11 BBF-2 Laarni Suzette Bernas 5th blog

 Baking Blog


What is baking?

Baking is a method of preparing food that uses dry heat, typically in an oven, but can also be done in hot ashes or on hot stones. The most common baked item is bread, but many other types of foods can be baked. Heat is gradually transferred “from the surface of cakes, cookies, and pieces of bread to their center” .


All types of food can be baked, but some require special care and protection from direct heat. Various techniques have been developed to provide this protection.

In addition to bread, baking is used to prepare cakes, pastries, pies, tarts, quiches, cookies, scones, crackers, pretzels, and more. These popular items are known collectively as "baked goods," and are often sold at a bakery, which is a store that carries only baked goods, or at markets, grocery stores, farmers markets or through other venues.

Black Forest gâteau, also called Black Forest cake is a chocolate and cream cake with a rich cherry filling based on a German dessert. Typically, Black Forest gateau consists of several layers of chocolate sponge cake sandwiched with whipped cream and cherries. It is decorated with additional whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and chocolate shavings. In some European traditions, sour cherries are used both between the layers and for decorating the top. Traditionally the alcoholic kirschwasser, a clear spirit made from sour cherries, is added to the cake. Other spirits are sometimes used, such as rum, which is common in Austrian recipes. German law mandates that any dessert labeled Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte must have kirschwasser.


What is black forest cake?

Black forest cake originated in Germany and consists of layers of chocolate cake soaked in cherry syrup, cherry filling, and fluffy whipped cream. The cake is named after a specific Germany cherry liqueur, Schwarzwälder Kirsch, which is traditionally used to flavor the cake. Schwarzwäld is a mountain range in Germany where the liqueur is distilled, and translates to the Black Forest mountain rage, which is where this cake gets it’s name.

How to make black forest cake

This is what you’ll need to make the most delicious and easy black cherry forest cake:

  1. Chocolate cake – I bake the batter in two 8-inch pans, then cut each cake layer in half to get a total of 4 layers.
  2. Cherry syrup to soak the cake layers, and cherries to add between the layers. The syrups makes the cake ultra moist – my favorite part of this recipe.
  3. Whipped cream – to frost the cake and for in between the layers.
  4. Chocolate shavings – I use this method to make chocolate shavings. You can use store-bought ones, although they’re usually quite expensive. If you find this part difficult, you can grate chocolate using a microplane or vegetable peeler and cover only the top of the cake with chocolate.

  5. What kind of cherries should I use?

    I use canned cherries because simpler because they’re easier and they’re available throughout the entire year, unlike fresh cherries. Also, the juice from the can adds more cherry flavor, and the cherries are already pitted and soft, so they don’t need to be cooked. I like to use sour cherries, but sweet cherries work too.

  6. Kirsch

    If you want to get that classic black forest cake flavor, I highly recommend using Kirsch because it gives the best cherry flavor. To make the cake alcohol-free, replace it with more cherry juice.

  7. Tips for making black forest cake

    • Don’t overmix the cake batter. Overmixing will make the cake less light and fluffy. To avoid this, gently mix the batter just until the ingredients are incorporated, and no more.
    • Use Kirsch. Kirsch is the traditional cherry flavored liqueur used in black forest cake, so I highly recommend using it instead of a substitute. However, to make the cake alcohol free you can replace it with cherry juice.
    • Don’t overwhip the cream. Overwhipping heavy cream will turn it into butter. Whip the cream until stiff peaks form so it’s stiff enough to hold it’s shape. You can also check out my post on making whipped cream from scratch for more detailed instructions.

    More of my favorite layer cakes

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