September 14, 2020March 30, 2021

Black Forest Cake – Fresh Cherries, No Alcohol version

If I had to choose between Chocolate Cake and you, I’d choose you!!!!

That’s how much I liked this cake.

Black Forest Cake is an all time favorite for everyone in my household. So, when I got a chance to make this cake recently for a birthday party at home, I jumped at the chance.

I did make the no-alcohol version before. But didn’t take any pictures and that was my pre-blogger days. And I used the cherries and cherry syrup from the bottle. No wrong with that – But, after accumulating few years of baking experience to my belt, I wanted to make the cake with real ingredients this time.

Anytime I make the cake for my family, I love to make it without any dyes, food colors and of course simple yet elegant design with yummiest taste. So, I pick flavors and combos my family loves. Also, I like to add fruits to my cakes whenever possible. Last, but definitely not the least – frosting. I would love to go for whipped cream frosting. Its less sugar but still gives that rich creamy taste while still preserving the actual taste of the cake.

So, for this cake I used – fresh cherries and whipped cream. Takes this cake to another notch. Best summer time treat for your eyes and taste buds.

The cake looks fancier than it is. Easy with real ingredients. I made the cherry syrup in the easiest way you can imagine. Throw some roughly chopped cherries, water and few spoons of sugar – boil it becomes half – there, you have the syrup.

The cherry syrup can be using to moisten the cake and the small little pieces can be used either in the cake directly or in the frosting. Its going to be out of this world. Trust me on this!

Can I tell you one last thing before we jump into the recipe? It’s the cake that is ready to eat right out of the fridge. It’s that soft, spongy and juicy. You don’t need to thaw it a bit before you eat your bit.

Ok,ok – here goes the recipe!!!

Black Forest Cake

Servings: 24
Time: 2 hrs
Difficulty: Easy
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No-Alcohol Black forest cake with real cherries and whipped cream to enjoy right out of the fridge

Ingredients

2 cups Flour
3/4 cup cocoa / Cacao powder(Good quality)
2 cups Sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil (or any non-flavor oil)
1 cup buttermilk room temperature
1 cup hot water
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup washed, pitted cherries – cut into small bits
3 cups Heavy cream/Whipped cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Add water, cut cherries and sugar to a small pan or pot. Stir and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5-10 min or until the mixture becomes thicker than it started. Let this syrup cool completely.
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Line three 8″ round baking pans and keep them aside for now.
Place all wet ingredients except hot water in a large bowl and mix them well.
In a medium bowl, add all the dry ingredients, mix them. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and keep mixing.
Add the hot water very slowly to the mix. Dont add it suddenly- this will cook the eggs and we dont want that.
Batter will be very shiny and thin. Divide the batter evenly in the 3 round baking pans and start baking.
Bake for 45 minutes or the tooth pin inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for 10 mins and then invert onto cooling racks.
Add heavy cream and sugar into kitchen aid bowl, use whisk attachment and whisk until still peaks form.
Place one of the 3 cakes on a cake stand. Brush the cake liberally with cherry syrup.
Add 1/2-3/4 cup of whipped cream. Place the cherry bits on the cream.
Add the second cake and repeat above 2 steps.
Add the third and final cake inverted (so that it is flat) and repeat first 2 steps.
Frost the cake to your liking and place either cherries or chocolate as your decoration.
I made a chocolate sail and swirls to top my cake.

Buttermilk substitute: Add 1 tsp of lemon to 1 cup of warm milk and let stand for 10 mins.
The cherry syrup can be easily replaced with store bought cherry syrup or cherry liquor.
I used candy melts for chocolate decorations. You can use chocolate chips too.