Black Forest Cake


Ingredients:

2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 eggs
2 cups (500 mL) sugar
1/3 cup (75 mL) skim milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups (750 mL) whipping cream
3 Tbsp. kirsch
2 cups maraschino or red glaze cherries
2 cups chocolate crumbs and curls
16 maraschino cherries with stems

Preparation:
  • Mix and sift together: flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; set aside.
  • Grease and flour two 9 inch (23 cm) molds and preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
  • Separate eggs, then place whites in one large bowl and yolks in other large bowl.
  • Beat egg whites with an electric mixer at high speed until foamy. Beat in 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 tbsp. at a time until meringue forms soft peaks.
  • Beat egg yolks until thick, then beat in 1-1/2 remaining sugar and vanilla extract.
  • Beat 1/3 cup skim milk into egg yolks mixture.
  • Add sifted dry mixture all at once, then fold in. Using a rubber scraper or mixer (at very slow speed), turn batter over and over gently until flour is blended in completely.
  • Using a rubber scraper add egg yolks mixture to meringue; working with a light touch to keep the mixture fluffy.
  • Pour mixture into prepared molds and bake cakes 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
  • Place on wire rack and cool for 5 minutes than turn cake onto rack, cool completely.
  • Level the top of each cake and place on working table. Slice each cake to obtain a total of 3 layers.
  • Chop 2 cups of maraschino cherries.
  • Whip the cream and flavor with kirsch; set aside.
  • Place one layer on cardboard or some other cake plate. Cover with whipped cream and garnish with chopped cherries.
  • Repeat procedure for each layer. Cover the exterior and the sides of the cake with whipped cream. Sprinkle the top and sides with chocolate crumbs.
  • Fill pastry bag with whipped cream and decorate cake with 16 rosebuds. Place a cherries with steams on each rosebud.
Makes 16 servings.

TIP: For best taste refrigerate cake at least 2 hours before serving.

NOTE: To make chocolate curls shave thin slices from a cold square of chocolate with a vegetable parer.


Real Cooking
Did You Know?
There are practically only two kinds of cakes, that made with fat, and cakes made without fat. When these two methods are understood, cake making becomes easy. A few simple rules must govern all quality cake making.

1. Regulate the heat properly. Cakes without fat require a quick oven; with fat, a moderate oven.
2. Beat whites and yolks separately.
3. Beat solid fat and sugar to a cream.
4. Add the beaten whites last.
5. Currants or raisins should be cleaned, washed, dried and floured before you add them to the mixture. (to which flour some of the baking powder should be added).
6. Add the milk, water or other liquid gradually.
7. Sift the flour before measuring.
8. Soda, cream of tartar, and baking powder should be crushed and sifted with the flour in order to mix it properly.
9. When looking at a cake while baking, do it very quickly.
10. To find out if it is baked, run a toothpick through the centre, if no dough adheres the cake is done.
11. If browning too quickly, cover cake with baking paper oraluminum foil and reduce the heat gradually. This is usually necessary in baking fruit cake. 12. Mix cake in an plastic bowl, never in tin.

TIPS: Coarse granulated sugar makes a coarse, heavy cake. If cake browns before rising the oven is too hot. When it rises in the centre and cracks open it is too stiff with flour. Cake should rise first round the edge, then in the middle and remain level.

NOTE: 2 level teaspoons of baking powder are equal to 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda and 1 teaspoon cream of tartar.