Cherry Vanilla Cake With Kirschwasser Recipes

DARK CHERRY BUNDT CAKE

Steps:

• Cherries and almond extract pair beautifully in this delectable cake. Yogurt adds subtle flavor and helps keep the cake moist. Recipe by Nancy Baggett.
• Preheat oven to 350degreesF. Very generously coat a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan with cooking spray. Dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.
• To prepare cherry filling: Combine sugar and cornstarch in a medium nonreactive saucepan (see Note). Stir in cherries, kirsch (or orange juice), lemon zest and almond extract. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture looks like very thick jam and has reduced to about 1 cup, 5 to 7 minutes.
• To prepare cake: Sift cake flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl. Beat sugar, butter and oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low, then medium speed, until very light and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes, scraping the sides as needed. Add half the yogurt and beat until very smooth. With the mixer on low speed, beat in half the dry ingredients until incorporated. Beat in the remaining yogurt, eggs, vanilla and almond extract until combined, scraping the sides as needed. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients just until incorporated.
• Spoon a generous half of the batter into the prepared pan, spreading to the edges. Spoon the cherry mixture over the batter. Top with the remaining batter. Grease a butter knife and swirl it vertically through the batter and cherries.
• Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the thickest part comes out with no crumbs clinging to it and the top springs back when lightly pressed, 50 to 65 minutes. (Dark-colored metal pans usually bake cakes faster than light-colored or shiny metal pans.) Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let stand until the cake is completely cooled, about 1 1/2 hours. Very carefully run a knife around the edges and center tube to loosen the cake from sides and bottom. Rap the pan sharply against the counter several times to loosen completely. Invert the pan onto a serving plate and slide the cake out. Dust the top with confectioners' sugar before serving.
• Recipe Tips & Notes:
• 1. Tip: Be sure to measure frozen cherries while still frozen, then thaw. (Drain juice before using.)
• 2. Notes: Kirsch (also called kirschwasser) is clear cherry brandy, commonly used as a flavor enhancer in fondue and cherries jubilee.
• 3. A nonreactive pan or container-stainless steel, enamel-coated or glass-is necessary when preparing acidic foods, such as cherries, to prevent the food from reacting with the pan or container. Reactive pans, such as aluminum or cast-iron, can impart an off color and/or off flavor in acidic foods.
• Recipe Nutrition:
• Per serving: 311 calories; 8 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 2 g mono unsaturated fat); 43 mg cholesterol; 55 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 2 g fiber; 294 mg sodium; 177 mg potassium
• Nutrtion Bonus: Folate (15% daily value).
• 3 1/2 Carbohydrate Servings
• Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 2 other carb, 1 1/2 fat
• To Make Ahead: Equipment: 10-inch Bundt pan or tube pan with removable bottom

BLACK FOREST CHERRY CAKE - SCHWARTZWALDER KIRSCHTORTE

Steps:

• Step 1:.
• Pour flour on work surface and sprinkle sugar and baking powder on top. Make a well and drop the vanilla extract and egg yolk. Slice butter thinly, add to the well, kneading into a smooth dough. Roll out to a 10" round and turn onto a greased and floured baking sheet. Prick with a fork and bake in a pre-heated oven at 400 for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Step 2:
• Beat egg yolks with warm water, almond and vanilla extracts, cinnamon, and sugar (keeping 2 tablespoons back for the egg whites) until creamy (about 5 minutes). Set aside. Beat egg whites with the 2 tablespoons of sugar until stiff. Sprinkle with the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and cocoa until well mixed. Pour egg yolk mixture over it and fold into egg whites. Pour into a greased and floured springform pan (10x3). Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately invert onto a platter to cool.
• Step 3:
• Drain cherries, reserving the juice. Set aside 12 cherries for decorations. Measure 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of the juice (adding water if not enough) into a sauce pan and add sugar. Make a paste with the corn starch and 4 tablespoons of the cherry juice (taken from sauce pan). . Bring the juice in pan to a boil, stir in paste. Return to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in the cherries and Kirschwasser. Set aside to cool.
• Step 4:.
• Bring sugar and water to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Kirschwasser. Place light cake on platter and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of Kirschwasser mixture. Cut cooled dark cake into 3 even layers, drizzle each with 3 tablespoons of Kirschwasser mixture and set aside. Place 2 1/2 tablespoons cold water into seperate suace pan, adding 1 envelope of gelatin. Heat just until gelatin is dissolved (can use double boiler), cool slightly. Beat in 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream with 2/3 cups of powdered sugar until fairly stiff. Sprinkle with gelatin water slowly, beating until stiff.
• Assembly:
• Place light cake on serving platter. Cover with one layer of dark cake, spread 1/2 of the cherry mixture over it. Cover it with 1/2 of the whipped cream. Place second layer of cake on top. Cover with the remaining cherry mixture and whipped cream. Place last layer of cake on top and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Place 2 1/2 tablespoons cold water into a saucepan; add the second envelope of gelatin. Stir mixture just until gelatin is dissolved, cool slightly. Beat 2 cups of whipping cream with 1 cup powdered sugar until fairly stiff. Add gelatin slowly, beaiting until stiff. Spread over top and sides of cake. Pipe rosettes or nests on top and place reserved cherries in each. Sprinkle top and sides with grated chocolate.

CHERRY VANILLA CAKE WITH KIRSCHWASSER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and dust with flour a 9-inch cake pan or tarte pan with removable bottom. Shake off any additional flour.
• Pit the cherries, then blend in a bowl with lemon juice and cherry brandy (or juice) and let stand at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Cream the butter and sugar, lemon peel, nutmeg and vanilla until fluffy, then beat in eggs, one at a time. Add flour. Pour into pan and spread batter evenly.
• Lift cherries from juices with a slotted spoon and distribute over batter, rounded sides up. Drizzle cherry juices over fruit.
• Bake until cake around fruit springs back firmly when lightly touched, about 30 minutes. Let cool, then serve slightly warm or at room temperature, sprinkling with powdered sugar before serving if you wish. Cake is best served 1- 2 days after baking as the flavor mellows and intensifies. This cake freezes well.

CHERRY VANILLA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour a 13 x 9 pan.
• Mix cherry pie filling and cake mix together by hand.
• Add rest of ingredients and stir by hand until well mixed.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for 40-50 minutes or until top is golden brown.
• I usually do not frost this cake, I dust it with confectioners sugar.