Black Forest Cake: The Easy and Fail-Proof Recipe

Here, I give you a simple, soft and stable version, with an alcohol-free option to please everyone.

Black Forest cake: the easy and foolproof recipe with mascarpone

This easy Black Forest cake recipe with mascarpone is the one I make at home for birthdays. My children love the perfect balance of chocolate sponge, slightly tart cherries, and smooth cream. Mascarpone isn't essential in the traditional recipe, but it stabilizes the whipped cream and makes assembly much easier.

• A soft sponge cake, light enough to absorb the syrup without becoming doughy.
• Well-drained cherries, so that the layers don't slip.
• A very cold mascarpone whipped cream, more stable for filling and decorating the cake.
• Sufficient rest is essential to obtain a clean cut.

Ingredients for the Black Forest cake recipe

These proportions are suitable for a 20cm round tin and yield a Black Forest cake serving 6 to 8. With a 22cm tin, the cake will simply be slightly shorter.

For the chocolate sponge cake

• 4 eggs: use them at room temperature to obtain a more voluminous mousse.
• 120g of caster sugar: it sweetens the sponge cake and helps the beaten eggs to stay stable.
• 90g of flour: sift it to avoid lumps without deflating the mixture.
• 30g of unsweetened cocoa: it replaces 30g of flour and provides the chocolatey taste.
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder: a small amount is sufficient in addition to well-beaten eggs.

My guideline for sponge cake: I use 30g of sugar and 30g of dry ingredients per egg. Here, the 120g of dry ingredients corresponds to 90g of flour and 30g of cocoa. This explains the difference compared to a plain sponge cake.

For the mascarpone whipped cream

• 400 ml of whole liquid cream with a minimum of 30% fat: it must be very cold to whip properly.
• 250g of mascarpone: it gives a firm cream that can support the weight of the three sponge cake discs.
• 70g of icing sugar: it dissolves quickly and leaves the whipped cream nice and smooth.

For the garnish and decoration

• Canned cherries or sour cherries in syrup: drain them carefully and keep their juice to soak the sponge cake.
• Fresh cherries: reserve them for decoration when they are in season.
• Chocolate shavings: use dark chocolate, milk chocolate or a mixture of both according to your taste.
• Kirsch is optional: personally, I don't use it. Add some to the soaking syrup for a more traditional flavor, but only if the cake isn't intended for children.

Note: the quantity of cherries depends on their size. You need enough to form an even layer between the discs, without packing them so tightly that the assembly becomes unstable.

Useful equipment

• A 20cm round mold, ideally with a removable bottom.
• A Genoese-style lyre or a long saw-knife to obtain three regular discs.
• A piping bag fitted with a fluted nozzle for making rosettes.
• A rack to cool the sponge cake without moistening its base.

1. Prepare the chocolate sponge cake

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the bottom of the mold with baking paper.
• Whisk the eggs with the sugar until the mixture triples in volume, becomes pale, and forms a ribbon. This step gives the sponge cake its volume.
• Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder together over the mixture.
• Gently incorporate the powders with a spatula, lifting the mixture from the bottom up to retain air.
• Pour the batter into the tin and bake for about 20 minutes. Check for doneness with a knife; it should come out clean.
• Let it cool for a few minutes, unmold onto a wire rack and wait for it to cool completely before cutting the sponge cake into three discs.

2. Drain the cherries and prepare the soaking liquid.

Drain the cherries in a colander, then place them on paper towels. Reserve their juice. If using kirsch, stir it into the juice only once the syrup has cooled. When assembling, moisten each layer gradually: the sponge should be moist, but never soggy.

3. How to make perfect mascarpone whipped cream

• Place the mixing bowl and whisks in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes or in the freezer for a few minutes.
• Briefly loosen the mascarpone with the icing sugar, without whisking it for a long time.
• Whip the very cold liquid cream separately until you obtain a stiff but still pliable whipped cream.
• Gently fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Stop as soon as the texture is smooth to prevent it from becoming grainy.
• Reserve about a third of the cream to cover and decorate the cake.

4. Assemble and decorate the cake

• Place the first sponge cake disc on the dish and soak it regularly with cherry juice.
• Spread a layer of mascarpone whipped cream, then distribute halved cherries, leaving a small margin on the edge.
• Add the second disc, press very lightly, soak it and repeat the layer of cream and cherries.
• Finish with the third disc, flattest side up, then soak it without over-soaking.
• Cover the top and sides with the reserved cream. Smooth with a spatula.
• Apply the chocolate shavings to the sides and top.
• Pipe rosettes of whipped cream and place a cherry on each one.
• Place the Black Forest cake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight, before cutting it.

My tips for a perfectly stable Black Forest cake

• Prepare the sponge cake in advance: cold and slightly rested, it cuts more cleanly and produces fewer crumbs.
• Do not over-whisk the cream: as soon as it forms a firm peak, stop the mixer. Over-whipped cream curdles and becomes grainy.
• Dry the cherries: their syrup should flavor the sponge cake, not make the cream soggy.
• Soak in several stages: add a little juice, wait for it to be absorbed and top up if necessary.
• Keep a border of cream: it holds the cherries in place and prevents them from escaping under the weight of the layers.
• Respect the resting time: four hours in the fridge gives a firmer cream and a much cleaner cut.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• The sponge cake is dense: the eggs were not beaten enough or the powders were incorporated too vigorously.
• The sponge cake breaks when cut: it is still warm. Let it cool completely before forming the discs.
• The cake is slippery: the cherries are too moist, the cream is too soft, or the sponge cake has received too much syrup.
• The whipped cream is not whipping: the cream, mascarpone or equipment is not cold enough, or the cream contains less than 30% fat.
• The shavings break easily: leave the chocolate at room temperature for a few minutes, then shape them with a peeler or the blade of a large knife.

Traditional Black Forest cake or the mascarpone version?

The traditional German Black Forest cake, called Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, combines cocoa sponge cake, whipped cream, cherries and kirsch.

In my version, I add mascarpone to the whipped cream: it deviates slightly from the classic recipe, but it's easier to whip and holds its shape better until serving. The essential flavors of chocolate, cherry, and cream remain perfectly present.

How to prepare a Black Forest cake without alcohol?

Kirsch is traditional, but the cake is still delicious without alcohol. For soaking, use primarily the juice from sour cherries or cherries in syrup: it enhances the fruit flavor without masking the chocolate.

• Cherry or sour cherry juice: the simplest and best balanced choice.
• Homemade cherry syrup: dilute slightly if it is very concentrated.
• Orange juice: a sweeter, fruitier alternative.
• Light coffee: it accentuates the cocoa, but gives a less fruity Black Forest cake.
• Orange blossom water: add only a few drops to the syrup so as not to overpower the cherries.

You can also prepare my homemade cherry syrup to soak the sponge cake.