Black forest cake
Indulge in this classic Black Forest cake, made with airy chocolate sponge layers, sweet cherries, whipped cream, and rich dark chocolate shavings - a show stopping dessert perfect for any celebration.
Updated : 12 August, 2025
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
6
Eggs
250 grams
Sugar
100 grams
Flour
60 grams
Cocoa powder
150 grams
Butter
100 grams
Jam
425 grams
Cherry
500 milliliters
Heavy cream
2 tablespoon
Powdered sugar
100 grams
Dark chocolate
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
It is best to use cherry jam, as it is traditional.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 180C and grease the base of three 20cm/8in sandwich tins, lining them with baking paper.
Step 3
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar using an electric hand whisk until the mixture is very light, fluffy, and at ribbon stage, which should take about 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and cocoa powder, then gently fold them into the egg mixture, taking care not to lose the incorporated air. Pour the cooled melted butter down the inside of the bowl and fold it in just as carefully.
Step 4
Divide the batter evenly between the three tins and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the sponges are springy to the touch. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, remove the baking paper, and leave to cool completely.
Step 5
In the meantime, heat the jam in a small saucepan until melted. Reserve eight cherries for decoration, then stir the remaining cherries into the jam and allow to cool completely. Whisk the cream and icing sugar together until soft peaks form and keep chilled until ready to use.
Step 6
To assemble, pipe a small amount of cream onto the first sponge layer, spread evenly, pipe a ring of cream around the edge, and fill the centre with half the cherry mixture. Repeat with the second layer. Place the final sponge on top, pipe eight swirls of cream, and top each swirl with a reserved cherry. Finish by shaving or grating dark chocolate over the cake. Best enjoyed on the day it’s made.