If you want to show off this holiday season, or you’re looking for a great dessert without all the fuss, then this week’s recipe, Julie’s Black Forest cake, is definitely the way to go. I learned how to make this whilst working part-time in a German restaurant. A 16- year-old lowly dishwasher, I would often sneak into the hectic kitchen to watch the cooks turn out crispy golden schnitzels with rich mushroom sauces, steaks topped with crab sauce, but what captivated me the most, was their black forest cake. A huge hit at this restaurant, it’s easy to make and actually tastes better the second day. You can totally cheat and use prepared items like the chocolate pudding and cherry pie fill.

I shamelessly used it to woo my future husband. It worked. His only complaint is that we don’t have it often enough (cake that is). You can make this at the cabin as long as you have an electric mixer, or someone is going to have an awfully sore arm trying to whip the cream.

Ingredients:

• One chocolate cake mix (I use Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines - whatever is on sale)
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup of oil
• 1 1/3 cup water
• 500 ml whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 - 3 tbsp white sugar
• 3 tbsp rum
• 1 can cherry pie fill
• Jello - chocolate pudding - 2 - 3 pudding cups

Directions

Prepare the cake mix as per the directions using three eggs, oil and water. Pour into two round cake pans - lined with parchment paper (it makes the cake much easier to get out of the pans). Bake at 350 F. for 35 minutes - stick a knife or toothpick in the centre - if it comes out clean the cakes are cooked. Let it cool for 30 minutes before assembling.

Prepare the whipping cream - Beat the cream on high until it forms peaks, and then add the sugar and vanilla- beat a little longer (1 minute) and refrigerate.

The trick with the cake is in the assembly. Take a large bread knife and cut each cake horizontally (you should end up with 4 rounds of cake)

Take one cake round and lay it on your serving plate. Spread chocolate pudding on the bottom layer (might need to use several pudding cups). Spoon 2 - 3 tbsp rum over the chocolate pudding. Lay another cake layer on top and spread enough pudding to cover the cake. Next spoon about 1/2 can of cherry pie fill covering up the chocolate pudding. Add another cake round. Make sure the cake is stable and not splitting apart before you add this next cake layer. Add the remaining cherry pie fill and cover it with whip cream. Add the last cake round and cover the whole cake (top and sides) with whip cream. If you want to get fancy and you have some cherry pie fill left over, you can put it in the centre at the top. You can also grate chocolate and spread the shavings on the top.

Once it’s assembled store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Note, not only is this a delicious dessert, it also makes a fabulous breakfast, that is if you have any left over.

If you’re cake does split apart whilst making it - don’t panic.  Whip cream can hide a multitude of sins. Make sure your bottom layer is flat and sits level on the plate. If the subsequent layers are oval - trim the centre so they lay flat.

If you’re friends want the recipe - just send them to www.CottageDaily.com.

Cheers,

Julie

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 19th, 2007 at 8:00 pm and is filed under Entertaining, Food. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.