Valentine’s Day is just a few days away. Whether you’re celebrating with a loved one or boycotting the Hallmark holiday with your closest friends, nothing hits the spot like a slice of decadent chocolate cake infused with layers upon layers of booze. And, because nothing screams Valentine’s like chocolate, whipped cream and cherries, a black forest cake piled high with all three is just the ticket. Give this German confectionery a local spin by soaking each layer of this grandiose cake in Oregon’s own locally made Kirschwasser from Clear Creek Distillery. Kirschwasser (cherry brandy) is the customary booze used in this popular dessert, and lucky for the PNW, we have our very own maker of the sweet stuff. Make this cake morning of and put it in the fridge to chill so it will be ready just in time for the sweet ending to your romantic day.
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Makes: One three-layer cake
Ingredients (for cake):
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup cocoa powder
½ stick butter, melted
Pinch of salt
Ingredients (for syrup)
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 ounce
Clear Creek Distillery Kirschwasser
Ingredients (for filling):
4 cups heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup powdered sugar
Ingredients (for garnish):
Pitted black cherries
Dark chocolate shavings
Directions (for cake):
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together eggs, sugar and vanilla on medium-high speed until thick, about 10 minutes.
Reduce speed and slowly incorporate butter.
Once well incorporated, gradually add flour mixture.
Divide batter evenly into three greased and floured cake pans. Bake for 15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pans for a few minutes before removing from pans and cooling completely on cooling rack.
Directions (for syrup):
Prepare the syrup while cake is baking.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring sugar and water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and stir in the Kirschwasser. Remove from heat to cool and set aside.
Directions (for filling):
Using the bowl of a stand mixer that has been chilled in the freezer and fitted with a whisk attachment, on high speed beat together cream, vanilla and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
Directions (to assemble the cake):
To assemble the cake, start by brushing the bottom layer of the cake with a heavy coating of syrup followed by a thick spread of whipped cream. Continue these steps on remaining two cake layers. Next, frost the rest of the cake with the remaining whipped cream. Garnish the top of the cake with a ring of pitted black cherries (fresh or frozen) and dark chocolate shavings.
