Black Forest Bacon Recipe

Preheat and prepare pans

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 8-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment, and lightly flour the sides.

Whisk together dry ingredients: in a large bowl, sift or whisk the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.

Combine wet ingredients: in a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, whole milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.

Make batter: pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined, scraping the bowl so no dry pockets remain. Do not overmix.

Bake: divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake on the center rack for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate pans halfway through if your oven runs hot.

Cool: let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks, remove parchment, and cool completely (about 45–60 minutes) before assembly.

Make cherry syrup: in a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and mixture simmers.

Add cherries: add the cherries and simmer gently 6–8 minutes until they release juices and begin to soften. If using frozen, simmer 8–10 minutes to thaw and concentrate.

Thicken: stir cornstarch with a teaspoon of cold water to make a slurry. Add slurry and lemon juice to the pan, stirring until syrup thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in kirsch or rum. Cool to room temperature; reserve 3–4 tbsp of syrup to brush cake layers and set aside the rest with cherries for assembly.

Preheat oven for bacon: raise oven temperature to 400°F (205°C) or use a separate baking sheet while cake cools.

Prepare bacon: line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lay bacon slices flat on the rack without overlapping. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar, cracked black pepper, and smoked paprika; press lightly so sugar adheres.

Bake candied bacon: bake 12–18 minutes depending on thickness and desired chew/crisp, watching closely after 10 minutes. For chewier pieces remove earlier; for crispier let caramelize a bit longer but avoid burning.

Cool and chop: transfer bacon to a parchment-lined tray to cool. Once cooled, chop half of the bacon into 1/2-inch pieces for folding into the cake layers and filling. Reserve the remaining slices (or broken pieces) for garnish.

Make chocolate shards (optional): melt the chopped dark chocolate in a double boiler or microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Spread thinly on parchment and chill until firm, then break into shards for garnish.

Whip cream: chill a mixing bowl and whisk (or use stand mixer). Pour in the heavy cream, add powdered sugar and vanilla, and whip to stiff peaks. Taste and adjust sweetness; if you prefer a slightly stabilized cream, fold in 1 tablespoon cooled softened melted chocolate or 1 tsp gelatin dissolved in 2 tbsp warm water (cooled) before finishing.

Layering: level cake layers if domed. Place first cake layer on a serving plate and brush generously with 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved cherry syrup. Spread about 1/3 of the whipped cream over the layer, then scatter half of the chopped candied bacon and 1/2 cup of the stewed cherries (with some syrup) evenly on top. Repeat with second cake layer: brush with syrup, add remaining whipped cream to cover the top and sides of the cake (reserve a little for piping if desired).

Decorate: press remaining chopped bacon pieces around the sides or scatter on top. Arrange whole candied bacon slices and chocolate shards on top. Dust lightly with the 1 tsp cocoa powder. If you like, drizzle a tablespoon of extra cherry syrup over the top.

Chill and set: refrigerate the assembled cake at least 1 hour to let flavors meld and cream firm up. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature. Slice with a hot, clean knife (wipe between cuts) for clean slices.