Nigella’s Black Forest Cake is made with dark cooking chocolate, unsalted butter, caster sugar, eggs, self-raising flour, dried sour cherries, Amaretto liqueur, cornflour, double cream, and extra caster sugar. This delicious Black Forest Cake recipe creates a decadent dessert that takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 10-12 people.
Ingredients Needed:
For the Cake:
- 150 grams dark cooking chocolate (5.3 oz)
- 150 grams unsalted butter (soft) (5.3 oz)
- 150 grams caster sugar (5.3 oz)
- 6 large eggs (separated)
- 150 grams self-raising flour (5.3 oz)
- 1 pinch of salt
For the Cherry Filling:
- 750 grams jar of dried sour cherries (26.5 oz)
- 100 grams caster sugar (3.5 oz)
- 30 millilitres Amaretto liqueur (or Kirsch, Cointreau)
For the Cornflour Mixture:
- 2½ tablespoons cornflour
- Cherry juice (from the jar)
For the Ganache:
- 375 grams dark chocolate (roughly chopped) (13.2 oz)
- 250 millilitres double cream (8.8 fl oz)
For the Whipped Cream:
- 250 millilitres double cream (8.8 fl oz)
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar (extra)
How To Cook Black Forest Cake:
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F).
- Prepare the Chocolate Cake: Melt the 150 grams of dark chocolate in a microwave or over a double boiler. In a bowl, mix the melted chocolate with the softened butter and beat until creamy. Gradually add the caster sugar and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the sifted self-raising flour. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then gently fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour into a lined and greased 26cm (10-inch) spring-form tin. Bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean, then let it cool.
- Make the Cherry Filling: Combine cornflour with enough cherry juice to make a paste. In a saucepan, mix the remaining cherry juice with the cornflour paste and sugar to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring until it boils and thickens. Stir in the dried sour cherries and liqueur, then remove from heat and let cool.
- Prepare the Ganache: In a saucepan, gently heat the 375 grams of dark chocolate and 250 millilitres of double cream, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. Do not allow it to boil. Transfer to a bowl and let cool until pourable but thick.
- Whip the Cream: Whip 250 millilitres of double cream with 1 tablespoon of caster sugar until thick.
- Assemble the Cake: Cut the cooled cake into three horizontal layers. Sprinkle the bottom layer with a little liqueur, spread with whipped cream, and top with the cherry mixture. Repeat for the remaining layers. Pour the ganache over the top and allow to set before slicing.
Recipe Tips
- Use Quality Chocolate: For the best flavor, choose high-quality dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature before mixing. This helps create a smooth batter.
- Don’t Overmix: When folding in the egg whites, be gentle. Overmixing can deflate the batter, making the cake less light and fluffy.
- Cool the Cake Completely: Let the cake cool completely before slicing and assembling. This prevents the layers from crumbling and ensures better stacking.
- Adjust Sweetness to Taste: Taste the cherry filling before adding all the sugar. You can adjust it to your preference based on the sweetness of the cherries.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Let any leftover Black Forest Cake cool to room temperature first. Then, cover it with plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container. It will last in the fridge for 3 days.
- Freeze: To freeze leftover Black Forest Cake, let it cool completely, then wrap it well in plastic wrap and foil. It can be frozen for 3 months. To thaw, put it in the fridge overnight before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 100 grams)
- Calories: 370
- Total Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Potassium: 200 mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 34 g
- Dietary Fiber: 2 g
- Sugars: 22 g
- Protein: 6 g
Try More Nigella Recipe:
- Nigella Chocolate Mousse Cake
- Nigella Simnel Cake
- Nigella Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Nigella Chocolate Tart
- Nigella Coffee And Walnut Loaf Cake
Nigella Black Forest Cake
Description
Nigella’s Black Forest Cake is made with dark cooking chocolate, unsalted butter, caster sugar, eggs, self-raising flour, dried sour cherries, Amaretto liqueur, cornflour, double cream, and extra caster sugar. This delicious Black Forest Cake recipe creates a decadent dessert that takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 10-12 people.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
For the Cherry Filling:
For the Cornflour Mixture:
For the Ganache:
For the Whipped Cream:
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F).
- Prepare the Chocolate Cake: Melt the 150 grams of dark chocolate in a microwave or over a double boiler. In a bowl, mix the melted chocolate with the softened butter and beat until creamy. Gradually add the caster sugar and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the sifted self-raising flour. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then gently fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour into a lined and greased 26cm (10-inch) spring-form tin. Bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean, then let it cool.
- Make the Cherry Filling: Combine cornflour with enough cherry juice to make a paste. In a saucepan, mix the remaining cherry juice with the cornflour paste and sugar to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring until it boils and thickens. Stir in the dried sour cherries and liqueur, then remove from heat and let cool.
- Prepare the Ganache: In a saucepan, gently heat the 375 grams of dark chocolate and 250 millilitres of double cream, stirring constantly until melted and smooth. Do not allow it to boil. Transfer to a bowl and let cool until pourable but thick.
- Whip the Cream: Whip 250 millilitres of double cream with 1 tablespoon of caster sugar until thick.
- Assemble the Cake: Cut the cooled cake into three horizontal layers. Sprinkle the bottom layer with a little liqueur, spread with whipped cream, and top with the cherry mixture. Repeat for the remaining layers. Pour the ganache over the top and allow to set before slicing.
Notes
- Use Quality Chocolate: For the best flavor, choose high-quality dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature before mixing. This helps create a smooth batter.
- Don’t Overmix: When folding in the egg whites, be gentle. Overmixing can deflate the batter, making the cake less light and fluffy.
- Cool the Cake Completely: Let the cake cool completely before slicing and assembling. This prevents the layers from crumbling and ensures better stacking.
- Adjust Sweetness to Taste: Taste the cherry filling before adding all the sugar. You can adjust it to your preference based on the sweetness of the cherries.
Nigella Black Forest Cake