Black Forest Cake

I love frosted cakes, but as a rule I prepare them only on special occasions. There was one last week, it was Manoj's Birthday and this is what I made for him. It was no surprise but he really loved it. It was a working day, but this cake and a wonderful dinner at Cheesecake Factory made it real special.

The recipe is from Chococraft, the best part is that though it looks so rich, its quiet low fat actually. The cake is a fatless sponge and this time I used the non fat whipped cream topping and filling that you get here. Makes you almost guilt free:). You could use any chocolate sponge cake as the base. I also used cherry pie filling for a change. The sweetened canned cherries work just fine.

Black Forest Cake

Ingredients:

4 eggs

4 tbs sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

6 tbs all purpose flour

2 tbs cocoa powder

1 cup sugar syrup

2-3 tbs rum

1 can cherry pie filling

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

3 tbs fine sugar

Chocolate and cherries for decoration

Method:

Preheat the oven to 390˚F/ 200˚C.

Sift the flour and cocoa powder together at least 3 times.

Take the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Beat on high for 10 mins. The mixture will be extremely light and airy.

Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the flour very gently in about 3 batches using the cut and fold method. Do not over mix. Be very careful not to lose much aeration.

Pour into a greased and lined baking tin and bake for 20 - 25 mins till done.

Cool the cake completely and then slice into two layers. ( I can never slice a cake perfectly as is evident from the picture below. So if you are like me, I think its better to bake the two layers separately).

Whip the cream and sugar to stiff peaks.

Add the rum to the sugar syrup and fill in a squeeze bottle.

Such fatless cakes are extremely dry, so they need to be soaked well with syrup. Soak both the layers especially the edges, till really moist, but they should not fall apart.

Place the bottom layer on a cake board. Top with a layer of whipped cream topping and then the cherry pie filling. You could also use chopped glazed cherries.

Place the second cake layer on top and ice the sides and top with the remaining whipped cream.

Decorate the top and sides with chocolate shavings, cherries and swirls of whipped cream.

Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours for it to set completely. Serve cold.

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This is another entry for my event 'For the Love of Chocolate'.