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This Black Forest Cake combines soft, moist chocolate cake layers with homemade Kirsch syrup, lightly sweetened whipped cream, and fresh cherrie for a beautiful take on the classic German dessert. Every layer is packed with rich chocolate flavor, juicy cherries, and light whipped cream, creating the perfect balance of richness and freshness. While it looks like a bakery-worthy celebration cake, this recipe is surprisingly easy to make and uses soft chocolate cake layers that stay moist and tender in the fridge.
This Black Forest Cake is a modern take on the classic dessert, made with soft, moist chocolate cake layers instead of a traditional chocolate sponge. The cake is brushed with homemade Kirsch cherry syrup, layered with lightly sweetened whipped cream and fresh cherries, and finish with chocolate shavings for a beautiful elegant finish. It has all the classic Black Forest flavors but with a simpler method that’s perfect for home bakers.
For more chocolate cake recipes, try my Moist Matilda Cake, Coffee Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Fudge Cake.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make: This cake is easier than it looks. Each element is extremely easy and quick to make.
- Stays moist in the fridge: This cake stays moist and soft even while refrigerated.
- Showstopper layer cake: This layer cake is a showstoppers and is perfect for a party or birthday.
WHY USE KIRSCH SYRUP?
Kirsch syrup is one of the signature flavors of a classic Black Forest Cake. Brushing the chocolate cake layers with a simple syrup made with Kirsch (a cherry brandy) adds moisture while enhancing the natural sweetness of the cherries. The subtle cherry flavor complements the rich chocolate cake and light whipped cream, creating the balanced flavor that Black Forest Cake is known for.
If you prefer an alcohol-free version, you can easily substitute the Kirsch with water or cherry juice. You’ll still get a delicious moist cake with plenty of cherry flavor, making it a great option for both kids and adults.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: Gives a light and airy cake. I prefer using all-purpose flour with a protein amount that is between 10-11%
- Cornstarch: Helps give a light and soft cake
- Sugars: The granulated sugar helps sweeten, as well as give moister to the cake. The brown sugar helps add extra toffee flavor to the cake.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Help leaven and rise the cake, so it has light and fluffy texture.
- Salt: Helps enhance the flavor of the chocolate cake.
- Egg: Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking, so it comes to room temperature. (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Coffee: Use freshly brewed coffee. The coffee helps boost the chocolate flavor. It can be replaced with hot water if you don't want to add coffee to the cake. For the coffee I recommend using espresso or instant coffee.
- Oil: Use a flavor neutral oil, such as canola oil.
- Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt gives lots of moister to the cake, as well as helps give the cake a great structure.
- Unsweetened Cocoa powder: I use high quality dutch process cocoa powder for the best flavor, my favorite is from Valrhona.
- Kirsch: Kirsch is a cherry brandy and is used for the syrup.
- Heavy cream: The heavy cream is lightly whipped and added between each cake layer.
- Cherries: The fresh cherries are cut in half and pitted.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make and bake this Black Forest Cake. This recipe needs a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer. You will need 3x 20 cm/8-inch round cake pans lined with parchment paper.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Before starting preheat the oven to 170ºC/ 340ºF conventional oven and line 3x 20 cm/8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
STEP 1: In a large bowl, add all of the dry ingredients. Give it a stir to make sure everything has been combined. In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined.
STEP 2: Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry while gently stirring it all together. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and bake them for 18-20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a wire rack.
STEP 3: For the syrup, place the sugar, water and pitted cherries in a small saucepan over high heat until the sugar dissolves and starts to boil. Turn off the heat, and then let it sit for 10 minutes. Then sift the syrup to remove the cheries and add the Kirsch, stir it together.
STEP 4: For the whipped cream, add the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste to a bowl of a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, or a hand mixer, and whip it until medium stiff peaks.
STEP 5: For assembling, start by cutting the cherries in half and removing the pits. Add the first cake layer onto your serving plate and brush it with the kirsch syrup.
STEP 6: Then add ⅓ of the whipped cream and top it with ⅓ of the pitted cherries. Do the same two more times. Decorate as well with the whole cherries and chocolate shavings it’s ready to be served. Store it in the refrigerator.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
Yes, you can replace the Kirsch syrup with cherry juice or water for an alcohol-free version.
Yes, this cake stay moist and soft in the fridge. It should be eaten with 2-3 days
I recommend using a cake tester or toothpick. Once the time has passed, per the recipe, insert the cake tester in the middle of the cake and once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, then it's done.
Yes, because it's filled with whipped cream, the cake should be stored in the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before serving for the best texture.
They're the same dessert. "Black Forest Gateau" is the traditional European name, while "Black Forest Cake" is more commonly used in English-speaking countries.
HOW TO STORE
Store the Black Forest Cake in the refrigerator. When wanting to eat it, take it out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature 15-20 minutes before serving for the best texture. It's best enjoyed within a 2-3 days.
Other Cake Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Black Forest Cake
Equipment
- or Stand Mixer
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- 240 g warm coffee or water for instant coffee use 1.5 teaspoon of instant coffee
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoon cornstarch
- 300 g granulated sugar
- 50 g unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 110 g vegetable oil
- 180 g Greek yogurt room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
KIRSCH SYRUP
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 60 g water
- 2 fresh cherries cut in half and pitted
- 60 g Kirsch or Cherry Liquore
SWEETEND WHIPPED CREAM
- 420 ml (410 g) heavy cream
- 110 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
ASSEMBLING
- 300 g fresh cherries
- Dark chocolate for shavings
The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it's recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams. Baking is both an art and a science, which most often requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CAKE
- Preheat the oven at 170ºC/340ºF conventional oven and line 3x 20 cm/8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Start by making the coffee and weigh it out so it can cool down a bit while preparing the other ingredients.240 g warm coffee or water
- In a bowl, sift all of the dry ingredients together. Give it a stir to make sure everything has been combined.240 g all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoon cornstarch, 300 g granulated sugar, 50 g unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, including coffee, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined. Be sure to not mix the ingredients too vigorously so the eggs don’t get over mixed.110 g vegetable oil, 180 g Greek yogurt, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry while gently stirring it all together. Make sure there are no lumps left in the batter.
- Divide the cake batter into the prepared baking tins and bake them for 18-20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cakes from the cake tins and let the cakes cool down completely.
KIRSCH SYRUP
- While the cakes cool, place the sugar, water and pitted cherries in a small saucepan over high heat until the sugar dissolves and starts to boil.50 g granulated sugar, 60 g water, 2 fresh cherries
- Turn off the heat, and then let it sit for 10 minutes. Then sift the syrup to remove the cheries and add the Kirsch, stir it together.60 g Kirsch or Cherry Liquore
- Let the syrup cool down to room temperature.
SWEETEND WHIPPED CREAM
- Once the cake layers and syrup is room temperature, make the whipped cream. Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste to a bowl of a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, or a hand mixer, and whip it until medium stiff peaks.420 ml (410 g) heavy cream, 110 g powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
ASSEMBLING
- Start by cutting the cherries in half and removing the pits. Save some whole for decorating the top. (These can also be prepped in advance before assembling)300 g fresh cherries
- Cut the very top of the cooled down cake layers so they have an even top.
- Add the first cake layer onto your serving plate and brush it with the kirsch syrup. Then add ⅓ of the whipped cream and top it with ⅓ of the pitted cherries. Do the same two more times. Decorate as well with the whole cherries and chocolate shavings, and it’s ready to be served. Store it in the refrigerator.Dark chocolate for shavings
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