The Witchery

Real Black Forest Cake uses Kirsch, so the following recipe is really just chocolate cake with cherries and whipped cream. The lack of alcohol didn't seem to slow down the ravening wolves (i.e. my co-workers) from devouring it, so I'd say it came out well.

Of note, I was originally planning to add a layer of cherries on the top of the cake as well. Turned out the can of cherries I bought wasn't nearly enough. So if you follow this recipe, and want cherries on the top, buy two cans.

Chocolate Cherry Cake with Whipped Cream

Chocolate Cake

1 can Cherry pie filling (or 2 if you want cherries on the top)

Whipped Cream Topping

1 1/2 cups chocolate shavings (Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate; refrigerate until ready to serve)

Chocolate Cake Recipe

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (either Natural or Dutch - both work)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by rubbing with butter, sprinkling with flour and tapping out extra. In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix together with a wooden spoon then set aside. In small bowl combine eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat well with hand mixer. Slowly add boiling water and mix. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture and fold and stir until smooth. Pour batter into pans, dividing evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove cake from pans and cool on racks.

Drain cherry pie filling in a colander to remove most of the thickened juices.

Whipped Cream Topping

1 envelope of unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons water
3 cups well-chilled heavy cream
1/3 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

In small saucepan combine gelatin and water and let soften 5 minutes. Gently heat mixture over low heat, stirring, until liquid is clear. Remove from heat. In chilled bowl with chilled beaters beat cream until it holds soft peaks, add sugar and vanilla and beat until it holds stiff peaks. Add gelatin mixture in stream, beating, and beat until it holds stiff peaks.

Assemble cake
Place one layer of cake on serving plate and spread its top with 1/2-inch thick layer of whipped cream and dump the cherries over the cream leaving about 1/2 inch margin around border of cake with no cherries.

Set other layer on top of cherries and spread top and sides of cake with remaining cream, shape whipped cream into decorative swirls on top.

With fingers, gently press chocolate curls into cream on sides of cake.

Garnish top with cherries, if desired, or with a few remaining chocolate curls.