Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
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Black Forest cake is one of those iconic, traditional cakes that has a lot of name recognition. Here, we present an approach for making a mini version since unless you have a large family or group to entertain, you may not wish to create an entire full-sized cake. If you do wish to do so, the basic instructions herein will serve as a guide but the amounts will be correspondingly greater. (For instance, you might bake the cake as two 9” rounds, then slice each one in half into two disks half as thick, to get four total layers, and need a full quart of cream to cover everything, 1/2 lb of chocolate for ganache, twice as much cherry jam, etc.)
At its most basic, the cake is made of layers of chocolate sponge, the fudgier the better. Ideally, kirsch (cherry brandy) is used to moisten the layers. Cherry “jam”, more like a thick sour-cherry compote, is also applied to the top of each moistened layer. Then, the layers are assembled with whipped cream between them and also covering the top and sides of the cake. Once frosted, the cake is frozen so that chocolate ganache may be poured over it without melting the whipped cream. (NB: it is better to make whipped cream from heavy cream for this, rather than using canned whipped cream as it will not hold up as well.) Once completed, the ganache should not be frozen or the chocolate will bloom and lose its shine. The cake may be refrigerated while the layers and cream continue to thaw, and then be served within a day or two of being completed.
Makes enough for 3-4 people, one 4-5” round by 6” tall mini stovepipe cake.
Equipment:
sheet pan for baking the chocolate sheet cake
4” circular cutter (or relatively simple shape of your choice)
saucepan
metal mixing bowl which fits on top of saucepan (for double boiler)
offset spatula (small may be preferable for a small cake)
optional blender or similar for whipping cream; otherwise a whisk
Ingredients:
3 circles chocolate cake from a box is fine; bake as a sheet and punch out circles after cooling
2 cup heavy cream Divided: 1 1/2 cup for the cake and 1/2 cup for the ganache
1/2 lb Ranier cherries “sour” cherries
1/4 cup sugar simmer with cherries until slightly thickened, then cool
1/4 lb Baker’s chocolate semi-sweet or less; bittersweet is excellent
1/4 cup Kirsch or cognac we keep cognac but not kirsch and it worked quite well
Procedure:
1. In advance, simmer the cherries with the sugar to create a “jam” – pectin is not required, but the sugar should be inverted by boiling and the cherry juice allowed to reduce to produce a slightly-thickened cherry compote which will be spread upon the cake layers. Allow it to cool completely before using it to construct the cake.
2. Ideally, to get the cake’s lines perfect, one uses a cake-ring, a metal tube the cake is assembled within. We made one out of paper, and ended up with a slightly slanty cake. Depending on your application this level of character may or may not be acceptable, but the results are delicious in any case.
3. Once the cake-ring is set up, place one of the cake circles in the bottom. Use a spoon or brush to apply a thin dose of booze to the layer before placing it at the bottom. (If you’d rather not use booze, you can thin out vanilla or almond extract 1:3 with water.)
4. Upon the anointed cake layer, spread a thin layer of the cherry jam.
5. Apply a less-thin layer of whipped cream, and then repeat with another cake layer, similarly anointed and be-cherried.
6. The choice of whether to include a layer of cherries atop the final (top) layer of cake is yours. Sometimes the cake is decorated (atop all frosting etc) with cherries. Maraschino cherries might be used if desired; we were content with a lake of ganache.
7. Once the last layer has been applied, remove the ring or paper tube and frost the entire exterior of the cake while the whipped cream is in good condition, fresh from being whipped. We decided to wait and regretted it.
8. Once the entire cake is enrobed in whipped cream, place it on a level surface in a freezer to set up and solidify, in order to be able to apply ganache without harming the cream.
9. To make the ganache, either place the chocolate and cream into a double boiler and let them melt together, or scald the cream and pour it over the chocolate to melt it, stirring until all lumps have gone.
10. Take the frozen cake out, place it on a rack over a pan, and pour the ganache over the cake to cover the top and allow streaks to run down the sides artfully.
11. Maraschino cherries might be applied to the top of the cake after this, or chocolate-covered ones perhaps if you’re feeling extra-fancy.
12. Allow the cake to thaw fully before cutting and serving.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
Check our our Patreon! patreon.com/loveyourfood
Need a kitchen thermometer? Use code LoveYourFood for 15% off a meat thermometer! shareasale.com/u.cfm?d=1003201&m=111859&u=3322095&afftrack=
Black Forest cake is one of those iconic, traditional cakes that has a lot of name recognition. Here, we present an approach for making a mini version since unless you have a large family or group to entertain, you may not wish to create an entire full-sized cake. If you do wish to do so, the basic instructions herein will serve as a guide but the amounts will be correspondingly greater. (For instance, you might bake the cake as two 9” rounds, then slice each one in half into two disks half as thick, to get four total layers, and need a full quart of cream to cover everything, 1/2 lb of chocolate for ganache, twice as much cherry jam, etc.)
At its most basic, the cake is made of layers of chocolate sponge, the fudgier the better. Ideally, kirsch (cherry brandy) is used to moisten the layers. Cherry “jam”, more like a thick sour-cherry compote, is also applied to the top of each moistened layer. Then, the layers are assembled with whipped cream between them and also covering the top and sides of the cake. Once frosted, the cake is frozen so that chocolate ganache may be poured over it without melting the whipped cream. (NB: it is better to make whipped cream from heavy cream for this, rather than using canned whipped cream as it will not hold up as well.) Once completed, the ganache should not be frozen or the chocolate will bloom and lose its shine. The cake may be refrigerated while the layers and cream continue to thaw, and then be served within a day or two of being completed.
Makes enough for 3-4 people, one 4-5” round by 6” tall mini stovepipe cake.
Equipment:
sheet pan for baking the chocolate sheet cake
4” circular cutter (or relatively simple shape of your choice)
saucepan
metal mixing bowl which fits on top of saucepan (for double boiler)
offset spatula (small may be preferable for a small cake)
optional blender or similar for whipping cream; otherwise a whisk
Ingredients:
3 circles chocolate cake from a box is fine; bake as a sheet and punch out circles after cooling
2 cup heavy cream Divided: 1 1/2 cup for the cake and 1/2 cup for the ganache
1/2 lb Ranier cherries “sour” cherries
1/4 cup sugar simmer with cherries until slightly thickened, then cool
1/4 lb Baker’s chocolate semi-sweet or less; bittersweet is excellent
1/4 cup Kirsch or cognac we keep cognac but not kirsch and it worked quite well
Procedure:
1. In advance, simmer the cherries with the sugar to create a “jam” – pectin is not required, but the sugar should be inverted by boiling and the cherry juice allowed to reduce to produce a slightly-thickened cherry compote which will be spread upon the cake layers. Allow it to cool completely before using it to construct the cake.
2. Ideally, to get the cake’s lines perfect, one uses a cake-ring, a metal tube the cake is assembled within. We made one out of paper, and ended up with a slightly slanty cake. Depending on your application this level of character may or may not be acceptable, but the results are delicious in any case.
3. Once the cake-ring is set up, place one of the cake circles in the bottom. Use a spoon or brush to apply a thin dose of booze to the layer before placing it at the bottom. (If you’d rather not use booze, you can thin out vanilla or almond extract 1:3 with water.)
4. Upon the anointed cake layer, spread a thin layer of the cherry jam.
5. Apply a less-thin layer of whipped cream, and then repeat with another cake layer, similarly anointed and be-cherried.
6. The choice of whether to include a layer of cherries atop the final (top) layer of cake is yours. Sometimes the cake is decorated (atop all frosting etc) with cherries. Maraschino cherries might be used if desired; we were content with a lake of ganache.
7. Once the last layer has been applied, remove the ring or paper tube and frost the entire exterior of the cake while the whipped cream is in good condition, fresh from being whipped. We decided to wait and regretted it.
8. Once the entire cake is enrobed in whipped cream, place it on a level surface in a freezer to set up and solidify, in order to be able to apply ganache without harming the cream.
9. To make the ganache, either place the chocolate and cream into a double boiler and let them melt together, or scald the cream and pour it over the chocolate to melt it, stirring until all lumps have gone.
10. Take the frozen cake out, place it on a rack over a pan, and pour the ganache over the cake to cover the top and allow streaks to run down the sides artfully.
11. Maraschino cherries might be applied to the top of the cake after this, or chocolate-covered ones perhaps if you’re feeling extra-fancy.
12. Allow the cake to thaw fully before cutting and serving.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
