Blackforest Cake

Directions

• FOR THE CHERRY SYRUP
• In a saucepan, add the pitted cherries along with the water and sugar. Let this cook for an hour on a steady low flame. The cherries should be very soft to touch and the syrup should be a deep red. Set aside for later.
• FOR THE CHOCOLATE SPONGE
• Prepare two 7-inch cake tins lined with parchment paper / greased with butter and dusted with flour. Set aside to be used later.
• To get started, we need to seperate the three egg yolks and whites.
• In a large bowl, add the egg yolks, oil, water and vanilla extract and whisk well using a hand whisk.
• Sift in the sugar, flour and cocoa powder, salt and baking soda into the wet ingredients.
• Whisk the separated egg whites until stiff peaks. Fold this into the batter with a spatula in parts carefully, not to knock out all the air.
• Lastly, add in the chopped soaked cherries used in the syrup. Save a couple of spoons of the cherries to be added to the buttercream.
• Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake at 160° for 20-22 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely.
• Brush the top side of the cooled cake with the cherry syrup. Do not soak the cake with syrup.
• CHERRY BUTTERCREAM
• In a large bowl, cream the butter until pale and fluffy. Gradually add in the icing sugar. Add in 2 tbsp of the cherry syrup and 2 tbsp of the soaked chopped cherries.
• For the assembly – On a large plate/cake stand place one layer of the cake. Spread the buttercream leaving an inch around the edges. Place the next layer and repeat with buttercream. Garnish with fresh cherries. Enjoy!