Haunted Black Forest Layer Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Make the genoise: Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment; butter the parchment. Dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
• Whisk together flower, salt, and cocoa powder in a bowl.
• Put eggs, egg yolks, and granulated sugar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over (not touching) a pan of simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Raise speed to high. Beat until mixture is pale and thick, about 4 minutes more.
• Remove bowl from mixer. Sift flour mixture over the top; using large rubber spatula, carefully fold into egg mixture, cutting through middle and lifting gently over sides. When almost incorporated, pour melted butter down side of bowl; gently fold in to incorporate.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake until centers spring back when lightly touched, about 15 minutes.
• Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around sides of pan. Invert onto rack; remove parchment, and turn right side up on rack.
• Make the Kirsch simple syrup: Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in kirsch. (The syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 month).
• Make the cherry filling: Whisk reserved cherry juice, sugar, kirsch, and cornstarch in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. Combine syrup and cherries in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.
• Make the ganache: Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour over chocolate in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Slowly whisk until smooth. Let cool completely, stirring often with a rubber spatula.
• Make the espresso whipped cream: Beat cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and espresso powder, and beat until soft peaks return.
• Assemble the cake: Slice each cake in half horizontally. Place once cake layer, cut side up, on a cake stand. Brush top with 1/4 cup kirsch syrup. Spread with 2 cups whipped cream, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Remove cherries from filling syrup with slotted spoon, and transfer to medium bowl. Scatter 1 1/4 cup cherries evenly over whipped cream. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons filling syrup. Repeat 2 times . Place final cake layer, cut side down, on top, and spread with ganache. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line with cooking parchment paper.
• In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another small bowl, beat baking cocoa and 1 1/4 cups water with whisk until well blended. Set both bowls aside.
• In bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 2/3 cup softened butter and 1 1/3 cups sugar on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. On low speed, beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition, just until smooth. Repeat with flour mixture and cocoa mixture, ending with flour mixture. Scrape side of bowl occasionally. Pour 1 2/3 cups batter in each pan; spread evenly. Tap pans on counter 2 to 3 times to eliminate air bubbles from batter.
• Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, beat 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch with whisk. Beat in 1/3 cup water until smooth. Stir in chopped cherries. On medium-high heat, heat cherry mixture to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into small bowl. Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour.
• In medium glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and 1 1/2 cups sugar with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, beating occasionally, 16 to 20 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F. Remove from heat; pour into bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until glossy peaks form and bowl has cooled to feel slightly warm. Still on high speed, slowly add 1 1/2 cups butter, one piece at a time, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth, thick and shiny, 12 to 14 minutes. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. If mixture separates, beat until smooth.
• Fit decorating bag with 1/2-inch round piping tip; fill with frosting. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Pipe a thick frosting border around top edge of cake layer. Pipe a second border just inside the first border. Spread 2/3 cup of the cherry filling over top of cake inside borders. Top with second cake layer; repeat borders and filling. Place third cake layer on top. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Press shaved chocolate around bottom half of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• When ready to serve, mound maraschino cherries in center of cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

Steps:

• Heat sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil. Let cool completely. Syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 month.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
• Combine chocolate cake mix and instant pudding mix in a large bowl. Add eggs, water, and vegetable oil; mix well to combine. Mix in 1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice until smooth. Stir in cherry pieces and chocolate chips. Divide cake batter between prepared pans, filling each halfway.
• Bake cakes in the preheated oven until toothpicks inserted in the centers come out clean, 26 to 32 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool, 10 minutes. Remove from pans and transfer to wire racks to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Beat heavy cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Add sugar and cream of tartar. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff peaks form, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Spread 1/4 of the whipped cream evenly over the bottom cake layer. Cover whipped cream with a thin layer of pie filling. Place second layer of cake on top. Spread another 1/4 of the whipped cream over the second layer; cover with pie filling. Place third layer of cake on top. Spread remaining whipped cream on top; cover with remaining pie filling.