Carol wanted a Black Forest Cake for her birthday, and I baked her one based on the recipe in The Perfect Cake by America’s Test Kitchen.  It was a very good cake, but also a bit soft.  I sprayed the pans with cooking spray and did not use baking parchment, and 2 of the 3 layers stuck to the pan at the bottom.  I pulled the layers out of the oven when they passed the toothpick taste, but they still seemed a bit underbaked.  I would recommend using baking parchment and baking the layers for a couple of minutes after they pass the toothpick test.

This cake is baked in 3 8-inch cake pans.  It will make 12-14 servings.

For the Devil’s Food Layers

7.5 oz. (1.5 cups) all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1-1/4 cups boiling water

½ cup (1 oz.) Dutch-processed cocoa powder

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 tsp. instant coffee powder

10 Tbs. (1-1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1-1/2 cups (10.5 oz.) light brown sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

½ cup sour cream, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the cherries

2 cups jarred sour cherries in light syrup, drained with 1 cup of syrup reserved

½ cup (3-1.2 oz.) sugar

½ cup kirsch or other cherry brandy

For the whipped cream

¼ cup (1-3/4 oz.) sugar

1 Tbs. cornstarch

3 cups heavy cream, chilled

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Shaved semisweet chocolate (from a 4 oz. bar)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 3 8-inch round cake pans with baking parchment and spray with cooking spray.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.  In a separate bowl combine the boiling water, cocoa, chocolate, and coffee powder.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, put the brown sugar and butter.  Cream for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating about 30 seconds for each addition.  Beat in the sour cream and vanilla.

Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the flour mixture in 3rds alternating with the chocolate mixture.  Scrape down the sides as necessary to ensure everything is well mixed together.  Pour the cake batter into the 3 prepared pans.  Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean, and then bake for another 2 minutes.  Alternate the pans in the oven halfway during the baking.

Cool the layers in the pans on cake racks for about 10 minutes.  Remove the cakes from the pans and cool completely on the cake racks.  (Remember you are going to frost the cake with stabilized whipped cream, so you do not want the layers to be warm.)

Reserve some of the best looking cherries for the top and slice the rest of them in half.  Put the reserved cherry syrup and sugar in a small saucepan.  (Add the kirsch at this phase if you don’t want any detectable alcohol, or add it later if that does not matter.)  Bring the syrup to a boil and reduce to about ¾ cup, about 8-10 minutes.  Stir in the kirsch if it has not already been added.  Put about 3 Tbs. of the reduced syrup with the halved cherries and 1 Tbs. with the whole cherries.  Poke holes all over the layers and sprinkle the rest of the syrup over the cake layers to soak in.

Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together in a small saucepan and slowly mix in ½ cup of the heavy cream.  Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool completely, about 10 minutes.

Put the remaining cream and the vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Whip on low speed for about 30 seconds, until frothy, and increase to medium until the mixture begins to thicken, another 30 seconds.  Slowly add the cooled sugar mixture and increase the speed to high, and beat until soft peaks form, about another minute.

Line the edges of a cake plate.  Put a layer on the plate.  Spread ½ cup of the whipped cream on the layer, and then sprinkle with half of the cherries.  Add the second layer, and spread it with another ½ cup of the whipped cream and sprinkle it with the rest of the cherries.  Add the third layer and with a spatula cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining whipped cream.

Rest the cake in the refrigerator for 2-24 hours.  Before serving sprinkle the sides and top with the shaved chocolate and gently press them into the whipped cream. Put the reserved whole cherries in an attractive pattern on the top of the cake.