Every now and then I get the urge to try a new recipe that is really fancy and a little difficult. I do love cooking!
It is fun to try these out at the Potluck since you may be able to get away without anyone knowing you made it if it is really bad! (Which some of mine have been) I went a little crazy for yesterday's Potluck and made a Black Forest Cake. My husband said it was probably 2000 calories a bite. I wouldn't be surprised - the frosting alone was made with 3 sticks of butter and a bag of dark chocolate chips!
Here are a few pictures of it. It is by far the best looking cake I have ever made...I was dancing around the kitchen I was so excited! (Do you think I am nuts now?)
Here is what it looked like before frosting:
 
Now for the recipe:
Black Forest Cake
6 1/2 oz (200g) unsalted butter, softened
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 2/3 cups self raising flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tablespoon instant coffee powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk (make your own by adding a teaspoon of vinegar to vitamin D milk)
1/3 cup milk
1 1/4 cups cream, whipped
14 0z (425 g) can pitted cherries, drained (I couldn't find these - I used cherry pie filling and used a fork to get the cherries out with as little of the "sauce" as possible)
chocolate curls, for decoration (I used a peeler on a bar of dark chocolate - the warmer the chocolate, the better the peels i.e hold in your hand for a few seconds to warm up then peel)
Chocolate frosting:
10oz (300g) dark chocolate chips
12 oz (375g) unsalted butter, softened
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C)
2. Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) cake pan
3. Cream butter and sugar in a small bowl with electric beaters.
4. Add the egg gradually, beating thoroughly after each addition.
5. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
6. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Fold in the sifted flours, cocoa, coffee and soda alternately with the combined buttermilk and milk. Stir ujntil just combined and smooth.
7. Pour mixture into cake pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40 - 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Leave cake in pan for 20 minutes. Then turn onto a wire rack to cool.
9. For chocolate frosting:
Bring a pan of water to boiling. Remove from heat. Place chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl and place bowl over pan of water (be sure bowl is not touching the water). Let sit and stir occasionally until chocolate has melted.
Beat butter in a small bowl until light and creamy. Add the chocolate. Beat for 1 minute, or until mixture is smooth and glossy.
10. Cut cake into 3 horizontal layers. Place first layer on serving plate and spread evenly with half the whipped cream and top with half the cherries. Add next layer of cake followed by the rest of the cream and cherries. Place last layer on top.
11. Spead chocolate frosting oven entire cake - be generous, there is a lot!
12. Use a piping bag to pipe swirls around the rim with remaining frosting.
13. Decorate with chocolate curls.
NOTE: This cake and its filling are best assembled and eaten on the day that it is made. (I made the cake and sliced it into 3 layers the night before, wrapping in plastic wrap to keep moist. Whipped the cream and assembled cake in the morning)
Recipe adapted from, The Essential Baking Cookbook , Murdoch Books, page 82
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