Black Forest Cake

Black Forest Cake

6 eggs, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted and cooled

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F. Beat eggs in mixing bowl until frothy. Gradually add sugar beating until light colored and thick. Sift flour and cocoa over batter 1/2 at a time. Gently fold in after each addition. Fold butter and vanilla in gradually. Divide batter among 3 greased round 8 inch pans. Bake in oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until and inserted wooden pick comes out clean. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Turn onto racks to cool.

2 14-oz cans cherries, drained, reserve juice and a few whole cherries 

1/4 cup Kirsch liqueur or sherry

reserved cherry juice

2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

2 cups whipping cream

1/4 cup cocoa

2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 cups icing sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1/4 cup prepared coffee

1 semisweet baking chocolate square

After draining cherries remove the whole cherries for garnish and cut the rest in half, removing stones. Reserve 15 to 20 halves to press into icing rims. Sprinkle kirsch over cake layers. Use more if you like.Put cherry juice, cornstarch, sugar and lemon juice into small saucepan. Whisk together over medium heat until it boils and thickens. Cool. Stir in cherry halves.Beat cream in mixing bowl until fairly thick. Add cocoa, sugar and vanilla. Beat until stiff.

Mix all ingredients together well adding small amounts of icing sugar or coffee as needed to make proper consisitency for piping. Now pipe a rim of icing around outside edge of 1 cake layer on serving plate. Spoon 1/2 thickened cherries in center. Press a few cherry halves down slightly in icing rim. Spoon about 1/3 whipped cream over top. Repeat with second layer.Spread remaining icing on third layer and place on top. Cover with remaining 1/3 whipped cream. Garnish with whole cherries arranged in a circle. Warm chocolate square slightly. Using vegetable peeler, peel chocolate forming curls. Put these in centre of cherries.