Black Forest Cake

Recently I was all reminiscent about all the pastries that I have tried out & suddenly the Black Forest Cake popped up in my head. So here’s my documentation of the time when I baked my first Black Forest Cake & yes I was left licking my fingers. Ok now all this talk has got my appetite all worked up!!

Ingredients

·      1 1/3 cup Plain flour

·      2 eggs

·      ½ cup boiling water

·      2 tsp. coffee powder

·      1 cup confectioners’ sugar

·      150 gms Butter

·      ¾ tsp. baking powder

·      ½ tsp. vinegar

·      1 tsp. vanilla essence

·      2 tbsp. cocoa powder

·      For the syrup

·      3-4 tbsp.  sugar

·      2 tbsp. water

·      1 tbsp. rum (optional)

·      For the icing

·      2 cups whipped cream

·      Cherry- a handful

·      Chocolate sprinkles

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Dissolve the coffee and cocoa powder in boiling water and keep it aside.

Sift flour and baking powder. (Sifting helps to get a nice spongy cake).

In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar using an electric/ hand mixer until well combined. In to this add one egg at a time and beat nicely.

Add the vinegar and vanilla essence and blend nicely.

Rule: You should add flour and coffee mixture alternatively. If starting with flour mixture, then it should end with flour mixture.

Now add flour to this and mix gently. Then add the coffee mixture and then the flour and then the coffee ending with the flour.

Bake for 40- 45 minutes. Insert a tooth pick and check whether the cake is done. It should come out clean.

Transfer the cake into a wire rack and let it cool.

In a bowl, mix sugar, water and rum, if using, nicely.

Once the cake is cooled, level the cake and divide the cake into two equal parts. Using a fork, prick the cake and spoon the sugar syrup into the cake. Just sprinkle.

The top layer of the cake (before dividing) should be the base. With a spatula, Spread the whipping cream and place some cherries. Now take the second half of the cake and put it upside down. You will get an even levelled top and will be easier to spread the whipping cream. Top with some cherries and sprinkle some chocolate shavings or sprinklers.

Chill the cake for 1 hour. Your kids are gonna love this one!!!!!