Make the Most of Cherry Season With This Black Forest Cake

This light, airy chocolate dessert boasts cherry liqueur in the cake, filling, and frosting. 

Frequently asked questions

What is Black Forest Cake?

Black Forest Cake, also called Black Forest Gâteau, is a German dessert that layers chocolate sponge cake with whipped cream and a cherry filling. People often think this cake was named for the Black Forest mountains in Germany, but the name comes from the kirsch cherry liqueur used in the recipe. The cake has protected status from the European Commission, and must be made with kirsch from the sour cherries grown in the Black Forest in southwestern Germany in order to be called Black Forest Gâteau.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

This dessert features a genoise sponge cake, which is light and airy

 from the extra time used to mix it. When you are mixing the cake batter, it may look pretty pale early on in the process, but it’s important to mix for the full six minutes so the batter aerates and bakes up into a light cake.

This cake gets its dramatic presentation from the chocolate shards added at the end. You’ll want to be sure to temper your melted chocolate in order for it to crisp up in the refrigerator. To temper chocolate, start by measuring out 80% of the chocolate, and place it in a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water until it melts, stirring every few minutes. Remove the bowl of chocolate from the heat and stir in the remaining chocolate until it has melted and cooled to 82 to 86°F. Return the bowl of chocolate to the double boiler briefly to melt the chocolate if necessary. If you have a silicone baking mat, use it to spread the melted chocolate, but otherwise, parchment paper will work here.