Jul 13 2026
Restaurants›Gerst Bavarian Haus›Black Forest Cake Recipe

Black Forest Cake Recipe

Inspired by Gerst Bavarian Haus
Time2h
Serves12

Chocolate cake with cherries and whipped cream

Jump to Recipe

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Cake

Filling

Whipped Cream Topping

Decoration

Method

Cake Preparation

  1. 1

    Preheat the Oven

    Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9-inch round cake pans.

  2. 2

    Mix Dry Ingredients

    In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

  3. 3

    Combine Wet Ingredients

    In another bowl, beat the eggs, then add the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Mix well.

  4. 4

    Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients

    Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined.

  5. 5

    Add Boiling Water

    Carefully stir in the boiling water until the batter is smooth (the batter will be thin).

  6. 6

    Bake the Cakes

    Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

  7. 7

    Cool the Cakes

    Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Filling and Assembly

  1. 8

    Prepare the Filling

    While the cakes are cooling, drain the canned cherries, reserving the syrup. If using, mix the cherry liqueur with the syrup.

  2. 9

    Layer the Cake

    Once the cakes are completely cooled, place one layer on a serving plate. Brush the top with the cherry syrup/liqueur mixture.

  3. 10

    Add Cherries

    Spread a portion of the drained cherries over the first layer of cake.

  4. 11

    Repeat Layers

    Place the second layer of cake on top, and repeat the process of brushing with syrup and adding cherries.

Whipped Cream Topping

  1. 12

    Whip the Cream

    In a large mixing bowl, combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer, whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.

  2. 13

    Frost the Cake

    Spread the whipped cream over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing it out with a spatula.

Decoration

  1. 14

    Add Chocolate Shavings

    Sprinkle chocolate shavings over the top of the cake for decoration.

  2. 15

    Garnish with Cherries

    Place fresh cherries on top of the cake for an elegant finish.

More from Gerst Bavarian Haus