Black Forest Cake
Hey there, foodies!
I've had a lot of requests to make a Black Forest cake recipe... And I'll admit that in my family, we're not huge fans of Black Forest cake in general... So I dragged my feet a little before getting started. ;o)
But this week, I motivated myself and adapted the recipe to my own taste. ;o) So here is my Black Forest cake!
A chocolate sponge, a cherry compote and a mascarpone whipped cream. I added a few chocolate shavings for decoration but not too many... My goal being to go for a naked cake rather than the traditional cake covered in shavings.
For a 15 cm cake, 10 cm high, you will need:
This cake will be perfect for 7-8 people.
Sponge:
- 6 eggs
- 150gr of sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 120gr of flour
- 30gr of unsweetened cocoa powder
Cherry compote:
- 300gr of frozen or fresh cherries if they are in season
- 80gr of sugar
- 1 tsp of kirsch
Mascarpone cream:
- 300gr of heavy cream
- 75gr of mascarpone
- 30gr of powdered sugar
The Sponge
Let's go! Time to make the sponge!
Preheat your oven to 160°C, fan-assisted.
Take 6 eggs and separate the yolks from the whites.
Then, in a mixing bowl, pour 6 egg whites with 150gr of sugar and whisk the mixture until you get a nice, firm meringue.
Once the meringue is well whipped, add the 6 egg yolks and whisk at medium speed for a maximum of 10 seconds! We don't want to deflate our meringue.
In a small bowl, mix 1 pinch of salt with 120gr of flour and 30gr of unsweetened cocoa powder.
Sift your mixture into the meringue, then mix for 20 seconds with the K beater.
Finish mixing with a spatula. Because if you mix too long with the K beater, everything will collapse...
Once the sponge batter is well combined, grab a 15 cm tin and spray it generously with release spray for a perfect unmoulding once baked.
Fill your tin with the sponge batter, then bake your sponge at 160°C for 45-50 minutes.
Once the sponge is baked (test it by inserting a knife in the centre to check), immediately unmould your sponge and leave it to cool on a cooling rack.
Cherry Compote
While the sponge is baking, or while it is cooling, let's make the cherry compote.
I used frozen cherries since they are out of season. But in full season, don't hesitate to use fresh cherries.
In a saucepan, pour 300gr of frozen cherries and 80gr of sugar. Cook the mixture for 10 minutes so the cherries are nicely stewed.
Then add 1 tablespoon of kirsch or to taste. ;o)
Mix for a few seconds, then remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the compote into a bowl.
The compote is quite liquid, that's normal! Don't worry. We will use the juice to soak our sponge.
Let the compote cool completely before continuing.
Once your sponge has cooled completely, cut it using a cake leveller.
It's extremely simple to use. Just choose the desired height, then saw through your cake, keeping the leveller's feet firmly on the table.
Here I cut slices of about 2 cm. This gave me 3 nice, even slices.
I didn't use the top of the cake, I just ate it as is. ;o)
Get a cake board and place the first sponge layer on it.
Place the other two slices on a cutting board. To avoid getting cherry juice everywhere. ;o)
Now, pay attention! On 2 slices, pour the cherry pieces with some juice. And on the 3rd slice, pour only juice. This 3rd slice will be our lid later on.
Set aside while you make the mascarpone cream.
Mascarpone Cream
The recipe is super simple!
Just place 300gr of heavy cream, 75gr of mascarpone and 30gr of powdered sugar in a mixing bowl and whisk until you get a nice whipped cream.
Then grab a 12 mm round nozzle and a 40 cm piping bag and pour the cream into your piping bag.
For the next step, you will need a turntable. Without it, it will be really difficult to get a smooth finish.
Place your board, topped with a sponge layer with the cherries, on your turntable.
Then pipe a double-layer ring around the cherries. Once done, pipe a spiral (single layer) over the cherries, as in the 3rd photo.
After that, place the 2nd slice, again with the cherries, and repeat the process.
Last step, the 3rd slice. Place it with the soaked side facing down against the cream. This way, the top of your cake will be nice and clean without any juice.
So the unsoaked side faces up. ;o)
Once placed, pipe cream on top of your cake and smooth it with an offset spatula.
You don't need to put cream everywhere. Personally I put some on top for a thin layer, then on the sides I add it where needed and smooth. I look, add, smooth again... etc.
The goal being to achieve a naked cake (a cake where the sponge shows through).
And here is the result!
For the decoration, I wanted something very simple and clean.
So I simply added some frozen cherries that I had rolled in sugar beforehand.
And I finished by sprinkling chocolate shavings over everything.
It will keep for 1 to 2 days in the fridge in a closed container.
I hope you enjoy my version of Black Forest cake. ;o)
I wish you a lovely Sunday, foodies!
Karin
P.S.: You will find all the equipment used at the bottom of the recipe.
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Comments
Question de Antoinette
By: Antoinette C. On 2025-06-09Bonjour,
Je dois faire une Forêt-noire pour un anniversaire mais la personne souhaite sans cerises.
Qu'est-ce que vous me conseillez comme sirop d'imbibage ?
Merci d'avance
Replied by: Laura On 2025-06-09
Replied by: Antoinette C. On 2025-06-09
Question de Monique
By: Monique D. On 2024-10-04Bonjour,
J'ai déjà fait votre recette à plusieurs reprises. Elle est vraiment top!
Par contre, j'aimerais faire ce gâteau mais pour 10-12 personnes. Quitte à avoir des restes, pour le dosage, puis-je adapter les quantités en faisant x 1,5? Si oui, je peux faire avec un moule de quelle dimension?
Merci pour votre aide!
Replied by: Karin On 2024-10-04
Replied by: Monique D. On 2024-10-04
Question de Loukina
By: Loukina F. On 2024-03-21Bonjour, peut-on cogeler le gateau une fois monté ? Merci
Replied by: Laura On 2024-03-22
Question de Cristina
By: Cristina S. On 2023-01-26Bonjour,
La compotée de cerise je peux la préparer un jour à l avance et la conserver au frigo? Merci ?
Replied by: Karin On 2023-01-27
Question de Sabine
By: Sabine D. On 2022-11-01Bonjour, je n'ai pas la chaleur tournante à mon four, à quelle température et combien de temps de cuisson du coup ?
Merci d'avance de votre réponse. Belle journée
Replied by: Laura On 2022-11-02
Question de Marie-Laure
By: Marie-Laure F. On 2022-09-18Bonjour,
Peut-on préparer la génoise 2 jours à l'avance?
Si oui comment la conserver, entière, emballée?
Merci
Replied by: Karin On 2022-09-19
Réponse
By: Karin On 2021-11-08Merci pour votre message :)
Vous pouvez sans souci le conserver au frigo dans une boîte à gâteau en carton ou dans une boîte hermétique. Nous vous conseillons de préparer votre gâteau maximum 2 jour à l'avance. Bonne pâtisserie ;) et belle journée.
Question de Claude
By: Claude G. On 2021-11-07Bonjour,
Comment conserver un gâteau avec crème mascarpone et combien de temps peut-on le faire à l’avance ? Merci