We are sure many of you remember a photo of Dr Simard, with a beautiful slice of Black Forest cake, right? He and our chef Jean-François were simply delighted by all the comments made in response to this Facebook post. This is why we have unanimously decided to offer you this dessert recipe, which will undoubtedly delight you all during these difficult times. Our cook and Dr. Simard have always advocated healthy foods with beneficial effects on longevity, but they could not overlook the craze over this cake. Knowingly, our favorite cook took the time to present his work to you the best way possible as well as in a fashion most easily understood. Note that we will be excluding the usual healthy comments on the main ingredients since this is a regular dessert.

First, a little history. The Black Forest cake has been around for over 100 years. This sumptuous dessert has a very marked geographical origin. The Black Forest is a region in southwestern Germany that borders the Alsace region of France. In 1915, a pastry chef named Josef Keller is said to have made the first Black Forest cake in his tearoom in Bad Godesberg. According to gypsy beliefs, the colors of the cake (black, red, white) were associated with the traditional costume of the inhabitants of the Black Forest. Strange, isn’t it? In the 1930s, the sponge cake was best known in Berlin and in the pastry shops of major German, Austrian and Swiss cities. Before that date, cream cakes were not widely used, as there were only a limited number of electric refrigerators to store them.

As a result, in 1949, the Black Forest cake only occupied 13th place among the 15 best-known pastries in Germany. From there, its rise was meteoric. It quickly became the favorite, even iconic cake of the Germans. Since 2006, there has been a famous Black Forest cake festival that takes place every two years in Todtnauberg, a district where amateur and professional pastry chefs compete in two categories of events with their homemade creations.

With that, we hope your taste buds will be satisfied with our delicious recipe.

 

Traditional German Black Forest Cake

Ingredients (Cake):

– 2 cups of white sugar

– 1 3/4 cups of unsweetened cocoa powder

– 2 teaspoons of baking soda

– 1 3/4 cups of flour

– 1 teaspoon of baking powder

– 1 teaspoon of salt

– 2 eggs

– 1 cup of buttermilk

– 1 cup of strong black coffee, of your choice, cooled

– 1/2 cup of vegetable or olive oil

– 1/4 teaspoon of ground allspice

– 1/8 teaspoon of ground clove

– 2 teaspoons of artificial or pure vanilla

– 1 can of store-bought cherry garnish (or) our homemade recipe if desired

 

Ingredients (Homemade Cherry Garnish):

– 3 cups of pitted cherries (thawed or fresh)

– 2 tablespoons of lemon juice

– 2 tablespoons of cornstarch

– 1/2 cup of water

– 1/2 teaspoon of butter (optional)

– A dash of Kirsch or Grand Marnier (if desired)

 

Ingredients (Icing):

– 2 1/4 cups of 35% whipping cream

– 1 1/2 block of cream cheese (room temperature)

– 2 1/4 cups of powdered sugar

– 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

 

Steps:

  1. To cook a homemade cherry garnish, if desired; take out a medium saucepan, then add all the sauce ingredients except the Kirsch or Grand Marnier liqueur and butter, if using. Bring your mixture to a boil over medium heat, and then reduce heat to low for 15 minutes. Once cooked, pour a dash or two of the liqueur of your choice before allowing it to cool. From the outset, our hectic life does not always grant us ample time to cook; this is why canned fruit fillings (Granny Smith, Our Compliments, No Name, etc.) are all viable for this recipe.
  2. Make a good dark roast coffee (for yourself) and set aside an extra cup without adding anything to it and allow it to cool.
  3. Take out two round cake pans, 9 inches in diameter, dark aluminum or glass. In a medium bowl, using a sieve, sift sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and add allspice, clove, and salt together.
  4. In a separate mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla together until blended. Do not panic if your preparation is liquid like a soup, because that is exactly the consistency you want. For baking, it all depends on the type of baking dish used; you will need to preheat the oven to 325 °F to use dark aluminum pans or you will preheat it to 350 °F should you use glass baking dishes. Note that your cooking will need to be in the middle of the oven, so adjust your racks accordingly. Bake the sponge cake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  5. After the cakes have baked as desired, you can let them cool completely before unmolding them on a cooling rack. Find two more mixing bowls. In the first, you will beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until airy, while in the second, you will whip your cream at medium speed until you obtain semi-firm peaks. Using a spatula with a rubberized tip, gently fold the cheese frosting into the whipped cream. It will be important to mix gently while stirring, to allow air into the preparation. Do not use a whisk, as you will instantly lose your airy texture.
  6. For the assembly of the Black Forest cake, you must choose between a dessert dome/cloche or a plate. You will have to cut the two cakes in a lateral direction, so as to have four discs. Between each layer, you will spread a layer of frosting followed by cherry filling. Be careful not to put too much between each layer; so that you have some left over for the entire tailoring. The rest of the icing, along with the remaining cherries, will be used for a decorative touch; to put on top of the cake.
  7. Reunite your small family and cut portions for all your loved ones present. This dessert could be immediately accompanied by a sweet white wine such as Muscat, or even a delicious coffee. Be sure to store any unused portion in the fridge to avoid the expiration of your hard work. This cake can be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

Enjoy your meal!