Black Forest Cake

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

1. ½ cup (110 g) butter, softened
2. 1+¼ cup (275 g) sugar
3. 2 eggs
4. 1+¼ cup (140 g) all-purpose flour
5. ½ cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, natural
6. ½ teaspoon baking powder
7. 1 teaspoon baking soda
8. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9. ¾ cup (1.8 dl) buttermilk

Ingredients for filling

1. ¼ cup Kirschwasser (Kirsch/cherry brandy), optional
2. 2 cans (14 oz or 400 g) cherry pie filling or pitted cherries
3. 3 cups (7.2 dl) heavy whipping cream, chilled
4. ¼ cup confectioners' sugar
5. Milk chocolate curls or shavings, for garnish
6. Maraschino cherries or sweet cherries, for garnish, optional

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
2. Line a 9 inch (23 cm) cake pan with greaseproof or other non-stick paper.
3. With an electric mixer, beat the softened butter with sugar until white and fluffy.
4. Add one egg at a time, mix well between each egg.
5. Add sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and buttermilk, and mix until the batter is smooth.
6. Transfer to a cake pan and bake at 350 degrees just until set in the middle, approximately 45-60 minutes. A wooden pick inserted in center should come out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Do not over-bake!
7. When cake is cool, use a long serrated knife to cut the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. It is easier to cut if kept in a refrigerator for a few hours before cutting.

Filling

1. Drain cherry pie filling in a colander to remove most of the thickened juices.
2. Beat the whipping cream with confectioners' sugar until it thickens.
3. Using a vegetable peeler, shave chocolate; refrigerate until the cake is assembled.

Assembling

1. Sprinkle each layer of the cake with Kirschwasser.
2. Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
3. Spread about one fifth of the whipped cream on the layer, and strew half of the cherries on top of the whipped cream.
4. Add the second cake layer.
5. Spread one fifth of the whipped cream on the second layer and the remaining cherries on top.
6. Add the third cake layer.
7. Spread one fifth of the whipped cream on top and one fifth on the sides. Gently press chocolate curls on the sides and/or on top of the cake.

Variations

1. You may substitute the cherry pie filling with cherry jam. In that case spread first the jam on the cake layers, then whipped cream on top.
2. You may use three cake tins intead of one. In that case the baking time must be shortened.
3. If cake flour is used, the cake comes out much fluffier
   

Chocolate Layer Cake

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

1. 1+½ cup (340 g) butter, softened
2. 1+2/3 cup (365 g) sugar
3. 6 eggs
4. 2+2/3 cup (300 g) all-purpose flour
5. About 3/4 cup (120 g) finely ground almonds
6. 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
7. 2 teaspoons baking powder
8. 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
9. ½ cup boiling water

Ingredients for frosting

1. 6 tablespoons (80 g) butter
2. 7 oz (200 g) semisweet chocolate (40-60% cocoa)
3. 2 eggs (salmonella-free)
4. 7 oz (200 g) icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
2. Line two 9 inch (23 cm) cake tins with greaseproof or other non-stick paper and grease the tins.
3. Beat the softened butter with sugar.
4. Add one egg at a time, mix well between each egg.
5. Mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, vanilla extract, and finely ground almonds.
6. Add ½ cup of boiling water and mix well.
7. Transfer to two separate cake tins and bake at 350 degrees just until set in the middle, approximately 30-45 minutes. A wooden pick inserted in center should come out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Do not over-bake!
8. Cool the cakes and cut each in half, horizontally. They are easier to cut if they are kept in a refrigerator for a few hours before cutting.

Frosting

1. Melt butter and chopped chocolate in a double boiler.
2. Beat the eggs with icing sugar and mix with the chocolate and butter mixture.
3. Use two thirds of the frosting to sandwich the four layers together and coat the cake with the remainder of the frosting.
4. Cool the cake in the fridge to harden the frosting. Place the cake at room temperature 1-2 hours before it is served.

Variations

1. You may substitute the boiling water with hot coffee or tea.
2. If you want a smaller cake use half the amount of each ingredient and one cake tin. Make then only two layers.
3. For the frosting you must use an egg without salmonella risk. If this is not available, please use a different chocolate frosting.
   

Easy Chocolate Cake

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 + 1/2 cup (170 g) all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (dutched/dark)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 pinches salt
• 1 cup (220 g) sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup (1.2 dl) milk or water
• 1/2 cup (1.2 dl) vegetable oil (flavorless)
• 2 eggs

Ingredients for frosting

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) + 3 tablespoons (160 g) softened butter
• 3 cups (7.2 dl) powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 to 5 tablespoons lukewarm milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C)
2. Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) cake tin.
3. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl.
4. Add milk/water, vegetable oil and eggs.
5. Mix everything together until smooth, either by hand or by using an electric mixer at slow speed. If the batter is too runny you may add slightly more flour.
6. Transfer to bake tin and bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 35 to 45 minutes.
7. After the cake has cooled, slice the cake through the middle to make two layers (easier if the cake has been in the fridge).

Frosting

1. Cream the softened butter with powdered sugar in a bowl. Add cocoa, vanilla and 4 tablespoons
2. lukewarm milk, and mix until smooth. Do not over-mix. If necessary, add some more milk.
3. Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the cake.
4. This cake should have room temperature when served.

Variations

• You may cut the top of the cake to make a flat surface before adding the frosting.
• You may divide the the batter in two and transfer to two bake tins. The baking time would then be about 15-20 minutesnstead of vanilla extract,
  
• you may use an equivalent amount of freeze dried coffee .
  
• You may use ½ cup of freshly brewed coffee instead of milk or water to get a flavor