cake?
Black Forest Cherry Cake, or Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte as it is called in German, is a traditional German multi-layered chocolate and cherry torte that was first created in the Black Forest region of Germany. This popular cake has been enjoyed by locals and tourists alike for many decades.
It's known for its chocolate sponge cake layers and whipped cream topped with tart cherries to give it a distinct sweet-tart flavor profile. Traditionally, this cake consists of three or four cake layers with whipped cream and cherry filling between each layer and covering the outside.
The taste can be described as richly chocolaty from the dark cocoa powder used in the sponges with an essence of tartness from the tart cherries. The whipped cream frosting gives it a light mouthfeel that brings everything together.
Ingredients
Most of the baking ingredients are commonly found but here are the main ingredients that require a bit more explanation and are essential to the preparation of your cake.
- Cocoa Powder: It's essential to use dutch-processed cocoa powder because in Europe this is the type of cocoa you will find in the store. Any original German baking recipe or German cakes that mentions cocoa, is talking about dutch-processed cocoa. Do no substitute with natural cocoa powder as it will not work the same in this recipe.
- Cherries: You want to use pitted sour cherries, also called Morello cherries, or red tart cherries in water. You will use both the cherries in the cake and the liquid to make your cherry syrup. The best substitute for canned sour cherries and canned the liquid from the can is to use fresh or frozen (must be thawed beforehand) cherries and cherry juice.
- Kirsch: The traditional German recipe uses Kirschwasser, a transparent brandy made from Morello cherries. But if you can't find it any cherry liqueur, rum, or brandy will work just as well for a Kirsch substitute. Consider using a suitable substitute for brandy if desired.
- Stabilized Whipped Cream: This helps keep the cake in shape for days and ensures the cake layers don't slide off. It entails whipping your cream until soft peaks form, adding sugar, and whipping again until stiff peaks form. The sugar stabilizes the whipped cream frosting and is therefore known as stabilized whipped cream.
For the full ingredient list and the quantities you need of each, check the recipe card further down the page.
How to Make Black Forest Cake
There are a few main steps involved in making this German chocolate cherry cake recipe. We're breaking it down step by step for you in this section along with a few images so you can follow along.
Step 1: Make the Chocolate Cake.
- Step 1: Mix the eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla until creamy using an electric mixer.
- Step 2: Sift in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt and mix just until well combined.
- Step 3: Pour the cake batter into a parchment paper-lined baking pan and bake. Then let cool completely.
Step 2: Make the Cherry Kirsch Syrup
- Step 1: Stir together the cornstarch and canned sour cherry water in a small bowl and set it aside.
- Step 2: Bring the canned sour cherry water, kirsch, and sugar to a simmer over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
- Step 3: Once it simmers, add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens like syrup and covers the back of a spoon.
- Step 4: Pour the syrup over the sour cherries and let it cool completely.
Step 3: Make the Whipped Cream
- Step 1: Beat the whipping cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer with a whisk attachment,. Add the sugar and mix until stiff peaks form. Don't overmix or it will curdle.
Step 4: Assemble the Cake
- Step 1: Cut the cake twice horizontally so that you have three cake layers. Place the bottom cake layer on a cake turner and brush it with cherry syrup.
- Step 2: Spread with whipped cream and pipe, or spoon an additional ring of whipped cream around the edges. Use about ⅙ of the cream in total.
- Step 3: Spoon half of the sour cherries and syrup on top of the cream but inside the whipped cream ring. The ring ensures that the cherry filling stays in the cake and that no syrup runs out on the sides.
- Step 4: Spoon more whipped cream onto the cherries and distribute evenly on top.
- Step 5: Place the second cake base on top and repeat.
- Step 6: Place the third cake layer on top and distribute the remaining whipped cream over the entire cake.
- Step 7: Chill in the refrigerator. Before serving, decorate with chocolate shavings, cherries, and additional whipped cream to your liking.
PRO TIP: Make sure to brush the cherry syrup on each layer of cake.
How to Store
Storing: The cake will stay fresh for three days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You shouldn't leave the cake on the counter because of the whipped frosting. Keep it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Freezing: You can freeze this chocolate cherry cake. Make sure to chill the cake in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Then place it in the freezer for 1 hour, wrap in plastic foil, and place in freezer bags or containers. It freezes well for up to 3 months. To serve, simply unwrap and place in an airtight container in the refrigerator the night before.
Expert Tips for Success
- Don't Over Bake the Cake Layers. Every oven is different, and I can only provide an average baking time as it will vary from oven to oven.
- Make a Day Ahead. This cake is best when baked and assembled one day in advance and kept in the refrigerator overnight before serving. This gives the chocolate cake layers time to soak up the delicious cherry syrup and you will be rewarded with moist cake layers. The whipped cream frosting also needs time to set completely.
- Avoid Using Maraschino, Black, or Sweet Cherries as well as Cherry Pie Filling. You will not have the same results as you would using tart cherries. It will be much sweeter and taste completely different.
Recipe FAQs
The authentic black forest cake recipe uses chocolate sponge layers made with a high amount of eggs, very little to no fat, and no other wet ingredients such as milk, buttermilk, sour cream, or similar are used. It's very different from regular American chocolate cake, which is soft and moist. In German-speaking countries, cakes tend to be drier than their American counterparts. In this recipe it makes sense that the chocolate cake layers are less moist and soft because they are soaked with cherry syrup. If you use regular American chocolate cake layers, the whole cake will end up soggy and fall apart after a short time.
If you prefer to make this cake kid-friendly or alcohol free you can use cherry juice instead.
Dutch-processed cocoa powder needs baking powder to react in your baked goods and natural cocoa powder needs baking soda to react and make your baked goods rise. So if you swap the dutch-processed cocoa powder for natural cocoa powder, you will end up with flat cake layers unless you swap parts of the baking powder for baking soda. Since this is not a common practice with this recipe, I really have to advise against it.
In American and British English, you will most often hear the term Black Forest cake followed by Black Forest gateau. Torte and gateau translate as cake but are used differently depending on the origin of the cake recipe or the preparation of the cake layers. Since this recipe comes from Germany, it is a torte (the German word for cake). In Germany, festively decorated layer cakes filled with frosting are all referred to as torte.
More Festive Cakes to Try
If you are looking for a show-stopping layer cake for your next anniversary or birthday party, you've come to the right place. I'm sure you will love the following cake ideas.
If you tried this Traditional Black Forest Cake or any cake on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Traditional German Black Forest Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Chocolate cake
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 vanilla bean* (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ cup dutch-processed cocoa powder, spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cherry filling
- 1 lbs canned sour cherries in water, drained (don't discard all the water)
- 4 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ cup water from canned sour cherries, divided
- ¼ cup kirsch
- ⅜ cup granulated white sugar
Whipped cream frosting
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
Decoration
- additional whipped cream, chocolate shaves, and cherries to your liking
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320 °F (160°C). Line the bottom and the sides of a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper and set aside. To line a springform pan with parchment paper, the easiest way is to cut out a circle for the bottom and strips for the sides.
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, mix the eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla for about 3 minutes until creamy.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt and mix just until well combined, about 1 minute. Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Place the drained sour cherries in a heatproof bowl and set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and ¼ cup of the canned sour cherry water and set aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring ¼ cup of the canned sour cherry water, kirsch, and sugar to a simmer over medium heat. Once it simmers, add the cornstarch mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it thickens like syrup and covers the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and pour over the sour cherries. Let it cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the whipping cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Then add the sugar and mix until stiff peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. Don't overmix or it will curdle.
- Cut the cake twice horizontally so that you have three cake layers.
- Place the bottom cake layer on a cake turner and brush it with cherry syrup. Spread with whipped cream and spread an additional ring of whipped cream around the edges. Use about ⅙ of the cream in total. Then spoon half of the sour cherries and syrup on top of the cream but inside the whipped cream ring. The ring ensures that the cherry filling stays in the cake and that no syrup runs out on the sides. Then spoon more whipped cream onto the cherries and distribute evenly on top (another ⅙ of the cream, so that now a total of about ⅓ of the cream has been used). Place the second cake layer on top and repeat.
- Place the third cake layer on top and distribute the remaining ⅓ of the whipped cream over the entire cake and around the sides to lightly frost the outside of the cake. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Before serving, decorate with chocolate shavings, cherries, and additional whipped cream to your liking. Store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Video
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Michele
Wow such a good authentic recipe! Really good instructions. My cake turned out perfect. I grew up also baking and cooking with my mom. My mom is German so we only had European/German cakes and this is a fantastic recipe!! The best! For those in U.S. and Canada you can buy jarred sour cherries in Save-On or Safeway stores in the fruit section. Most stores carry different brands of sour cherries that come from Hungry, Poland, and Serbia. They are usually in a 796 ml or 28 fl oz of liquid jar or smaller. I get a couple of jars of sour cherries and separate the juice from the cherries for my cake. If you are in a real hurry you can use the canned cherry pie filling and add some Kirsch to it not as authentic as the sour cherries but works in a pinch. I've been to Austria and Germany and nothing, absolutely nothing is as good as Austrian strudels as well!
Brenda
Hi Sabine,
I sent 2 emails yesterday but don't see them posted. Will try again. Am making this cake for my brother Murray's Celebration of Life. Black Forest cake was his favorite cake. Can I use sour cherries in light syrup? That is all I could find here in Canada. In step 4 it reads to add the drained cherries. Is that one pound of cherries without the liquid, or with the liquid? Also, can I make the cherry sauce a day ahead of time or will it be too mushy and soggy?
Thank you,
Brenda
Sabine
Hi Brenda,
I'm sorry for your loss!
Yes, you can use them and you will need 1 lb of cherries drained. So it's measured without the liquid. You can definitely make the sauce a day ahead and store it in the fridge.
I wish you all the best!
Sabine
Jill
I made this for my husband's birthday at his request. It turned out beautiful and delicious! Where I live I did not have access to tart cherries, so I used 2 cups of frozen sweet cherries. If I make this again, I will cut them in half to make them spread out farther since there were rather large. I used tart cherry juice for the cherry water. I also could not find cherry liqueur at a reasonable price, so I used some Chambord...a raspberry liqueur. I was so pleased with the recipe and especially all the detailed information at the beginning. I did not know about baking powder and dutch process chocolate. Thank you for the lessons and the delicious recipe!
bubbieone
I have been making bf cake for years, using a different cake recipe. I went with this recipe, and found it did not get soggy with the kirsch soaking. superb recipe.
Tanya
Amazing
Nathalie Crossland
My son's favourite BD cake;my mother of German origin loves it also; I have had too many gloopy,oversweet versions to have avoided them in the past.
Thanks (I think) for showing me a juicy,delicious version. No other version has pleased us all as much.
Thank you.
Sabine
Thank you so much for your nice feedback. I'm super happy that you love this cake.
megan
Can i make the cake the day before and cling wrap it and then cut it into layers the next day? I feel that putting it in the fridge overnight makes it easier to cut it into layers.
Sabine
Yes, that's absolutely fine! Just make sure to let it cool completely before wrapping it to avoid condensation. I hope that helps!
Andrea Ward
How tall is this cake? How big of a cake carrier do I need?
Sabine
That depends on the decoration, but mine has an average height of 6-7 inches. I hope that helps.
Lenora
I'm making this cake for my little brothers birthday, and the cake looks delicious. But I have a bit of concern about using the Kirsch. There will be younger kids there and I know that cooking alcohol doesn't mean that it'll just disappear from the dish. Is there any way I can replace it with water or some of the cherry juice? I'm just trying to stay on the safe side.
Sabine
Yes, absolutely! Just use cherry juice instead. That works just as well.
Kim
I plan to make this recipe this weekend as my step-dad is a huge fan of Black Forest Cake. It was a big deal during his childhood. If I don't know if my cocoa is dutch-processed (it's a fattier version of cocoa power that I buy in bulk) do I need to add a specific amount of baking soda to make up for it? Could you suggest an amount? Also, I can only seem to find Red Sour Pitted Cherries in light syrup -- do I need to adjust the sugar level in my syrup for the sweetness? Or will this affect the syrup's consistency? Thanks for the help!
Looking forward to making this recipe this week!
Sabine
If nothing is stated on the packaging, the best thing to do is to look for your cocoa powder brand on the internet to find out if it is a natural or a Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Natural cocoa powder is lighter in color, and Dutch-processed is darker and reddish in color. It's important to find that out beforehand to avoid problems (e.g., flat cake layers). I did provide a link to a good article on cocoa powder swaps and chemical leavening agent adjustments in the cocoa powder chapter. However, please understand that I have not tested this recipe with natural cocoa powder and baking soda, and therefore can't promise that it will work well. I hope that helps! Good luck!