Black Forest Cake, this week my baking was all for my husband. This one was a labor of love and it was done over 2 days. The flavor of the cherry jelly and chocolate icing improves when it sits.

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• A crack of pink salt
• 1/2 cup palm oil
• 1/2 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips, melted
• 4 eggs

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl sift the cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, and eggs.
3. Gradually beat the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
4. Stir in the melted chocolate chips and mix just until well blended.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
6. Bake the cake at 200C until a tester comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes.
7. Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto wire cooling racks to cool completely.

Decoration

• 1 packet of cherry jelly
• 200 ml boiling water
• 300 ml fresh cream
• Castor sugar to taste
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa
• 2 tbsp choc spread
• 3 – 5 Tblspn milk
• Maltezers / maraschino cherries / chocolate shavings

Method:

1. Dissolve the jelly in boiling water and leave it to cool.
2. Combine the icing sugar, cocoa, Nutella, and 2 Tblspns milk.
3. Add milk to adjust the consistency.
4. It should be smooth and spreadable.
5. Chantilly cream
6. Whisk the cream, sugar, and vanilla essence till firm.

Assembling

1. On each half of the cake, use a spoon and dish the jelly over the cake.
2. Allow it to soak into the sponge.
3. Refrigerate for 30 mins then spread the choc icing over the bottom cake.
4. Close with the top cake, return to the cake pan and refrigerate.
5. This helps to maintain the shape of the cake (I refrigerate it overnight).
6. After it’s set, remove it from the cake pan and pipe the cream onto the cake.
7. Decorate with Maltesers – chocolate shavings – cherries.

Recipe adapted from various sources

Prepared, tried, and tested by: Caashifa Adams Young‎