There is not an once of healthiness to this post, but I can say it is the best  homemade chocolate cake I have ever had.  I’m sure those who tasted it would agree! Not everyone is trying to eat healthy (although perhaps we should all strive to that) or needs to eat healthy (you know the ones I mean – those people who seem to eat whatever they want and not gain an once of weight).  And I think it is healthy to enjoy a small portion of a favorite sweet treat once in a while.  We just need to take care that we keep to that one small piece and enjoy it and not go for the second or third piece of cake… or bowl of ice cream… or bowl of chips.  We know it, we just need to stick with that plan.  It’s all about making better choices.

Now to the cake!  I never attempted a black forest cake before before.  It has been requested as a birthday cake in the past but to me when I see them in the store it looks so pretty and complicated.  This year I decided to tackle it.  Wow, was I surprised.  It was easy as pie… wait … it’s cake.

I found a recipe on allrecipes.com {a fav. spot to check for recipes}.  After reading the reviews I thought I would try it out.  Plus it has coffee in it, so what could go wrong.  There wasn’t a frosting recipe with it, so I found that on another black forest cake recipe.  Between the two recipes I found an easy to bake and very tasty cake!

Black Forest Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup strong brewed coffee, cold
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling (I used 1 can for between the layers and 1/2 can for on top of cake)
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• Dark chocolate of your choice

Instructions

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8 inch cake pans. Make sour milk by combining milk and vinegar. Set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, coffee and vanilla. Stir in the sour milk. Gradually beat in the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.
4. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake layers to cool completely before assembling cake.

 

Frosting and Assembly:

1. Combine whipping cream and confectioner’s sugar in a chilled medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.
2. With long serrated knife or piece of thread, split each cake layer horizontally in half.
3. To assemble, place one cake layer on cake plate. Spread with 1 cup frosting; top with 3/4 cup cherry topping. Top with second cake layer; repeat layers of frosting and cherry topping. Top with third cake layer. Frost side of cake.
4. Pat or “throw” shaved dark chocolate on sides of cake.
5. Spoon reserved frosting into pastry bag fitted with star decorator tip. Pipe around top and bottom edges of cake. Spoon remaining cherry topping onto top of cake. Sprinkle more shaved dark chocolate on top of cake.
6. Place cherries along the edge of the top of the cake (as shown in picture).
7. Store cake in fridge – but maybe it won’t make it to the fridge.

It looks like a lot, but it really isn’t and it is well worth it in the end!

• See the original chocolate cake recipe here.
• See the original frosting recipe here.

What is your favorite kind of cake?  Can you eat just one piece? I would love to hear from you.  Leave me a comment below.