Shelly's Recipe

BLACK FOREST GATEAU

Category: Cakes

Dark Chocolate Cake
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup oil (I use canola)
2 cups hot water
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray and line three 6 inch round pans with wax or parchment paper. Mix everything in a bowl until you get a thin batter. Divide the batter evenly into the three pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-29 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cakes completely before cutting, layering and frosting.

Cherry Buttercream Filling:
1/2 cup butter
3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 pinch salt
1 tsp strong brewed coffee
1-2 tbsp heavy cream
1-2 tsp Cherry pie filling

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the salt, confectioners sugar, salt, coffee, cream and cherry pie filling. If needed, add extra cream. Set the mixture aside until you're ready to layer your cake.

Whipped cream topping:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp kirsch
1 14 oz. can cherry pie filling or fresh pitted Bing cherries

Beat the heavy whipping cream on HIGH for 5-7 minutes until it holds soft peaks. Add the vanilla and kirsch to the whipping cream. Set aside.

Wash and strain your cherry pie filling so you are left with just the cherries (no juice). Set these aside.

After leveling off your cooled cakes, use a squirt bottle to squirt some Kirsch on top of all three cakes. (I used about a 1/2 cup total. You can also use a pastry brush if you don't have a squirt bottle). Spread 1/2 of the butter cream mixture on top of the first layer of cake. Top that with 1/2 of your cherries. Repeat with the other two layers.

Top the entire cake with your whipped topping, chocolate shavings, whipped cream rosettes and maraschino cherries