Black Forest Cake

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake:
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder sifted
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk room temperature
1 cup hot water or hot coffee
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
Cherry Liqueur Syrup:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cherry liqueur
Whipped Cream Frosting:
3 cup whipping cream cold
1/4 cup powdered sugar sifted
Chocolate Bark:
250 g good quality dark chocolate chopped
Assembly:
2 1/2 cups cherries pitted and cut in half
1 bar dark chocolate for shavings (optional)
cherries

Instructions:

Chocolate Cake:

-Preheat oven to 350F, grease two 8″ round baking pans and dust with cocoa powder. Line bottoms with parchment.

-Place all dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Stir to combine.

-In a medium bowl whisk all wet ingredients (pour hot water in slowly as not to cook the eggs).

-Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on medium for 2-3 mins. Batter will be very thin.

-Pour evenly into prepared pans. I used a kitchen scale to ensure the batter is evenly distributed.

-Bake for 45 mins or until a cake tester comes out mostly clean.

-Cool 10 minutes in the pans then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Cherry Liqueur Syrup:

-Place sugar and water into a small pot. Stir and bring to a boil. Simmer for 1 min then remove from heat. Stir in cherry liqueur and allow to cool completely.

Whipped Cream Frosting:

-Whip cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks. Ideally in a cold bowl with a cold whisk.

Chocolate Bark:

-Melt chocolate over a double boiler or in 20 second bursts in the microwave.

-Using a large offset spatula, spread melted chocolate in a thin layer on a large sheet of parchment.

-Roll up from the short side of the parchment. Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze until firm.

-Unroll to create chocolate bark.

Assembly:

-Cut each cake layer in half horizontally.

-Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Brush generously with cherry syrup.

-Top with approximately 1 cup whipped cream and spread evenly. Top with approximately 1 cup of cherries and gently press them into the whipped cream. Repeat with remaining layers and frost the outside of the cake.

-Decorate with chocolate bark, chocolate shavings, rosettes, and cherries if desired.