Special Dark Chocolate Layer Cake With Black Sweet Cherries Recipes

BLACK FOREST LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line with cooking parchment paper.
• In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another small bowl, beat baking cocoa and 1 1/4 cups water with whisk until well blended. Set both bowls aside.
• In bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 2/3 cup softened butter and 1 1/3 cups sugar on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. On low speed, beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition, just until smooth. Repeat with flour mixture and cocoa mixture, ending with flour mixture. Scrape side of bowl occasionally. Pour 1 2/3 cups batter in each pan; spread evenly. Tap pans on counter 2 to 3 times to eliminate air bubbles from batter.
• Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, beat 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch with whisk. Beat in 1/3 cup water until smooth. Stir in chopped cherries. On medium-high heat, heat cherry mixture to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into small bowl. Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour.
• In medium glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and 1 1/2 cups sugar with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, beating occasionally, 16 to 20 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F. Remove from heat; pour into bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until glossy peaks form and bowl has cooled to feel slightly warm. Still on high speed, slowly add 1 1/2 cups butter, one piece at a time, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth, thick and shiny, 12 to 14 minutes. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. If mixture separates, beat until smooth.
• Fit decorating bag with 1/2-inch round piping tip; fill with frosting. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Pipe a thick frosting border around top edge of cake layer. Pipe a second border just inside the first border. Spread 2/3 cup of the cherry filling over top of cake inside borders. Top with second cake layer; repeat borders and filling. Place third cake layer on top. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Press shaved chocolate around bottom half of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• When ready to serve, mound maraschino cherries in center of cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE-CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with olive oil.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder and baking powder until evenly distributed and no lumps remain. To a separate large bowl, add the 1/2 cup oil, eggs, milk, almond extract and salt and whisk until smooth, at least 30 seconds. Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the last streak of flour disappears.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and tap gently against the counter to pop excess air bubbles. Bake until a skewer or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan.
• Microwave the cherry preserves in a small bowl in 30-second intervals or in a small saucepan over medium heat until looser and slightly liquidy. Spread the preserves evenly over the cooled cake.
• Make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder and salt and pour over the hot water. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, whisk until smooth. Add the heavy cream and continue whisking until billowy soft peaks form. When you turn the whisk upside-down, a peak of cream should flop over slightly like a Santa hat. Spread the frosting over the cake and, if using, garnish with the cherries. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

BLACK FOREST CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with oil and line the bottom of each with parchment paper.
• To prepare the cake, in a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth. Add the buttermilk and 1 cup vegetable oil, and whisk to combine. Add the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla extract, then whisk to combine.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, then whisk to combine. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the cakes to a rack to cool for about 20 minutes, then flip the cakes out onto the rack and let them cool completely. Flip the cakes again, so the domed portion is on top, and trim a bit of the dome off each cake to flatten the top. Carefully cut each layer in half horizontally, creating four layers.
• While the cake cools, prepare the cherry jam: In a small saucepan, combine the cherries and sugar over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and breaking the cherries down with a wooden spoon or potato masher, until the fruit has released its juice, about 6 minutes.
• Pass the cherry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the syrup in a medium bowl and setting aside the cooked cherries. Measure out 1/2 cup/120 milliliters of the syrup. (If you have more, store the rest in the refrigerator for another use). Transfer 1 tablespoon syrup from the 1/2 cup to small bowl, then stir the Kirsch into remaining syrup; set aside to cool completely.
• Add 1 teaspoon cornstarch to the reserved 1 tablespoon cherry syrup in the small bowl; whisk to combine. Transfer it to the saucepan, add the cooked cherries and cook over medium, stirring, until the mixture has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool completely. (You should have about 1 1/4 cups/300 milliliters jam.)
• Prepare the whipped cream: In a small saucepan, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, cornstarch and 1 cup heavy cream. Bring that mixture to a low boil over medium heat and cook, stirring, until thickened to the consistency of thin pudding, reducing heat as necessary to avoid scorching, about 2 minutes. Transfer cream mixture to a large bowl to cool completely.
• Assemble the cake: Whisk the cream mixture to loosen it, then add the remaining 3 cups heavy cream. Using an electric mixer on medium, beat the mixture until you have medium-stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Set one cake layer on a serving plate, cut-side up. Brush it with some of the cherry-Kirsch syrup, spread about 1 cup whipped cream over the top, then 1/3 of the cherry jam. Swirl the jam and the cream together a bit to spread it out evenly. Repeat this process two more times and top it with the last cake layer, cut-side down. Then cover the entire cake with a thin layer of whipped cream. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• To finish, frost the cake with the remaining whipped cream. Prepare the chocolate curls: Warm the chocolate bar in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, then use a vegetable peeler to create curled chocolate shavings. Press the chocolate shavings onto the sides of the cake and over a 1-inch of the border on top. Top with the 8 cherries. Store leftovers, well wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

DARK CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the sugar, buttermilk, coffee, eggs, oil, chocolate and vanilla until well blended. In another large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into buttermilk mixture until blended., Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, combine the cream, sugar and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; stir in chocolate and butter until melted. , Transfer to a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate until desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Store in the refrigerator.

CHERRY CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Transfer to two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and extract until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and cherry juice; beat until smooth. Stir in pecans and cherries. In another bowl, combine the frosting ingredients; beat until smooth., Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup filling. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with chocolate curls and a cherry if desired. Refrigerate until serving.

KITTENCAL'S BEST DEEP DARK CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line bottoms of two buttered 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
• Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in vanilla and coffee granules.
• Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
• Add the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, in three additions, scraping down the sides of bowl each time.
• Divide batter between prepared pans.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cake tests done.
• Turn onto a rack and remove paper.
• Cool and frost.
• FOR FROSTING: Beat butter until creamy.
• Blend in cream and vanilla; beat until very smooth.
• Add the cocoa and icing sugar.
• Beat on high for 45 seconds.

FOURTEEN LAYER CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 4 or 5 - 8 inch round cake pans.
• In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, 1/2 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour alternately with the 3 cups milk; beat well. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into each prepared pan, and spread evenly. You will need to bake the layers in two or three batches.
• Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, just until the layers are dried out. Do not brown.
• To make the frosting: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 3 cups sugar, 1 cup butter, cocoa, water and 2 cups evaporated milk. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring frequently, then boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and beat for one minute with an electric mixer. Stack cake layers with icing in between, letting the icing run down the sides of the cake. Smooth the sides and top with the remaining icing.