April already ? time fly so quick, right ? .. spring is in the air, we have so many rainy days , we try to organize our small garden, but with rains come and go make it hard to finish planting everything ..
Is only couple months until my daughter has summer break, we don't plan to do vacations this year yet since we have big vacations last year .. any how, how are you guys are doing ? thank you to still coming by here, even thou I don't do much of updating .
I've been craving of black forest cake for almost a week, and if you know me, I am so determine , when I want something I must to do it ^_^ so, today is Friday, I have a day off is mean I am busy in the kitchen , cooking , baking , and do some chores before beloved people comes home .. It has been awhile not doing serious baking, so you can see how messy my cake is ha..ha..ha..
Black Forest Cake
Recipe adapted from : William Sonoma Cake Book
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
6 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
For the sugar syrup:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
For the filling and frosting:
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 Tbs. confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. kirsch - I using black forest extract
Poached cherries (I bought can one since there is no single black cherry in the market yet)
Semisweet (plain) chocolate curls
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-by-3-inch
round cake pan with parchment paper.
To make the cake, sift together the
flour and cocoa powder onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside.
In the
bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs,
vanilla and granulated sugar on high speed until tripled in volume, about 5
minutes. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Sift the flour mixture over the egg
mixture in 2 additions and carefully fold in with a large rubber spatula. Fold a
large dollop into the melted butter, then fold back into the egg mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until the
cake is puffed, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool
completely.
To make the sugar syrup, in a small saucepan over medium
heat, combine the granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil, stirring
occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool to
room temperature.
To make the filling and frosting, in the bowl of an
electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream and
confectioners' sugar until medium-stiff peaks form. In a small bowl, combine the
kirsch and the sugar syrup.
Run a table knife around the edge of the pan
and unmold the cake onto a work surface. Turn the cake right side up, leaving
the parchment paper in place. Cut the cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Put
the top layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Brush with some of the syrup,
then spread with about one-fourth of the whipped cream. Strew the cherries over
the cream (reserve 1 cherry for garnish), leaving a 1/2-inch border of cream
around the edge. Position the middle cake layer on the cream. Brush with some of
the syrup and spread with another one-fourth of the cream. Position the third
cake layer, cut side down, on the cream and peel off the parchment paper. Brush
with the remaining syrup. Spread the remaining whipped cream on the top and
sides of the cake.
Press the chocolate curls onto the top of the cake.
Put the reserved cherry in the middle. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves
8 to 10.
