Black Forest Torte Recipe

Prepare and Preheat

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper; grease the parchment as well.

Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt until evenly combined.

Wet Ingredients

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with an electric mixer), beat the granulated sugar and eggs on medium-high speed until pale and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Add the oil, milk, and vanilla and mix on low until combined.

Combine and Add Coffee

With mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in two additions, mixing until just incorporated. Finally, slowly add the hot brewed coffee and mix until smooth; batter will be loose and glossy. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.

Bake and Cool

Bake 25–30 minutes, rotating pans halfway, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter). Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Once cool, if desired, level the domes with a serrated knife and slice each round horizontally to make four thin layers (two cakes → four layers).

Combine the cherries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cherries release juices and sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with 1–2 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry. Stir the slurry into the simmering cherries. Continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy, 2–3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the kirsch or cherry juice. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed. Let the cherry filling cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator until firm enough to spread, about 1 hour.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room-temperature butter on medium speed until smooth and pale, 2–3 minutes.

Sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl to remove lumps. With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar/cocoa mixture to the butter in three additions, scraping the bowl between additions.

Once combined, add vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. If the buttercream is too thick, add the remaining tablespoon of cream; if too thin, add a little more powdered sugar, 1–2 tablespoons at a time, until a spreadable consistency is reached.

If you sliced the cakes into four layers, set the bottom layer on a cake board or serving plate. If you have only two layers, proceed with them as bottom and top. Brush the layer lightly with about 1 tablespoon of kirsch or cherry juice.

Spread a thin layer (about 3/4 cup) of chocolate buttercream over the brushed cake layer to act as a crumb coat. Add about 1/3 of the chilled cherry filling (about 1/2 cup) over the buttercream, leaving a 1/4-inch border from the edge to prevent overflow when stacking.

Place the next cake layer on top, brush with another tablespoon of kirsch, spread 3/4 cup buttercream, and add another 1/3 of the cherry filling. Repeat with remaining layers. Reserve about 1 cup of buttercream for the final exterior frosting.

Apply a thin crumb coat of the reserved buttercream to the entire cake and chill 15–20 minutes to set. After chilling, apply the remaining buttercream smoothly over the top and sides.

Press chocolate shavings or curls around the sides and scatter on top. Arrange fresh whole cherries around the rim and/or a small mound in the center. If desired, drizzle a little extra kirsch over the top cherries. Chill the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes before serving to set the layers; bring to room temperature 20–30 minutes before slicing for best texture.