Recipe: Black Forest Cherry Cake
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped in blender
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped in blender (1 cup)
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup sifted cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
*1 cup heavy cream
*2 tbsp honey
1/2 cup Kirschwasser or cherry brandy
1 lb (2 cans) sour pitted cherries maraschino cherries, well drained (about 16)
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in almonds, 3/4 cup of chopped chocolate, and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into butter mixture. Divide evenly between three greased, waxed-paper lined and re-greased 8" layer cake pans (or bake it in one piece and after baking cut it into 3 layers with a thread). Bake at 375° for about 20 minutes, or until edges start to pull away from sides of pan. Cool on cake rack about 10 minutes. Turn out and remove waxed paper. Cool cake layers on cake rack. Whip cream with honey until stiff, Place one cake layer on serving plate, sprinkle with 1/3 of the brandy, spread with 1/3 of the whipped creams, cover evenly with 1/2 of the sour cherries. Place second layer on top, pressing down slightly. Repeat as for first layer. Top with third layer, press down slightly, sprinkle with brandy, cover with whipped cream. Decorate top and sides with reserved 1/4 cup of chopped chocolate and maraschino cherries. Chill well before serving. Serves 6-8.
*you can substitute 1 cup of whipped cream, lightly sweetened, and gelatin (to make the cream stiffer), for the heavy cream and honey. |
