This classic Black Forest Cake combines rich chocolate cake layers with a homemade cherry filling and whipped cream frosting for a showstopping dessert you can make at home.

Black Forest Cake has everything I want in a celebration dessert: rich chocolate cake, real cherry flavor, and a frosting that feels light without tasting like straight sugar. It’s a classic for a reason, but it’s also a cake that can be disappointing if the cake is dry, the filling is runny, or the whipped cream collapses halfway through slicing.

But not this version! The chocolate cake layers bake up soft and moist, and they stay that way even after the required chill time. The cherry filling is cooked just long enough to turn thick and glossy, which means it spreads easily but won’t ooze out the sides the second you stack your layers.

If you’ve made my usual chocolate layer cake before, you’ll notice this one shares the same foundation. Traditional Black Forest Cake is often made with a chocolate sponge cake, which is lighter and drier by design so it can soak up the cherry juices without turning soggy. I’m not making a true sponge here, but I did adjust my go-to cake recipe for this recipe by using cake flour, a lower sugar level, and less overall liquid. The result is a chocolate cake that still tastes rich, but stacks neatly with whipped cream and cherries and slices cleanly after chilling.

The result is the best of both worlds: a cake that feels classic and impressive, but straightforward to make and genuinely satisfying to slice and serve.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Pictured below is what you’ll need to make this Black Forest Cake, along with some key ingredient notes and substitutions.

• Cake Flour: To make a DIY cake flour substitute, remove 2 tablespoons of flour per cup and replace it ith cornstarch. For this recipe, that works out to 315 grams (2 cups + 10 tablespoons) of all-purpose flour plus 42 grams (6 tablespoons) cornstarch. Whisk them together well so the cornstarch is evenly distributed.
• Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder: Dutch-processed cocoa powder has a smoother, less acidic chocolate flavor which pairs well with the cherries.
• Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, mix a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup of whole milk and let it sit for a few minutes. Plain yogurt or sour cream thinned with milk to replicate the consistency of buttermilk also works well.
• Kirsch: Kirsch is the liquor traditionally used in Black Forest Cake, a brandy distilled from fermented sour Morello cherries. For a non-alcoholic option, use cherry juice or water with a drop of almond extract for a similar cherry-almond flavor.

How to Make Black Forest Cake

1. Prep Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, leaveners, salt, and sugar until evenly mixed. In a second mixing bowl, add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.

2. Mix the Batter: Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Slowly pour the hot water into the batter, stirring to combine. The batter will be thin and glossy.
3. Bake: Divide the batter evenly into the three pans and bake until the tops spring back lightly and a tester comes out clean. Let the layers cool completely.

4. Cook the Cherries: Simmer the cherries with sugar, kirsch, and cornstarch, stirring constantly until thickened and shiny. Cool fully before using.
5. Whip the Cream: Beat the cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks. The cream should hold its shape without looking grainy. Chill until needed.
6. Assemble the Cake: Trim the cake tops if needed. Spread whipped cream on the first layer, then add cherry filling. Repeat once more. Top with the final layer and frost the outside with the remaining whipped cream using long, smooth strokes.

7. Chill: Refrigerate at least one hour before slicing so the layers set and cut cleanly. Top with additional fresh cherries and chocolate shavings, if desired.

Whipped Cream Frosting

Whipped cream frosting can be the most stressful part of assembling this cake. If you’ve ever had the frosting start to soften, slide, or weep once the layers are stacked, it’s frustrating because everything can look perfect in the bowl and then fall apart on the cake. Why does this happen and how can we prevent it? Kitchen Chemistry to the rescue!

Kitchen Chemistry

Whipped cream is a foam stabilized by partially coalesced fat globules and milk proteins, and that structure stays stable only when the cream remains cold enough for the fat to stay partially solid.

For this Black Forest Cake, that means a few practical things. Start with cold heavy cream (not half-and-half) and chill the mixing bowl and whisk if your kitchen runs warm. Whip to stiff peaks so the foam has enough structure to support the cake, but stop as soon as the peaks stand straight to avoid over-whipping into a grainy, buttery texture.

Most importantly, assemble the cake only after the cake layers and cherry filling are completely cool, then refrigerate the finished cake right away. Keeping everything cold helps the whipped cream hold its shape, prevents weeping, and gives you clean slices instead of sliding layers.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Black Forest Cake

1. Measure Carefully: For the best results, measure all ingredients by weight, not volume. If measuring by volume, spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off to avoid packing in extra flour, which leads to dry cake layers.
2. Hot Water: Hot water helps “bloom” the cocoa, enhancing the chocolate flavor – don’t skip this step or substitute with cold water!
3. Check for Doneness: Chocolate cakes can overbake quickly, so start checking a few minutes before the timer ends to look for a springy top and a clean tester.
4. Cool Completely: Even slight warmth in the cake layers or cherry filling can cause the whipped cream to soften and slide.
5. Fresh Cherries: This recipe can use either fresh or frozen cherries; if using fresh cherries, add 2 tablespoons of water when cooking to help release the juices.
6. Stabilize if Needed: If you prefer to use a stabilized whipped cream, add 1 tablespoon of instant pudding mix or 1 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin dissolved in 1 tablespoon of warm water to the heavy cream.
7. Storage: Store the assembled cake covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Whipped cream frosting does not freeze well once assembled, but the unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw the layers overnight in the refrigerator before filling and frosting.
8. Recommended Tools: 8-inch Cake Pans | Parchment Paper Rounds | Kitchen Scale | Mixing Bowls | Saucepan | Cooling Racks

More Cherry Desserts

• Three Layer Chocolate Cherry Cake
• Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
• Cherry Chocolate Chunk Muffins
• Cherry Pie Bars
• Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake