Boozy Birthday Black Forest Cake

Hard to believe that one year ago today, I published my first post on my blog. One year! Where did the time go? It has been a very fun year, making great recipes, but more importantly, great friends. You make my job fun! Before I start with my recipe, there is one special person I need to acknowledge, Amy Mustachio, from Crumbs In My Mustachio. Amy asked me to join a group of bloggers that were doing a cake series. I was very flattered and thrilled. When that cake was published, I officially became a food blogger. Amy, you have been a great friend and I can’t thank you enough for all of the help and support you have given me. My baking sister in spirit all of the way. XOXO. It’s been a fun adventure. To honor my German heritage, I made a delicious Black Forest Cake, a little booze to celebrate 😉🎉🎈🎊. ❤️❤️❤️. However, this could be made very easily and still taste yummy if you prefer not to add the alcohol.

Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups premium unsweetened baking cocoa, such as Ghiradeli’s (do not use Hershey’s or Nestles)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs
1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk, please use real buttermilk
2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
8 ounces of very hot coffee

Preheat oven to 350. Spray pans with Bakers Joy. Line bottom of 8″ cake pans with parchment paper. Spray bakers Joy on top of parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, blend all of the dry ingredients together with wire whisk attachment. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Mix well. Add the hot coffee. Blend and add vanilla. Divide batter equally between your 2 pans. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes. Cool on cooling rack completely before removing from pans. Cool completely before filling and frosting.

Boozy Cherry Filling
Ingredients:
1 12 ounce bag of cherries
1/4 cup water
1/4 – 1/2 cup of sugar
1 Tablespoon of cornstarch
1 shot of cherry brandy, I used Kirschwasser

Place cherries in a pan, with water and sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce down. Check for cherry pits, I had several! Sift in cornstarch and add in cherry brandy. Let cool completely before filling cake. **Double this recipe if you would like to have it on the top of your cake instead of the chocolate curls. This can be made a day before your cake and refrigerated. I highly recommend making this the day before. This should be thick like jelly.

Boozy Whip Cream Frosting
Ingredients:
1 quart of heavy whipping cream
1 shot of cherry brandy, Kirschwasser
1 to 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar

Place mixing bowl and attachment in refrigerator for a minimum of 20 minutes. Beat whipping cream and brandy until stiff peaks have formed. Add one cup of powdered sugar and mix. Taste to see if you want it sweeter.

Chocolate Curls
2 large chocolate bars, Ghiradeli’s or Hershey’s
I sharp peeler

Candy bars need to be room temperature. Using peeler, make chocolate curls for top and side of cake.

Jumbo maraschino cherries for garnish, optional

Assembly:
Make a dam with whip cream. Add cherry filling. See photo. Place top layer of cake on top of bottom layer. Frost with whip cream. Add chocolate curls to top and sides. Add maraschino cherries if desired. Store in refrigerator.

I did a little research on Black Forest Cakes. What I learned is the cake is always chocolate, it’s always frosted in whipped cream and cherries must be showing on the cake. I hope you enjoy my Boozy Birthday Black Forest Cake.