Simplified Black Forest Cake
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A deconstructed Black Forest variant with streamlined steps, swapping kirsch for rum and adding espresso notes for depth. Reduced sugar and replaced some wheat flour with almond flour for moisture and texture contrast. Cooling and resting times adjusted slightly, focusing on sensory cues over clocks. Emphasis on flexible assembly, vibrancy of griottes balanced by bittersweet chocolate, and a stabilized vanilla chantilly that won’t weep. Makes a rich, moist cake with layers that hold well but remain tender. Suitable for those avoiding nuts originally but now with mild almond flavor. Technique tips for even baking, avoiding grainy cream, and quick fixes for softer-than-expected batter.
Prep:
50 min
Cook:
50 min
Total:
Servings:
10 servings
#dessert
#chocolate cake
#rum
#chantilly
#griottes
#almond flour
#French-Austrian fusion
#espresso
Started off wanting a classic Black Forest but got tired of fiddling with kirsch and delicate cream blunders. Dropped kirsch for dark rum, added espresso punch in the cherry layer—deepens the bittersweet. Trimmed sugar out here and there; nobody wants a sugar coma after dessert. Switched half the flour for almond meal—more moisture, nuttiness without whole nuts (allergy heads up). Learned the hard way that cream needs serious chilling and gelatin bloom, or it falls flat.Deals with real kitchen times - watch the crackle on cake top, thickened cherry syrup sheen, the thick but spreadable chantilly peaks. No blind timing. Mine holds together even on hot days with perfect softness and chocolate punch. The splash of coffee in batter scales back fudgy heaviness, makes crumb sing. The layers separate but come together with every bite. A black forest, a little wild, a little twisted.
Ingredients
Chantilly
- 6 ml (1 1/4 tsp) powdered gelatin
- 35 ml (2 1/3 tbsp) cold water
- 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) heavy cream 35%
- 30 g (2 1/2 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped or 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
Griottes
- 50 g (1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 25 ml (1 2/3 tbsp) cornstarch
- 1 jar 540 ml griottes in light syrup, syrup and cherries separated
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) dark rum (substituted for kirsch)
- 10 ml (2 tsp) freshly brewed espresso
Chocolate Cake
- 140 g (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 50 g (1/2 cup) almond flour
- 5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder
- 2 ml (1/3 tsp) baking soda
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 180 g (3/4 cup + 2 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 170 ml (2/3 cup) neutral oil (vegetable or light olive oil)
- 35 g (1/3 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) hot strong coffee (substituted milk+espresso)
- 115 g (4 oz) bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped plus extra for garnish
Cocoa Syrup
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) water
- 25 ml (1 2/3 tbsp) sugar
- 10 ml (2 tsp) cocoa powder
- 10 ml (2 tsp) dark rum (optional)
About the ingredients
Gelatin bloom is non-negotiable for chantilly that will hold. Don’t skip or cream ends flat and cursory if whipped. Vanilla bean gives eyes and aroma; vanilla extract works but less aromatic. Rum and espresso replace kirsch and infuse richer complexity. Cornstarch for cherries keeps that glossy jam texture that clings but isn’t stiff jelly. Almond flour in cake makes crumb tender but watch for rise. Too much and it sags; sift well with dry flour components. Hot coffee substitutes milk for depth—if no espresso, hot brewed coffee plus a pinch of instant espresso powder works. Use bittersweet chocolate, minimum 60% cacao, to balance sweetness but avoid overpowering bitter. Cocoa syrup brush is key for moist crumb, don’t dry out cake or layers won’t meld. Can sub rum with bourbon in a pinch; flavor shifts but still rich.
Method
Chantilly
- 1. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small bowl. Let bloom 7 minutes. Should look spongy but dispersed, not watery.
- 2. Meanwhile, warm cream with sugar and vanilla pod and seeds over medium heat. Just dissolve sugar, little bubble around edges. Remove vanilla pod promptly; don't let cream boil or scald or it’ll curdle.
- 3. Stir gelatin into hot cream off heat until fully melted, shiny and smooth. Pour into shallow dish; cover surface directly with plastic wrap. Cool at room temp 15 minutes, then chill minimum 3 hours or ideally overnight for stability. Avoid whipping warm cream or it won’t keep shape.
Griottes
- 4. Combine sugar and cornstarch in saucepan off heat. Slowly whisk in cherry syrup until no lumps remain.
- 5. Heat mixture gently, stirring constantly until thickened and glossy, around small bubbles but not rolling boil. Remove from heat. Stir in rum and espresso. Let cool fully—thickness should hold but still spoonable.
- 6. Fold in cherries gently. Cover surface with plastic wrap directly to prevent skin. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Before use, fold lightly to loosen but keep cherries intact.
Chocolate Cake
- 7. Position rack mid oven; preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Line 20 cm (8 inch) springform pan base with parchment. Oil sides lightly or spray to ease release.
- 8. Whisk all dry cake ingredients: AP flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt—combine well and sift bitter cocoa to incorporate air.
- 9. Beat eggs, sugar, and oil till merged but not fluffy. In separate bowl, whisk hot coffee with cocoa until dissolved. Pour cocoa coffee into egg mix; stir gently to combine.
- 10. Fold dry ingredients in batches; avoid overmixing or crumb toughens. Fold chopped chocolate last—best if room temp.
- 11. Batter thick but fluid. Scrape into pan; tap gently to remove big air bubbles.
- 12. Bake 48-52 minutes; test by toothpick in center—it should come out with moist crumbs but not wet batter. Cake springs back when lightly pressed top-center.
- 13. Cool on wire rack about 2 1/2 hours. Avoid condensation by not covering hot cake. Trim dome if needed for level surface.
Cocoa Syrup
- 14. Simmer water, sugar, cocoa on medium heat until sugar dissolves. Off heat, stir in rum. Let cool to lukewarm for brushing.
Assembly
- 15. Remove cake from pan. Using pastry brush, soak top and sides liberally with cocoa syrup. A moist crumb absorbs better; don’t skimp or layers dry.
- 16. Whip chilled chantilly with electric mixer to medium-firm peaks—stiff but not grainy. Overwhip turns buttery, so watch closely.
- 17. Spread about two-thirds chantilly over cake top, leaving a shallow well in center for cherries.
- 18. Spoon cooled griottes into cream well. Scatter a few reserved cherries on top for rustic look.
- 19. Finish with remaining chantilly. Use microplane to grate extra dark chocolate flakes over cream—adds texture and visual punch.
- 20. Refrigerate uncovered at least 2 hours to let flavors marry and cream set. Serve cold but not ice-cold to avoid flavor dulling.
- 21. Cake keeps well under dome in fridge for 3 days. If cream weeps, gently stir, and pat dry with paper towel before serving.
Cooking tips
Blooming gelatin needs a full 7 minutes. Too short and you’ll have clumps, too long and it thickens beyond use. Heating the cream just to dissolve sugar—avoid boiling, watch edges for tiny bubbles escaping. Vanilla pod removal is essential before adding gelatin to prevent bitterness. Keep cherry syrup cold for better control on thickening; constant stirring avoids lumped corn starch. Griottes chilled thoroughly hold better without weeping or separation. Whisk egg, sugar, oil just enough no overaeration—suppresses cracking. Cocoa and coffee must be hot enough to melt cocoa powder fully but not so hot to cook eggs when added. Fold dry to avoid tough gluten; careful with almond flour to not weigh down cake. Bake near rack center for even heat; toothpick test best judge. For chantilly, medium stiff peaks mean when you lift whisk, the cream holds shape but folds naturally. Layer assembly benefits from resting so surfaces don’t slip. Brush syrup generously especially on cake top cracks or open crumb. Grating chocolate last minute gives fresh aromatic hit. Serve chilled but not fridge cold, flavors bloom better near room temp.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Gelatin bloom non-negotiable. Sprinkle over cold water. Watch that 7-minute window precisely. Too short means clumps, too long jellified mess. Warm cream gently, no boiling. Sugar just melted feels small bubbles at edge, vanilla pod out before gelatin. Stir gelatin in off heat. Cool under plastic wrap to avoid skin. Chill multiple hours. Whip only chilled cream or will not hold shape.
- 💡 Cherry layer calls slow heat. Sugar, cornstarch mixed off heat first; prevents lumps. Add syrup gradual, whisk constantly. Heat just to small bubbles, no rolling boil. Take off promptly. Stir in rum and espresso last. Cool fully until thick but spoonable. Fold in cherries gently, keep shape. Cover surface with plastic direct to avoid skin. Refrigerate minimum 2 hours. Fold lightly before use; loosen, not break.
- 💡 Cake dry ingredients sifting key. Flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, plus sift cocoa last. Whisk eggs, sugar, oil to merged mostly, not fluffy. Cocoa + hot coffee must melt cocoa fully but cool enough not to cook eggs when added. Fold dry gently in batches. Chopped chocolate folded in last to avoid clumping. Batter thick but fluid. Tap pan to remove air bubbles before baking.
- 💡 Baking timing a range 48-52 mins; toothpick test; moist crumbs no wet batter key. Cake springs back to light finger press on dome center. Cool uncovered on wire rack—avoid condensation or soggy bottom/sides. Level dome if needed for even layers. Syrup brush liberally all over cake top + sides to keep crumb moist. Use warmed cocoa syrup cooled to lukewarm; chocolate syrup keeps layers melding and moist.
- 💡 Whip chantilly medium-firm, not stiff-dry or buttery. Watch carefully. Spread about two-thirds chantilly over cake top, leave shallow well for griottes. Spoon cooled griottes gently into cream well, scatter reserved cherries atop for rustic look. Finish with remaining chantilly. Microplane fresh dark chocolate flakes on top for texture and aroma. Chill uncovered 2+ hours for flavors to marry, cream to stabilize; serve cold but avoid fridge-chilly to keep flavor alive.
Common questions
Can I substitute rum with something else?
Bourbon works well, flavor shifts a bit darker, still rich. If no alcohol, try cherry juice concentrate but skip for less tang. Rum adds warmth and depth. Adjust sugar if substitute too.
What if chantilly cream weeps?
Usually from whipping warm cream or skipped gelatin bloom. Chill cream very well. Gelatin bloom 7 minutes exact, stir in off heat for smooth mix. If weeping starts, stir and pat dry. Refrigerate uncovered helps skin form.
How to fix dense or soggy cake layers?
Overmixing dry ingredients toughens crumb. Fold gently. Too much almond flour weighs down batter; sift well. Baking too hot causes dome crack but underbake causes sogginess inside. Use toothpick test carefully for moist crumbs not wet batter.
How long and how to store leftovers?
Keep in fridge under dome or cover for up to 3 days. If cream weeps on storage, stir gently and blot excess moisture. Let sit 20-30 mins at room temp before serving to wake flavors. Avoid freezing, cream texture suffers.
