Black Forest Gateau

This Black Forest Gateau recipe features four moist chocolate sponge layers infused with boozy cherry liqueur syrup, filled with sweet mascarpone Chantilly cream and a juicy morello cherry compote. Decorate the cake with dark chocolate shavings, chocolate ganache, swirls of Chantilly cream, and maraschino cherries for the finishing touch. Put your baking skills to the test and follow this recipe to recreate this fabulously retro showstopper cake!

This recipe is created in partnership with Menier Chocolate. I only ever recommend products that I personally love, use and trust!

What is a Black Forest Gateau Cake?

Originating from Germany, a classic Black Forest Gateau recipe has three main parts:

1. Several moist chocolate sponge layers soaked in cherry liqueur.
2. Filled with whipped cream and fresh cherries, a cherry compote or cherry sauce.
3. Decorated with dark chocolate shavings and cherries.

My Black Forest Gateau recipe mostly stays true to the classic, apart from two delicious additions:

• Mascarpone Chantilly cream: Combine whipped cream with icing sugar or vanilla extract to add sweetness to create Chantilly cream. The addition of mascarpone cheese gives the cream a tangy and delicious flavour, and stabilises the cream so it doesn’t collapse under the weight of the sponges.
• Chocolate ganache layer: To add extra chocolatey flavour, top my Black Forest Gateau recipe with a layer of dark chocolate ganache. It brings a creamy, rich flavour that pairs beautifully with the chocolate sponge layers. 

How to Make this Black Forest Gateau Recipe:

Let’s break down this recipe into six simple steps:

1. Bake the chocolate sponge cakes: My easy chocolate cake recipe comes together in a flash! Remember to use a good quality cocoa powder such as Menier for the best flavour. This recipe makes two 7-inch round cakes, which you then slice horizontally to create four layers in total.
2. Make the cherry liqueur syrup: First boil water and sugar to make the syrup, then stir in the cherry liqueur (I used Kirsch). That’s it! 
3. Whip the mascarpone Chantilly cream: First, combine icing sugar and mascarpone, then whisk in double cream and Kirsch until thick and pillowy.
4. Assemble the sponge layers: Sponge, soak, cream, cherries, repeat! This recipe has four sponge layers so we repeat this step three times before placing the final sponge layer on top. Then coat the top and outside of the cake with Chantilly cream.
5. Prep the chocolate ganache and chocolate savings: Heat finely chopped Menier 70% dark chocolate with double cream to make a simple ganache. Then use a potato peeler or knife to create chocolate shavings from a bar of chocolate.
6. Decorate the cake: Press the chocolate shavings around the outside of the cake, then spread the ganache on top. For the finishing touch, pipe swirls of cream around the edge and place some cherries on top. Voilà your Black Forest Gateau is complete!

Must-Read Tips for Making the Mascarpone Chantilly Cream:

• Use cold ingredients: Use the double cream and mascarpone straight from the fridge for a light and fluffy whipped cream.
• Whisk the cream to soft peaks: Whipped cream will continue to thicken up when piped or spread onto the cake, so it’s best to whisk it to soft peaks rather than stiff peaks. As soon as it looks like pillowy soft clouds, stop whisking. Then switch to using a spoon and gently fold a couple of times until the cream feels thick enough to hold its shape. Even spooning the cream into a piping bag will cause it to thicken up!
• Easily fix split or over-whisked cream: Drizzle in 1-2 tablespoons of double cream and gently fold to bring the cream back together. You can do this at any point, as and when needed while decorating this Black Forest Gateau cake.

Helpful Equipment Links to Make this Black Forest Gateau:

• 7-inch loose-based round cake tins
• Piping bags
• Icing spatula
• Cake decorating turntable
• Potato peeler (to make the chocolate shavings)
• Star piping nozzle

Black Forest Gateau

This Black Forest Gateau recipe features four moist chocolate sponge layers infused with boozy cherry liqueur syrup, filled with sweet mascarpone Chantilly cream and a juicy morello cherry compote. The cake is decorated with dark chocolate shavings, chocolate ganache, Chantilly cream swirls and maraschino cherries for the finishing touch. Put your baking skills to the test and follow this recipe to recreate this fabulously retro showstopper cake!

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Prep: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Cook: 45 minutes minutes

Total: 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

For the chocolate sponge layers:

• 375 grams Golden caster sugar
• 325 grams Self-raising flour
• 75 grams Cocoa powder I use Menier 100% Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon Espresso powder optional, but helps bring out the chocolate flavour!
• 150 millilitres Vegetable oil
• 300ml millilitres Milk
• 3 medium Eggs room temperature
• 100 millilitres Boiling water

For the cherry liqueur syrup:

• 60 millilitres Water
• 50 grams Caster sugar
• 3 tablespoons Cherry liqueur (or the juice of a tin of cherries if you'd prefer not to use alcohol) I used Kirsch

For the mascarpone Chantilly cream and cherry filling:

• 150 grams Icing sugar
• 250 grams Mascarpone keep in the fridge
• 500 millilitres Double cream keep in the fridge
• 1 tablespoon Cherry liqueur I used Kirsch
• 6 tablespoons Cherry compote/jam/preserve

For the dark chocolate ganache:

• 80 millilitres Double cream
• 50 grams Dark chocolate I use Menier 70% Dark Chocolate

For the decoration

• 100 grams Dark chocolate I use Menier 70% Dark Chocolate
• 10 Cherries e.g. fresh black cherries, red maraschino cherries, morello cherries

Instructions

Start by making the chocolate cake:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional. Grease and line the base and sides of two 7-inch round cake tins with baking paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, flour, cocoa powder and espresso powder (if using) together.
  375 grams Golden caster sugar, 325 grams Self-raising flour, 75 grams Cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon Espresso powder
  
• In a separate bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, milk and eggs together. Slowly whisk in the boiling water bit by bit, to avoid cooking the eggs.
  150 millilitres Vegetable oil, 300ml millilitres Milk, 3 medium Eggs, 100 millilitres Boiling water
• Now pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until smooth and combined. The mixture will be very thin.
• Divide the cake mixture evenly between the baking tins and bake for 45-50 minutes until risen and springy to the touch. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
  

To make the cherry liqueur syrup:

• Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the cherry liqueur. Set aside and leave to cool.
  60 millilitres Water, 50 grams Caster sugar, 3 tablespoons Cherry liqueur (or the juice of a tin of cherries if you'd prefer not to use alcohol)

To make the mascarpone Chantilly cream:

• In a large bowl, use an electric whisk to combine the icing sugar and mascarpone until smooth.
  150 grams Icing sugar, 250 grams Mascarpone
• Pour in the double cream and whisk on medium-high speed until it reaches soft peaks and starts to hold its shape (about 5 minutes). TIP: whipped cream will continue to thicken up when piped or spread onto the cake, so it’s best to only whisk it to soft pillowy peaks. If the cream splits or turns grainy, gently fold in 1-2 tablespoons of double cream to bring it back together.
  500 millilitres Double cream
• Stir in the cherry liqueur.
  1 tablespoon Cherry liqueur
• Fill a large piping bag with the Chantilly cream and cut off the tip to make a 1-inch hole. Keep the remaining cream in the mixing bowl.

Assemble the cake:

• If the cakes have domed on top, first level them off with a sharp knife so they have a flat top. Slice each cake in half horizontally to make 4 round sponge layers.
• Place one sponge layer on a cake stand and lightly brush the top with the cherry liqueur syrup. Spread a thin layer of cream on top, then pipe a ring of cream around the outside edge of the cake. Fill the middle with 2 tablespoons of cherry compote. Repeat this step twice more, layering up the sponges.
  6 tablespoons Cherry compote/jam/preserve
  
• Place the final sponge layer on top, then coat the top and sides with Chantilly cream. Don’t worry if the cream pulls up any cake crumbs, it will be covered with chocolate shavings and ganache. Place the cake in the fridge to firm up.
• Spoon the leftover cream into a large piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Place in the fridge along with the cake.

To make the chocolate ganache:

• Finely chop the dark chocolate and place it into a glass bowl. Pour the cream on top. Microwave for 60 seconds, then stir to make a smooth and shiny chocolate ganache. If the ganache splits or looks slimy, stir in a tablespoon of cream to bring it back together. 
  80 millilitres Double cream, 50 grams Dark chocolate

To decorate:

• Use a potato peeler/sharp knife to shave the back and sides of the chocolate bar.
  100 grams Dark chocolate
• Take the cake and piping bag of cream out of the fridge. Use your hands to press the chocolate shavings into the outside of the cake.
  
• Pour the ganache on top of the cake and use the back of a spoon to spread it out, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge.
• To finish, pipe swirls of cream around the edge and top with cherries. Enjoy!
  10 Cherries

Video

Notes

Keep stored in a baking tin, in the fridge, for up to 2 days.