Black Forest Gateau Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Cherry Filling: Stir together the drained cherries, 1/4 cup reserved syrup and the kirsch. Set aside while preparing cakes.
• To make the sponge cakes: Preheat oven to 350ºF and butter (3) 8-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper and then butter the paper also.
• Put yolks and sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium speed until the mixture has at least doubled in volume, is very thick and mousse-like and a wide ribbon trail slowly falls back into the bowl when beaters are lifted. This could take 5 minutes or more. Don't short the time here!
• Sift in the cocoa and gently fold with a large spoon.
• In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Carefully fold egg whites into chocolate mixture, 1/3 at a time.
• Divide the batter into the 3 prepared pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, until cakes spring back when touched and have pulled away from sides of pans.
• Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes; invert onto a wire rack & peel off the paper.
• Now go back to your cherries - drain them but hold onto the syrup! Place the cherries on paper towels to dry. Set aside 12 or so for garnish.
• Cream Filling:.
• In the clean bowl of your stand mixer, or with an electric mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in the sugar and whip until slightly thicker.
• Assembly: Place 1 cake layer on a large serving platter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons reserved syrup.
• Spread with 1/4 of the cream filling. Press 1/2 of the cherries into the cream.
• Stack on the second cake layer. Sprinkle it with reserved kirsch syrup as before. Spread with 1/4 of the cream & the rest of the cherries (except for the ones reserved for garnish).
• Top with final cake layer & sprinkle with remaining syrup.
• Cover the top and sides with all the remaining whipped cream - you can either pipe it or spread it on - then garnish with the reserved cherries & grated chocolate.
• Refrigerate until serving time. Best eaten within 48 hours.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Butter three 8 inch in diameter cake pans.
• Line the bottom of each with wax paper, and butter that.
• Combine the eggs with the sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat with a hand-held electric mixer until pale and very thick, about 5-7 minutes.
• Sift the flour and cocoa powder over the mixture and fold in lightly and evenly with a spatual.
• Gently stir in the melted butter.
• Divide the mixture among the prepared cake pans, smoothing them level.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the cakes have risen and are springy to the touch.
• Leave them to cool in the pans, on a rack, for about 5 minutes, then turn out and leave to cool completely.
• Remove the lining paper from each cake layer.
• Prick each cake layer all over with a skewer or fork, then sprinkle with Kirsch.
• Using a hand-held electric mixer, whip the cream in a bowl until it starts to thicken, then gradually beat in the icing sugar and vanilla until the mixture begins to hold its shape.
• To assemble: spread one cake layer with just under a 1/3 of the cream and top with about half the cherries.
• Spread a second cake layer with a little less than 1/2 the remaining cream, top with the remaining cherries, then place it on top of the first layer.
• Top with the final cake layer.
• Spread the remaining cream all over the cake.
• Dust a plate with icing sugar, and position the cake carefully in the centre.
• Press grated chocolate over the sides and decorate the cake with the chocolate curls and fresh or drained cherries.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and set aside.
• Whisk the eggs yolks, eggs, and sugar in a large metal bowl over a pot of simmering water for a few minutes until the mixture is about 120 degrees F. Remove the bowl from the heat, and keep whisking to aerate the mixture until it is thick and fluffy, about 10 minutes. The mixture should increase in size 4 to 5 times and become very pale in color.
• Gently fold in both the sifted flour and wheat flour, and the cocoa powder. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan, and flatten it out carefully with a rubber spatula. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, and cut a few vents in the parchment paper so that the steam can evaporate. Let inverted cake rest for 24 hours.
• In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons Kirsch, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and the corn flour. Add a pinch lemon zest and a pinch of cinnamon to the bowl, and stir to combine. In a small saucepan, bring to a boil the remaining 4 tablespoons Kirsch. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sugar mixture, and stir. Then add the cherries, stir again, and heat through. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl, and let cool.
• Cut the cake into 3 layers. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the bottom layer, and place it in the refrigerator to cool and harden slightly. Meanwhile, make the Whipped Cream and the Syrup.
• Remove the chocolate-covered base layer from the refrigerator and brush syrup over the top. Add about 1/2 of the filling mixture, and 1/4 of the whipped cream. Repeat the layer, brushing with Syrup, then filling, and then Whipped Cream. Place the third cake layer on top, brush it with Syrup, and then cover it with Whipped Cream. Spread the remaining Whipped Cream around the side of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings and additional cherries.
• Whip together the cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla sugar. If you don't have vanilla sugar, you may substitute 1 tablespoon sugar plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Begin whipping slowly, making the mixture lighter, and continue until you have achieved light and airy whipped cream.
• Combine 1 1/2 cups water and 3/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When mixture is boiling and sugar has totally dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and add the Kirsch, and stir to combine.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line the base of 3 x 20cm cake tins. Boil the kettle. Put the butter and 75g chocolate broken into chunks in a small pan and gently heat, stirring, until completely melted.
• Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda with a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk the eggs and buttermilk or yogurt together. Scrape the melted chocolate mixture and egg mixture into the dry ingredients, add 100ml boiling water and whizz briefly with an electric whisk until the cake batter is lump free.
• Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 25 mins, swapping the tins round after 20 mins if they're on different shelves. To test they're done, push in a skewer and check that it comes out clean.
• Prick the cakes a few times with a skewer. Mix together the 2 tbsp reserved cherry juice and the kirsch (or more juice) and drizzle over the cakes. Cool the cakes.
• Mix together the remaining drained cherries and jam. Tip 200ml of the cream into a small pan and heat until just below simmering point. Chop the remaining chocolate and put in a heatproof bowl, pour over the hot cream and stir until melted. Set aside until spreadable.
• When the cakes are cool whisk the remaining cream and the icing sugar together until softly whipped. Spread over two of the cakes, then spoon over the jammy cherries. Stack the cakes together. Spread the chocolate cream over the third cake and sit on top of the other cakes. Pile the fresh cherries in and around the cake and serve

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottoms and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust the bottoms and sides of the pans with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.
• Put the eggs (in their shells) in a medium bowl and cover with hot tap water; let stand 5 minutes (warming the eggs will help them whip better). Sift the cocoa powder, cake flour and salt into a medium bowl, then whisk in the almond flour; set aside.
• Remove the eggs from the water and crack into a large bowl. Add the granulated sugar and beat with a mixer on low speed to combine. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until pale, fluffy and thick, about 10 minutes. The mixture should fall off the beaters in a ribbon when lifted.
• Sprinkle one-third of the flour mixture over the egg mixture and gently fold with a whisk until combined. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture in two batches, adding the vanilla with the final addition. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes pull away from the sides of the pans and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Immediately run a small offset spatula around the edges to loosen. Let the cakes cool 5 minutes in the pans, then remove to a rack, parchment-side down, and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the whipped cream: Whisk the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan (the cornstarch will help stabilize the whipped cream). Slowly add 3/4 cup heavy cream, whisking, until a paste forms. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring, until thick and bubbling, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until completely cooled, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring the cherries, cherry syrup, kirsch and granulated sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the almond extract and transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Finish the whipped cream: Beat the remaining 2 1/4 cups cold heavy cream and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. With the mixer running, add the cooked cream mixture and beat until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Drain the cherries and reserve the syrup. Discard the parchment from the cakes. Trim a thin layer off the top of each cake with a long serrated knife. Put one cake cut-side up on a cake stand or serving plate and brush with half of the reserved syrup. Spread about 1 cup whipped cream over the top in a thin layer, then top with all but 1/4 cup cherries. Spread 1 cup whipped cream over the cherries in a thin layer. Top with the remaining cake and brush with the remaining syrup. Spread 1 1/2 cups whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake in a thin layer (some crumbs are OK). Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Spread the remaining whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Sprinkle the shaved chocolate around the top of the cake and press into the sides; top with the reserved cherries. Refrigerate overnight; the cake will soak up the syrup.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix together: cake mix, beaten eggs, almond extract, cherry pie filling and 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips. Stir until just combined. Pour batter into a greased 9x13 inch pan.
• Bake in a 350 degree F (175 degree C) oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and let cool.
• To Make Glaze: Heat 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, butter or margarine, and milk in a saucepan over medium high heat. Once semisweet chocolate chips are melted and mixture is combined stir in confectioners' sugar.
• Spread glaze over cooled cake. Serve cake as is or with whipped cream and a cherry.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 inch, round, cake pans; cover bottoms with waxed paper.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 cups sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla; beat until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake for 35 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Loosen edges, and remove to racks to cool completely.
• Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Combine reserved juice, cherries, 1 cup sugar and cornstarch in a 2 quart saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool before using.
• Combine whipping cream and confectioner's sugar in a chilled medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.
• With long serrated knife, split each cake layer horizontally in half. Tear one split layer into crumbs; set aside. Reserve 1 1/2 cups Frosting for decorating cake; set aside. Gently brush loose crumbs off top and side of each cake layer with pasty brush or hands. 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. Pat reserved crumbs onto frosting on side of cake. 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.

Steps:

• Lightly oil a 20 x 25cm springform cake tin, line with cling film, then lightly oil again. Set aside.
• Put 200g chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Alternatively, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Leave to cool for 10 mins. Whisk together the double cream, soured cream, icing sugar and vanilla bean paste until soft but spoonable (it should be quite loose at this stage but will firm up in the fridge later). Transfer half the mixture to a second bowl, then fold in the melted chocolate.
• Tip half the cherries and all the kirsch into a saucepan. Chop the remaining cherries and set aside. Line the bottom of the prepared tin with a layer of bourbon biscuits, then spoon over half the chocolate cream, half the chopped cherries, and half the vanilla cream. Repeat with a second layer of biscuits and the remaining chocolate cream, chopped cherries and vanilla cream. Cover and chill overnight.
• Tip the caster sugar into the saucepan with the remaining whole cherries and kirsch. Cook over a low heat for about 5 mins, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat, bring to the boil and continue cooking on a high heat for 8-10 mins, or until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon. Leave to cool completely.
• Carefully remove the cake from the tin, and peel away the cling film. Leave at room temperature for 30 mins to soften slightly. Roughly chop the remaining dark chocolate. Spoon the cooled cherries and syrup over the cake, and scatter over the chocolate. Cut into 12 squares to serve. Will keep, covered in the fridge, for up to three days.