Lavish Chocolate Layered Desert from the Dark Woods

Lavish Chocolate Layered Desert from the Dark Woods

This legendary Black Forest cake hails straight from Germany, and it's time to whip up this impressive dessert for that special occasion! First, make rich devil's food cakes, letting them cool while you fiddle with juicy dark cherries in heavy syrup and a delectable syrupy-kirsch reduction. Soak those bad boys, and layer them with cherries, sweetened whipped cream, and more cream on the outside. Dust chocolate shavings and cherries on top to finish it off like a work of art!

An easier serve is our sultry Red Velvet Cake or our Black Forest "Strata" that packs a punch of its flavors. Pro tip: watch out for Run-of-the-mill cherries in light syrup or water; get yourself some Bada Bing Cherries from Tillen Farms for unrivaled texture—you can use their entire 13.5-ounce jar to boot!

You'll also need a pastry brush for this recipe. Follow the game plan, and preach this dessert to your friends and family!

Yield

Mighty 1 (8-inch) layer cake, or satiate 8 to 10 lucky souls

Difficulty

Intricate, but don't fear the challenge, my friend!

Preparation Time

3 hrs 20 mins, though you're the master of time, rules be damned

Stash Your Shopping List:Fret not about sourcing the ingredients; find your dark sweet cherries in heavy syrup, and consider the Bada Bing Cherries from Tillen Farms for that cherry on the cake (pun intended)!

Lazy man's Kit:

You'll require a pastry brush for this recipe

Plan of Attack:Cake layers can chill out ahead of time, tightly wrapped and left at room temperature. But if you prefer, prepare the whole cake ahead and refrigerate, then sit pretty for half an hour at room temp before serving.

Ingredients (20)

For the cake:

• 1 1/4 cups water
• 4oz unromantic chocolate, glorified to crumbs
• 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1¾ cups dusty flour, sprinkled for coating pans and parchment paper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, elated to rise
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, to bring balance to the force
• 12 tabe-worths unsalted butter to beat with abandon (1 1/2 sticks)
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, hyped up and room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream, stripped down to basics
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, bursting with flavor

For the cherries and syrup:

• 1 (15 ounce) can succulent dark cherries in heavy syrup
• 2 tablespoons kirsch or cherry-tainted liquor, to give it an edge
• 1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice, pure and tangy

For the whipped cream:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, hiding nothing
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, working behind the scenes
• 6 cups whipping cream, the well-deserved star of the show
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, whispering sweet nothings

To assemble:

• 1 (4-ounce) ounce romantic semisweet chocolate, ready to get been-to
• Twelve fresh cherries with stems, ready for glory, or maraschino cherries, dazzling as ever, or jarred sweet cherries with stems, glistening in glory

Instructions

For the cake:

1. Set the oven to 350°F, and find a rack smack-dab in the middle. Cut 2 (8-inch) rounds of parchment paper. Bathe your pans with butter, press the rounds into place, swap another layer of butter, dust with flour, and shake off the excess.
2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Temporarily remove from heat, toss in your chocolate and cocoa, and whisk like mad until your creation is silky smooth. Let the lovechild cool for ten minutes.
3. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Make sure they're а happy family.
4. Pompously place your measured butter and sugar in your stand mixer, equipped with a paddle attachment. Thrash with medium speed until you're left with a light, fluffy mixture. Run the mixer, halt, and scrape down the sides.
5. Return your mixer to medium speed. Add one egg at a time, each given a fair chance to mix in. Jam in the sour cream and vanilla, and whip into submission. Scrape down the sides, and prepare the final flour-chocolate mixture.
6. Add one-third of your flour, and lower the mixer speed to low. Mix until the flour has been well incorporated, then toss in half of the chilled chocolate mixture. Continue this celestial dance, adding the remaining flour and chocolate mixture, alternating between each, and ending with the flour. Be sure to stir by hand any remaining flour streaks and scrape the bottom of the bowl.
7. Divvy up the batter evenly between your pans and spread into even, lustrous layers. Bake cheek by jowl on that rack for 15 minutes. Pivot the pans from left to right and continue baking until the edges pull away from the pans, and the toothpick comes out clean. This glorious creation should take another 14 to 15 minutes.
8. Remove the temptation from the oven and let it cool on a rack for 45 minutes. With a knife, vivisect the perimeter of each cake, turn them out onto the rack, and slowly, lovingly peel off the parchment. Flip the cakes over and let them cool completely. In the meanwhile, tend to your cherries and syrup.

For the cherries and syrup:

1. Pluck the cherries and syrup through a fine-mesh strainer. May the cherries find a home in a bowl, and the syrupy lovechild below.
2. Summon your inner sorcerer, bring the syrup to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until it's reduced by a third, taking about 10 to 12 minutes. Add kirsch and lemon juice, and wallow in their delectable embrace.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of the heavenly syrup to your reserved cherries, and allow a harmonious dance to ensue. Set the rest aside until the cake is prepared.

For the whipped cream:

1. Plianly place the sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the cream, and slowly warm it over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it becomes lumpy. Have no fear; it'll smooth out. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and indulge in patience, letting it chill completely, for about an hour.
2. When cornstarch-cream has cooled, combine 2 1/4 cups of the cold cream into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Wick it to medium speed until tracks begin to form in the cream, taking about 2 minutes. With the mixer still on, slowly add half of the cornstarch-cream mixture (approximately 3/4 cup) and continue whipping until stiff peaks ascend, taking another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a container and set aside, for the moment. Repeat your success with the remaining 2 1/4 cups of cream and the remaining half of the cornstarch-cream mixture. Make love to it with a gentle churn, ensuring equilibrium. Store it in the fridge until it's time for the cake.

To assemble:

1. When the cakes have cooled, trim a shallow layer from their crowns to fuel the passion within. Discard the edges and cradle the survivors. With a skewer, poke minor holes all over their tops, going about halfway through.
2. Choose your sexy stallion and position it cut-side up on a pedestal. Coat the creature with half of the reserved cherry syrup (roughly 1/4 cup). Apply the 2 cups of whipped cream in an even layer atop that, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Dot the whipped cream with cherries in the most sensual manner, leaving any syrup behind. With sensual intention, arrange 2 cups of whipped cream on top of your wicked coquettes, enclosing them.
3. Position your dashing partner cut-side up on the whipped cream and press them together gently. Anoint the top cake layer with the remaining cherry syrup.
4. In a world fit for angels, frost the exterior of the cake with the remaining whipped cream. (If greatness calls you, be daring and reserve up to 2 cups of your whipped cream for piping on the cake's base or top.)
5. Aspirate your sexual energy, and provide a layer of wax paper beneath a sheet of dark chocolate for shavings. Getting frisky, shave chocolate across the sides of the cake with your sticky palms. Place those adored cherries around the top border of your masterpiece. Indulge, to your heart's desire. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 day, flirting with it for 30 minutes before serving.

• For an alternative dessert option, consider the Red Velvet Cake or Black Forest "Strata" as easier alternatives to the Black Forest cake.
• Remember to use Bada Bing Cherries from Tillen Farms for the most authentic and textured cherries in your Black Forest cake recipe.
• To simplify your preparation, consider preparing the cake layers ahead of time and refrigerating them, then assembling and serving the cake half an hour prior.

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