Eggless Black Forest cake

Eggless Black Forest cake is a classic and everyone's favorite. Black forest cake is a chocolate sponge cake sandwiched with layers of whipped cream and rich cherries filling. There are many components to be put together, but follow it step-by-step to get an amazing result. Make this for any special occasion like birthdays, anniversaries or for just the celebration of Life. 

With multiple layers of decadent chocolate sponge, delicious whipped cream and garnished with cherries, the black forest cake tastes decadent and heavenly and this is what anyone needs to complete their joyous celebrations.

Let's get to the first component - 

THE CHOCOLATE SPONGE:

Recipe Source: Gayathri's Cookspot

Things Needed:

All Purpose Flour - 1 cup - 130 grams

Granulated Sugar - 3/4 cup - 172 grams

Neutral oil - 1/2 cup - 100 ml

Milk - 1/2 cup - 100 ml

Curd - 1/2 cup - 100 ml

Cocoa powder - 4 Tablespoon 

Baking powder - 1/2 Teaspoon 

Baking soda - 1 Teaspoon 

Hot coffee - Add 1 teaspoon instant coffee to 1/4 cup (50 ml) boiling water 

Vanilla essence - 1 Teaspoon 

All Purpose Flour - I have used regular all purpose flour. You can use unbleached organic flour if preferred.

Granulated Sugar - I have used granulated fine sugar. Sugar need not be powdered. It can just be added and easily diluted.

Neutral Oil - I have used Refined Sunflower oil for this recipe. It is important to use any neutral oil which doesn't have any taste or smell for this recipe.

Milk - I have used warm milk for this recipe. It should not be too hot nor too cold 

Curd - Curd is needed to bring that soft spongy cake layers. Curd is a very good replacement for eggs. 

Cocoa powder - Use a good quality cocoa powder to get a decadent chocolate cake. I have used Hershey's Cocoa powder.

Baking powder - Baking powder is used as a leavening agent thereby helping the cake mixture to expand. 

Baking soda - Baking soda is also a leavening agent which helps in giving a good fluffy texture to the cake.

Hot Coffee - One of the most easily available yet important ingredient for any chocolate recipe is a small amount of coffee. Coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate and hence adding a small amount of coffee really helps in bringing out that chocolate flavor. I have used 1 teaspoon of instant coffee and mixed it with hot boiling water. You can either use hot black coffee or use instant powder and mix it with boiling water.

Vanilla - Add a dash of Vanilla essence or extract into the cake batter for a good flavor. 

Step-by-step pictorial representation:

Step 1: 

Take a bowl and place a sieve.

Step 2: 

To this sieve, add Cocoa powder, all purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda.

Step 3:

Now using a spatula or a hand whisk, combine and sieve all these dry ingredients.

Step 4:

Once combined, remove the sieve. Now add granulated sugar to this dry mix.

Step 5:

Add one after another, oil, milk, curd and vanilla essence. 

Step 6 : 

Combine them well together. Use a hand whisk or an electric beater to form the batter. DONOT OVERMIX. 

Step 7: 

Once the wet ingredients are combined well with the dry ingredients add in hot coffee and mix up the batter.

Step 8: 

Preheat the oven to 175°C and meanwhile, Grease, line and dust two 6 inch cake pans. 

Step 9:

Split the batter equally between the two pans. Remember to fill up the pans only to half the level of the cake pans. 

Step 10:

Tap the pans on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Place them on the preheated oven and bake @175°C for 20 - 25 minutes. Mine took 20 minutes to bake.

Once it is done, insert a toothpick and see if it comes out clean. If it comes out clean, the cake is baked well. If not, bake it for a few more minutes. Remember, doneness of the cake can be known when the toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Step 11: 

Let it sit on the cake pans for 5-10 minutes. After that, slide out a knife on the sides to release the cake from the pan. Remove the cake from the pan and let them cool completely on a cooling rack. 

Once the cake sponges are cooled completely, cling wrap them and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours before slicing up the layers. You can also prepare the sponge and refrigerate and assemble on the next day.

With this step we complete the first component needed for the black forest cake.

THE SECOND COMPONENT - CHERRIES FILLING:

Things needed:

Fresh / Canned cherries

Sugar - 2 Tablespoons

Water - 1/4 Cup

I have used processed cherries for this recipe. Hence I add it to a pan along with sugar and water, and boil it to get cherry extract. If you use canned cherries, you can avoid this step. You only need to strain cherries and save the liquid extract. If you are using fresh cherries, you need to deseed them, add sugar and water and boil until you get a thick compote like texture. 

Step 1: 

Chop the cherries into small pieces.

Step 2: 

Add the chopped cherries to a pan along with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/4 cup of water.

Step 3:

Place them onto a stove and heat them until it boils.

Step 4:

Turn off the stove and strain them to separate the boiled cherries and the cherry extract.

Now cool these completely. Your cherry filling for the layers is ready. Use this liquid extract to soak the cake layers.

The second component needed for the eggless Black Forest cake is ready.

Let's now get on to the third component:

THE WHIPPED CREAM: 

I have used whipping cream powder and have whipped it. You can either use dairy whipping cream, non dairy whipping cream or whipping cream powder as per your convenience. But as far as I know, non dairy whipping cream or whipping cream powder gives you a pretty stable whipped cream than dairy whipping cream. 

Things needed:

Whipping cream powder - 2 packets

Chilled Milk - 200ml

Bowl and electric/hand whisk - completely chilled 

Ice cubes

A bigger bowl to place the chilled bowl 

Step 1: 

To the bigger bowl add ice cubes and ice water. 

Now place the chilled bowl inside the bigger bowl. This helps with the stability of the whipped cream.

Next, to the chilled bowl, add whipping cream powder and chilled milk. 

Mix them up and start the electric whisk. You can also use hand whisk, but it will take much longer time and effort than electric whisk.

Now scrape the sides in intervals and continue the process. 

Beat them at high speed for 4-5 minutes. You will observe soft peaks forming up.

Keep beating them further until stiff peaks form. This is the stage when, if you take some on the spatula they just stay and do not fall or slide. 

This is the stage when the whipping cream is fully whipped. 

Refrigerate this whipped cream for 30 to 45 minutes before frosting. 

This completes the third component. 

The next step will be to slice each cake sponge into two layers. You can also use as a whole cake sponge without slicing. That will give big layers of sponge. Place the sliced layers separately.

It's now time for the final stage. 

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE:

Things needed:

Cake sponge, sliced or full

Candied cherries

Cherry extract

Finely chopped chocolate for the sides

Chocolate swirls for the top

Whipped cream

Piping bag 

1M Star Nozzle and Round tip Nozzle

Scraper

Cake board - I did this on my own with the help of two cardboard pieces and aluminum foil. 

Turntable

Step 1:

Into a tall glass place a piping bag with round tip nozzle. Now add whipped cream to it and seal it well.

Step 2:

Place the cake board on the turntable and apply a spoon of whipped cream. This helps to secure the cake from slipping.

Step 3:

Now place the first layer of cake sponge on the cake board.

Step 4:

Brush the cherry extract onto the cake layer. Soaking of cake layers is important as it helps to keep the layers from getting dried.

Step 5:

Now add the candied cherries to the layer.

Step 6:

Using the piping bag fill up the layer with whipped cream.

Step 7: 

Now use a palette knife to layer up the whipped cream.

Step 8: 

Repeat this process for the rest of the layers. To the top layer just add the whipped cream. Avoid cherries in this layer.

Now scrape the sides and the top using a scraper and the palette knife. Smoothen it out. This will be the crumb coating.

Now, refrigerate this for 10-15 minutes. This gives good stability to the cake and the whipped cream. 

After 15 minutes take it out of the fridge and continue the frosting process.

Now take another piping bag and place a 1m star nozzle. Add whipped cream to the piping bag. 

On top of the cake make swirls using this nozzle. Leave gaps in between these swirls . Now fill up the gap by making small stars  with the frosting.

Now place cherries in the middle of these swirls. 

Apply the chocolate swirls to the center of the cake. 

Also use the finely chopped chocolate to decorate the sides of the cake. 

Once the chocolate shavings are added to the sides of the cake, clean up the excess using a kitchen paper towel. Chill the cake before slicing it up. 

Enjoy this cake for any special occasion. 

Surprise your loved ones with this cake on their special day and carve beautiful memories for life. 

Tried this recipe? Post your creations and tag @theory.of.bakin_with_Harini  and use #theory.of.bakin_with_Harini on Instagram.  

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest for more exciting recipes. Thanks for stopping by !!

 

Recipe Card:

Eggless Black Forest Cake Description: Decadent Chocolate layers sandwiched with whipped cream, cherries and coated with chocolate swirls. Prep Time: Cake Batter – 15 Minutes        Bake – 20 – 25 minutes          Cherries – 10 Minutes              Whipped cream – 15 Mins       Assembling : 30 Minutes Chilling Time:  Sponge – 4 Hours Minimum Whipped Cream – 45 Minutes Crumb coating – 15 Minutes The first Component : THE CHOCOLATE SPONGE:  Things Needed:  All Purpose Flour - 1 cup - 130 grams Granulated Sugar - 3/4 cup - 172 grams Neutral oil - 1/2 cup - 100 ml Milk - 1/2 cup - 100 ml Curd - 1/2 cup - 100 ml Cocoa powder - 4 Tablespoon  Baking powder - 1/2 Teaspoon  Baking soda - 1 Teaspoon  Hot coffee - Add 1 teaspoon instant coffee to 1/4 cup (50ml) boiling water  Vanilla essence - 1 Teaspoon  Instructions: 1. To a bowl place a sieve. Add cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda. Sieve it well and make it lump free.   2 Now add granulated sugar and mix well. To this dry mixture, add one after another, milk, curd and oil. Mix it well to combine the wet ingredients with dry ingredients. DO NOT  OVERMIX. 3. Add hot coffee to this mixture and combine. 4. Preheat the oven to 175◦C and meanwhile take two 6 inch pans. Grease and line them with parchment paper and dust them. Now pour the cake batter between the two pans. Fill the pans only till half way. Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake them for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 5. Once they are baked, take them out of the oven and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. After that slide a palette knife onto the sides and release the cake from the pan. Place them on a cooling rack and cool them completely. 6. Once they are completely cooled, cling wrap them and refrigerate for minimum of 4 hours. The Second Component : THE CHERRIES:  Things Needed:  Fresh / Canned cherries Sugar - 2 Tablespoons Water - 1/4 Cup 1. Chop the processed cherries and add them to a pan. 2. Now add 1/4th cup of water and 2 tbsp of sugar and bring it to a boil. 3. Turn off the flame when it boils well and slightly thickens. Now strain the cherries and collect the liquid extract. Cool them completely. The Third Component : THE WHIPPED CREAM: 1. Add  whipping cream powder and chilled milk to  a bowl. In case you are using whipping cream, add it to a chilled bowl. Now start beating using an electric beater. 2. Beat it well for 3-4 minutes until soft peaks are formed. Scrape the sides occasionally. Keep repeating the process until stiff peaks are formed. The cream will be fully whipped when they turn double in volume and become airy and creamy. You can know the doneness by taking some on the spatula. If they stay without sliding or dripping it means they are done. Chill it for 30-45 minutes before frosting. The ASSEMBLING: 1. Place the cake board on a turntable. 2. Apply a spoon of whipped cream and place the first layer of cake. 3. Now, brush the cake layer with cherry extract. 4. Next, add the candied cherries to the layer. 5. Add a generous amount of whipped cream to the cake layer with the help of a piping bag with round tip. 6. With the help of a palette knife, smoothen out the layer. 7. Repeat the process for the next layers. 8. For the top layer, do not apply candies cherries. Apply just a generous volume of whipped cream and smoothen out. 9. Smoothen out the sides and the top. This will be the crumb coating. 10. Now refrigerate this cake for 10-15 minutes before the final frosting. 11. After 15 minutes, continue this frosting process by adding good volumes of whipped cream and smoothening it up. 12. Now using a 1M tip star nozzle make swirls on top of the cake. Leave gaps between the swirls. These gaps must be filled up by piping small stars. 13. Place cherries on these swirls. Add chocolate swirls to the center of the cake. Add chocolate shavings to the sides of the cake. 14. Clean up the excess chocolate with the help of a kitchen paper towel. 15. Refrigerate this cake before slicing it up. Make this cake for any special occasions and carve beautiful memories with a beautiful and delicious cake. Notes: 1. Chilling of cake sponges is very important as it helps to slice the cake easily. 2. Chilling the cake after crumb coating is important because it makes the cake stable.  3. You can also substitute molten, room temperature butter in place of oil. But I have used oil for this recipe. 4. Using the right measuring cups is very important. I’m emphasizing on this because, this is the place where I used go wrong. I use a 240ML measuring cup set. But we also have 200ml and 250 ml cup sets available in the market. Many bakers use 200ml sets. Hence whenever you follow a recipe, proper conversions are needed. Just keep that in mind.