Black Forest Layer Cake
Prep Time: 1 Hour
30 Minutes
Cook Time:
Total Time: 3 Hours
30 Minutes
Servings: 12
If you’re looking for a baking project or beautiful (and wildly delicious!) layered cake for a special occasion, look no further than this Black Forest Layer Cake.
Ingredient List
Cake
- 1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ devil’s food cake mix
- Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on cake mix box
Filling
- ½ cup sugar
- tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 ¼ cups frozen dark sweet cherries, thawed, drained, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
Frosting
- 6 egg whites
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups butter, softened and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Decorations
- ½ cup shaved semisweet chocolate baking bar (about 1 oz)
- ½ cup maraschino cherries with stems, well drained and patted dry
Preparation
- Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line with cooking parchment paper.
- In small bowl, mix flour as indicated in box.
- Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, beat 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch with whisk. Beat in 1/3 cup water until smooth. Stir in chopped cherries. On medium-high heat, heat cherry mixture to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into small bowl. Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour.
- In medium glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and 1 1/2 cups sugar with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, beating occasionally, 16 to 20 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F. Remove from heat; pour into bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until glossy peaks form and bowl has cooled to feel slightly warm. Still on high speed, slowly add 1 1/2 cups butter, one piece at a time, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth, thick and shiny, 12 to 14 minutes. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. If mixture separates, beat until smooth.
- Fit decorating bag with 1/2-inch round piping tip; fill with frosting. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Pipe a thick frosting border around top edge of cake layer. Pipe a second border just inside the first border. Spread 2/3 cup of the cherry filling over top of cake inside borders. Top with second cake layer; repeat borders and filling. Place third cake layer on top. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Press shaved chocolate around bottom half of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour.
- When ready to serve, mound maraschino cherries in center of cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.
