It was my husband's birthday yesterday. I don't know if he would like me sharing his age to the blog world so i won't but a Big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dear husband. His request for his birthday cake was this delectable Black Forest Chocolate Cake. It's his favourite. Mind you i made i last year for his birthday so i wonder if it is going to become a tradition in our house every year to make a Black Forest Cake!? I don't mind.
There is something theraputic about creating a masterpiece (when it turns out). Sifting and measuring ingredients for the chocolate cake, smelling the aroma's of it cooking in the oven.
Beating runny cream into something soft and pillowy (is that even a word?) and the cherries. The cherries are the crowning glory of this cake. Adding cherry juice to a sauce pan with a nip of cherry brandy, sugar and cornflour and creating a mouthwatering cherry delight.
Cutting a beatufully cooked cake into layers can be tricky but with a little patience and finesse -voila- you in business to start assembling your masterpiece. After layering soft whipped cream, boozy cherry mixture and with a sprinkling of grated chocolate to finish off the piece de resistance you are now the proud creator of a mouthwatering Black Forest Chocolate Cake.
Black Forest Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
1 x 470g pkt chocolate cake mix (or your fave choc cake recipe) –
1 x 680g jar morello cherries
2 Tablespoon caster sugar
1 Tbsp cornflour
600ml thickened cream
60 ml cherry brandy essence (or brandy essence)
2 Tbsp boiling water
2 Tbsp caster sugar, extra
100g dark cooking chocolate, coarsely grated.
Method:
1. Prepare and back the chocolate cake. Cool completely. Use a large serrated knife and cut cake horizontally into 3 even layers (2 if your cake is not thick enough to do so)
2. Drain the cherries, reserving 160ml of the juice. Reserve 10 cherries to decorate. Place the remaining cherries and reserved liquid into a saucepan. Add sugar and cornflour. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring until the mixture boils and thickens. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill.
3. Use an electric beater and beat the cream in a bowl until firm peaks form.
4. Place the cherry brandy essence, boiling water and extra sugar into a jug and stir until sugar dissolves.
5. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate and drizzle over half the cherry brandy mixture. Spread a thin layer of cream and half the cherry mixture. Repeat with remaining cake, cherry brandy mixture, cherry mixture and cream, finishing with a layer of cake.
6. Spread some of the remaining cream over the top and side of cake. Sprinkle the chocolate evenly over the top of the cake and gently press over the side to coat (note: i didn’t do this and it still looked good)
7. Place the remaining cream in a piping bag fitted with a 1cm fluted nozzle and pipe rosettes around the edge of the cake.
8. Arrange the reserved cherries between the cream rosettes. Cut into wedges to serve. (I found it cut best after a period of time in the fridge)
*can be made a day ahead - store in an airtight container in the fridge
1 x 470g pkt chocolate cake mix (or your fave choc cake recipe) –
1 x 680g jar morello cherries
2 Tablespoon caster sugar
1 Tbsp cornflour
600ml thickened cream
60 ml cherry brandy essence (or brandy essence)
2 Tbsp boiling water
2 Tbsp caster sugar, extra
100g dark cooking chocolate, coarsely grated.
Method:
1. Prepare and back the chocolate cake. Cool completely. Use a large serrated knife and cut cake horizontally into 3 even layers (2 if your cake is not thick enough to do so)
2. Drain the cherries, reserving 160ml of the juice. Reserve 10 cherries to decorate. Place the remaining cherries and reserved liquid into a saucepan. Add sugar and cornflour. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring until the mixture boils and thickens. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill.
3. Use an electric beater and beat the cream in a bowl until firm peaks form.
4. Place the cherry brandy essence, boiling water and extra sugar into a jug and stir until sugar dissolves.
5. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate and drizzle over half the cherry brandy mixture. Spread a thin layer of cream and half the cherry mixture. Repeat with remaining cake, cherry brandy mixture, cherry mixture and cream, finishing with a layer of cake.
6. Spread some of the remaining cream over the top and side of cake. Sprinkle the chocolate evenly over the top of the cake and gently press over the side to coat (note: i didn’t do this and it still looked good)
7. Place the remaining cream in a piping bag fitted with a 1cm fluted nozzle and pipe rosettes around the edge of the cake.
8. Arrange the reserved cherries between the cream rosettes. Cut into wedges to serve. (I found it cut best after a period of time in the fridge)
*can be made a day ahead - store in an airtight container in the fridge
Simply Tea Selections
Why not try something different with this cake such as our Rooibos Chai. It is a 'Super grade' Rooibos herb leaf, with a soft, sweet aromatic taste, blended with warm spices cinnamon, cardamon, cloves and ginger.
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The name Rooibos comes from the Afrikaans word for red bush. It is produced from the leaf of the South African herb shrub, not the camellia sinensis plant like all other teas. Rooibos is grown only in a small area in the region of the Western Cape Province in Southern Africa, which is harvested during the summer months.
Rooibos is becoming more popular in western countries particularly among the health conscious consumers, due to is high level of antioxidants, lack of caffeine and low tannin levels. Rooibos is known to assist with nervous tension, allergies and digestive problems. Traditional medicine uses of Rooibos in South Africa include: alleviating infantile colic, allergies, asthma and dermalogical problems.
You can purchase our Rooibos Tea through our Online Teashop. We have two flavours of Rooibos - Original or Chai. You can purchase 100g Pouch of Original Rooibos Tea for $11.00 or $12.00/100g for Rooibos Chai. We also have $2.00 sample bags available for purchase for those wanting to give it a try.
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