Celebration time again-- Black Forest Cake

This time in celebration of my hubby dear’s birthday yesterday. He really isn’t into birthdays but because of me he sorta celebrates it..hehe! I of course seized the opportunity to bake him a cake, his favourite and mine too, Black Forest Cake.

When my mom used to make it when I was a kid, it was like a special treat. She of course kept the cake in the refrigerator and as I passed by every now and then, I would take a peek and of course grab a piece..before mom knew it, the cake was all gone!

This again was my first shot at making Black Forest Cake, and I’m really glad it turned out well.

You will need:

For the Cake: (Makes two 9” size cakes)

2 cups All purpose flour plus more for pans

1 ¾ Cups Confectioner’s sugar (Powdered Sugar)

6 Eggs

2 tsp Baking powder

2 tbsp Cocoa powder

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Filling:

1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

½ cup Confectioner’s sugar

Maraschino Cherries (or canned cherries,drained)

For the syrup:

1 tbsp lime juice

½ tbsp Sugar

3/4 cup Water

Preheat oven to 300F.

Separate the white from the yolks. Beat each separately adding vanilla extract and little sugar at a time to make a stiff froth. Fold yellow into white. Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking powder thrice and fold into the egg mixture.

FOLD: Means to slowly turn dry ingredients into the wet in a circular inward to outward motion. Do not beat or mix vigorously. The main purpose of folding is to allow more air into the mixture and also to avoid flattening the frothy eggs.

Divide batter between prepared pans. This makes a thin cake, if you want it thicker then use 8-inch pans. Bake for 30 minutes till cake is done and springs back on touching or a cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn onto cooling racks. Let cool completely.

Chill the electric beater blades and the bowl in which you will use to whip the cream. Whip cream while slowly adding sugar till it doubles in volume and is of a spreadable consistency. Do not overbeat, it turns to butter!

Mix lime juice, sugar and water in a bowl. Stir till sugar dissolves. Place one cake over a cake pedestal or plate, poke holes with a fork in a few places on the cake. Pour the syrup all over the cake in a spoon, till cake is moist (but not soggy). Spread an even layer of the cream, and place cut cherries. Place the other cake on top of this and repeat the moistening procedure. Again spread a even thick layer of cream, decorate with cherries and grated dark chocolate.

Chill before serving and refrigerate remaining cake (if there's any left!)