Black Forest Cherry Cake Roll Recipes

BLACK FOREST CAKE ROLL

Steps:

• Combine the drained cherries with the sugar and Kirschwasser, set aside for at least 1 hour (I like to soak the cherries the night before baking).
• Preheat the oven to 325°F convection or 350°F regular. Line a 13"x18" half sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Continue heating the butter until it foams, bubbles, and the milk solids fall to the bottom of the pan and turn brown. Pour the browned butter into a small dish, leaving the browned milk solids in the pan.
• In a small bowl, combine the cocoa and boiling water, whisk until smooth and set aside.
• Combine the eggs, sugar and pinch of salt in a mixer bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water). Whisk until the sugar melts and the eggs are a little warmer than body temp.
• Remove from the heat, add vanilla and whisk on the mixer until the eggs are "ribboned" (see note 2). Whisk a cup of the egg mixture into the cocoa mixture. Sift the flour over the remaining eggs and gently fold until the flour is barely incorporated. Fold in the cocoa mixture and the browned butter, careful not to over-fold and deflate the batter.
• Gently pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth to an even layer. Bake until the center of the cake springs back when lightly touched, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover with a damp kitchen towel and cool to room temperature.
• Whip the cream with the confectioner's sugar and vanilla to stiff peak. Drain the cherries, reserving the Kirschwasser. Add the Kirschwasser to the cherry juice, adjust sweetness to taste.
• Lift the cake out of the pan, leaving the parchment paper attached. Flip the cake onto a clean sheet of parchment and peel off the old parchment. Flip the cake back over and remove the parchment from the top.
• Brush the cake generously with Kirschwasser syrup. Spread the cream evenly over cake. Sprinkle the cherries evenly over the cream. Use the parchment paper to lift the long edge of the cake closest to you. Roll the cake, using the parchment to lift and curl the cake. Flip the roll, seam side down and wrap with the parchment paper. Set on a sheet pan and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours.
• Combine the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 1 minute increments (stirring between increments) until the chocolate is completely melted. Add the corn syrup and Kirschwasser. Stir until smooth and glossy. Cool until the glaze is room temperature, but still pourable. If the glaze gets too thick warm briefly in the microwave.
• Set the chilled cake on a cooling rack over a clean sheet pan. Pour the glaze over the cake, use a small spatula to pick up glaze from the sheet pan and fill in gaps on the cake.
• Chill until the glaze is set. Use a long spatula to transfer the cake to a serving platter.
• Trim the ends of the cake, decorate with whipped cream rosettes and maraschino cherries, if desired.

BLACK FOREST CHERRY CAKE ROLL

Steps:

• For cherry filling, stir together the 1/4 cup sugar and the cornstarch in a small saucepan. Stir in the 2 tablespoons water. Add cherries. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in 1-1/2 teaspoons cherry liqueur or brandy. Cover surface with plastic wrap; cool.
• For cake, grease and lightly flour a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside. Combine flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a small mixing bowl; set aside. Beat egg yolks and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add the 1/3 cup granulated sugar, beating on high speed until sugar is almost dissolved.
• Wash beaters thoroughly. Beat egg whites in a large mixing bowl on medium speed until soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold egg yolk mixture into egg white mixture. Sprinkle flour mixture over egg mixture; fold in gently just until combined. Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan.
• Bake in a 375°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Immediately loosen edges of cake from pan; turn cake out onto a towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll towel and cake into a spiral, starting from a long edge. Cool on a wire rack.
• For chocolate buttercream: Stir together 1/3 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a heavy small saucepan. Bring to boiling. Remove from heat. Gradually stir about half of the sugar mixture into 2 slightly beaten egg yolks. Return all of the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil; reduce heat (mixture may look curdled but will become smooth). Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.
• Add 1-1/2 teaspoons cherry liqueur or cherry brandy, if desired. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Cool to room temperature. Beat unsalted butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy. Add cooled egg yolk mixture and melted chocolate, beating until combined. If necessary, chill until mixture is of spreading consistency.
• To assemble, unroll cake. Spread cake with chocolate buttercream to within 1/2 inch of edges. Spread cherry filling lengthwise over buttercream layer in a 1-1/2-inch-wide band, starting 1/2 inch from a long edge. Roll up cake without the towel, starting with long edge closest to filling. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 hours.
• To serve, cut cake roll into 1-inch-thick slices. Garnish slices with chocolate curls, if desired. Makes 15 servings.
• Make-ahead tip: Bake, roll, and cool cake as directed. Place cake, with towel, in large airtight container or wrap well with foil. Chill up to 24 hours. Let stand about 30 minutes at room temperature before unrolling and filling.