Black Forest Cake - 18th May Special

For Me. Today is the very important day.Yes our first wedding anniversary and my husband birthday. To celebrate this wonderful day, I made this fabulous cake. This is one of my favourite frosted cake and even my family love it a lot . Black Forest cake consists of  layers of chocolate cake, with whipped cream and cherries syrup between each layer. Then the cake is decorated with additional whipped cream,  glazed cherries, and chocolate shavings.


INGREDIENTS

For Chocolate cake

• All purpose flour - 1&1/4 cup
• Unsweetened Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp
• Sugar - 3 tbsp
• Softened butter - 1/2 cup
• Condensed milk - 1/2 tin (200 ml)
• Vanilla essence - 1tsp
• Baking powder- 1/2 tsp
• Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
• Coke or pepsi - 1/2 tin

 For Sugar syrup

• Strawberries or Cherries,chopped - 1/4 cup
• Sugar - 4 tbsp
• Water - 1/4 cup

For Frosting

• Heavy whipping cream - 2 cups
• Confectioner sugar - 4 tbsp
• Vanilla essence -1/2 tsp

For Decoration

Chocolate shavings - 1 cup

Glazed Cherries - few

 PREPARATION

• Preheat the oven to 375 F.
• Grease the 9 inch cake pan using the cooking spray.Keep it aside.
• Combine softened butter, condensed milk and sugar  into one large bowl.Mix until it is smooth.
• Sift all purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder,baking powder and baking soda in one another bowl.
• Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix everything well.
• Now add vanilla essence into the mixture and by adding  the soda(coke or pepsi) bring the cake mixture to the right consistency.
• Pour the mixture into the greased cake pan.
• Bake the cake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the tooth pick comes out clean when it is inserted into the cake.
• When done take out the cake pan from the oven and let the cake cool for about 10 minutes.
• Then flip the cake on the cooling rack and leave the cake to cool down completely.

For making Syrup

• Combine the chopped cherries,sugar and water into one pot.Bring the mixture to rolling point.
• Then reduce the flame to low and simmer the syrup till the cherries becomes soft.
• If using strawberries in the syrup ,just replace the cherries with the strawberries.
• Allow the syrup to cool down for some time.
• The syrup should be warm before using it onto the cake.

For Making Frosting

• Combine heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract into one large bowl. Beat till the soft peaks forms.

Assembling of the Black Forest Cake

• When the cake cools down completely, carefully slice the cake into two halves and place the one layer of the cake on the decorating plate. Slightly prick the cake layer using toothpick or any thin skewer.
• Drizzle the syrup all over the cake layer.
• Spread the thick layer of frosting on the cake layer. Then place the second  cake layer on the top.
• Spread out the remaining frosting on the sides and top of the cake. Smoothen the frosting all over the cake.If you find it difficult,place the cake into the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Then try to smooth out the frosting onto the cake.
• Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings and glazed cherries.
• Refrigerate the cake for couple of hours before serving and Enjoy!!!