Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte

Or in English, Black Forest Cake.

A black forest cake was suggested for an Octoberfest party that I've been invited to - and I used my German resources to find an authentic recipe. More of a cherry liquor spiked brownie than a cake, filled with cherry liquor flavored butter cream icing and topped with whipped cream, cherries and chocolate - this was a fun one and very easy too. I've made some metric to English conversions (don't you love how we, as metric fearing Americans, the only ones to still use this system - blame the name on someone else?) for your convenience.

Black Forest Cake

Brownie-style cake:
1 cup sugar
8 large eggs
4 oz melted unsweetened chocolate
1 cup flour, sifted twice

Preheat the oven to 350F. Cream the eggs and sugar until fluffy. This takes about 10 min on a medium high speed. Melt the chocolate (microwave is fine, use longer times and less power - you want it melted, not hot) and sift the flour - yes, twice.
Add half of the chocolate, then half of the flour, then the rest of the chocolate and rest of the flour. Pour the batter into 2 prepared (buttered & floured) 9" round pans or 3 8" round pans and bake at 350F for 15 minutes.
Let the cake cool while you prepare the syrup, which will be poured over the cake layers.

Spiked Cherry Syrup:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water (or cherry juice)
4T cherry kirsch (cherry brandy)

Boil the sugar and water, reducing to a thick syrup. Cool, then stir in the cherry kirsch. Using a toothpick, poke holes in the cake layers and pour the syrup over the cake.

Cherry Buttercream Filling
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
2T cherry kirsch
1 egg yolk.

Beat the ingredients until a thick, fluffy buttercream forms.

Topping
sweetened whipped cream, spike with a little cherry kirsch
sour cherries
chocolate chips

Assembly:
On bottom layer, spread the buttercream filling and put a layer of sour cherries, if you used the 3 8" pans - repeat with second layer. Place top layer, frost with buttercream (optional), then top with whipped cream, cherries and chocolate.

Enjoy.