Black Forest Cake

I found it very difficult to let go of my perfectionism and create this rustic looking cake! I'm learning to see the beauty in the organic folds of the cream and messy cherry jam spilling over the edges.

Quality ingredients keep this cake full of flavour. @opiesfoods Kirsch soaked Cherries bringing that iconic boozy punch.

Ingredients:

240g plain flour

25g cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda

Pinch salt

200g caster sugar

100g soft dark brown sugar

175g sour cream

65g unsalted butter, melted

2 medium eggs

125ml boiling water 

Fillings:

300ml double cream

30g sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Kirsch cherries (tinned cherries in kirsch syrup)

Black cherry conserve

Dark chocolate shavings 

For the cake: preheat your oven to 180C. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Combine all wet ingredients in another bowl. Pour wet into dry and whisk until combined and smooth. Split equally between two greased and lined 6inch cake tins. Bake at for 25-30 minutes. 

Drain the cherries from the kirsch syrup. Once the cakes have cooled, level off the top and brush liberally with the syrup. Keep some whole cherries aside before roughly chopping 3/4 of them. Combined with a few tbsp of cherry conserve to create a compote. 

Whip the sugar, vanilla and cream together to make a soft chantilly cream. Layer the cake with cherry conserve, chantilly, cherry compote and whole kirsch cherries. Finish with a generous helping of chocolate shavings.