How to Master the Ultimate Chocolate Coffee Cherry Cake Recipe

Ola Pham
Jan 8, 2025
4 min read

This cake is my take on a Black Forest Gateau, also known as Schwarzwälder-Kirschtorte, a decadent dessert that features rich chocolate sponge cake, luscious whipped cream, and a generous helping of cherries.

Dessert origin

Originating from the Black Forest region in Germany, this cake has gained worldwide fame for its delightful combination of flavors and alluring appearance. If you're looking to whip up this classic dessert in your own kitchen, you're in for a treat!

In this blog post, we’ll take you step-by-step through the process of mastering my Chocolate Coffee Cherry cake recipe. So roll up your sleeves, fire up the oven, and let’s get baking!

The Ingredients You Will Need

For the Cake:

260g of flour
300g of white granulated sugar
75g of cocoa powder
2 tsp of baking powder
1.5 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of salt
240ml of single cream
1 tbsp of lemon juice
120ml of vegetable oil (or any other neutral oil)
2 large, room temperature eggs
3 tsp of vanilla extract or sugar
240ml of warm water
1 tsp of Nescafé or espresso powder

For the Cherry Filling:

200g of frozen cherries
3 tbsp of white granulated sugar
Juice of half a lemon

For the Buttercream

400g of butter
800g of icing sugar
150g of double whipping cream
3 tbsp of vanilla extract
4 tbsp of cocoa powder (to create chocolate buttercream from half of this batch of buttercream)

Gathering these ingredients will set you off on the right foot to creating this lovely cake!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Now that you have everything ready, it's time to bake the chocolate sponge cake.

Prepare the Oven and Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your 9-inch round cake pan
Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix cream with lemon juice: When you combine the cream and lemon juice, the mixture will curdle, which is entirely normal. This will imitate buttercream, making the cake exceptionally moist!
Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Beat this on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
Boil the Water: Carefully stir in the boiling water and espresso (or Nescafe) mixture, which will thin out your batter — this is normal!
Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes in the pans before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

Once the cakes are cool, it's time to assemble the gateau!

Cherry Filling Preparation

The star of the Black Forest Gateau is undoubtedly the cherries! Let’s prepare the cherry filling:

Combine Sugar and Cherries: In a saucepan, cook the frozen cherries with the sugar and lemon juice. Once cherries soften and have a syrupy consistency, turn off the heat and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes so the flavors meld beautifully.
Set Aside: Once the cherry mixture is ready, set it aside while you prepare the buttercream.

Making the buttercream

I decided to make chocolate buttercream for the filling and use vanilla buttercream to coat the cake.

Whip the butter: In a mixing bowl, beat the room temperature butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.
Add in icing sugar: Slowly add in the icing sugar whilst beating on a high speed.
Incorporate the whipping cream and vanilla extract into your buttercream.
Put half of the buttercream mixture aside. In the remaining half, add in the cocoa powder to make chocolate buttercream. If the consistency is too thick, add in a tablespoon of whipping cream to loosen the buttercream.
Keep Cool: It’s best to keep the whipped cream in the fridge until you are ready to assemble the cake.

Assembling the Cake

Now comes the fun part — putting all the layers together!

Layer the Cakes: Place one of the chocolate cakes on a serving plate. Use a serrated knife to slice it in half horizontally, creating three layers. Please make sure your cake is fully cooled down. I typically refrigerate the cake overnight as it is much easier to work with a cold cake.
Preparing a simple syrup: I used a coffee simple syrup to soak the cakes. Using simple syrup will ensure your cakes remain moist. You can prepare a simple syrup by mixing equal parts of brewed coffee and sugar. Brush or drizzle the coffee simple syrup evenly over the surface of the cake.
Add the filling: Using the chocolate buttercream, pipe a barrier around the edges of the cake. Inside the barrier, spoon the cherry filling over the bottom layer of cake, making sure to distribute the cherries evenly.
Add the Second Cake Layer: Place the second layer of chocolate cake on top. Repeat the process with the remaining cherry filling and buttercream, topping it off with the final layer of cake.
Crumb coat: Apply a thin layer of the remaining vanilla buttercream over the entire cake to seal in the crumbs (a crumb coat aids in achieving a clean and smooth final buttercream layer). Place the cake in the fridge to allow the crumb coat to set.
Final Touches: Use the remaining buttercream to decorate the top and sides of the cake to your liking!

Letting It Chill

Once assembled, it’s best to let your Black Forest Gateau chill in the fridge for at least an hour. This allows the flavors to meld beautifully and the cake to be easier to slice when it’s time to serve.

Conclusion

Mastering the ultimate Chocolate cake recipe may seem daunting at first, but with a little patience and practice, you'll find that it’s not only achievable but incredibly rewarding. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just indulging in a sweet treat, this cake will surely impress your family and friends.

So why not give it a try? Embrace the wonderful world of baking with this delicious and stunning cake. Happy baking!