Black Forest Sheet Cake
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This black forest sheet cake starts with an incredibly rich and fudgy chocolate cake made in 9×13 inch pan. Then it’s topped with a fluffy cloud of whipped cream and sweet cherry sauce. It has everything you love about classic black forest cake, but requires way less effort to make.
Black forest cake is the perfect recipe for cherry season. This sheet cake version is so much easier than making the classic layered cake and is perfect if you need to transport your cake or feed a crowd. You’ll love that there’s no need to mess around with cake layers.
For the Chocolate Cake
Black forest cake starts with a moist, fudgy, chocolate cake. This chocolate cake recipe uses oil instead of butter, which keeps the cake soft for longer and saves time because there’s no need to soften the butter. Then we’re using both milk and sour cream for the perfect moist and spongy texture. Sour cream gives this chocolate cake a fudgy texture that sticks to the back of your fork, whereas the milk ensures that the cake doesn’t get too heavy.
The chocolate flavor comes form cocoa powder. Make sure to use Dutch process (sometimes called dark or specialty dark) for a cake with a rich, robust chocolate flavor. Adding hot coffee (almost boiling water) to the cake batter helps the cocoa powder to bloom. This essentially means that the cocoa powder is activated, so that it gives a more complex chocolate flavor.
For the Whipped Cream
The whipped cream is lightly sweetened. It can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve. Whenever making whipped cream, make sure to follow these tips:
- Use whipping cream or heavy cream that’s 33-40% MF.
- The whipping cream should be cold, from the fridge.
- Chill the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the fridge or freezer for 10 minutes first. This keeps the cream cold. Just be sure to wipe off any condensation.
- Beat on medium speed, and watch carefully. Don’t walk away – or the whipping cream can go from a fluffy cloud to curdled.
For the Cherry Sauce
For the cherry sauce, you’ll boil down pitted cherries along with a touch of sugar, a little cherry liqueur (Kirsch), and cornstarch to help the sauce thicken. The alcohol from the Kirsch will largely be boiled off – but I’ve also included an option without using Kirsch if you prefer.
Assembly & Make Ahead Tips
Before assembling, it’s imperative that the cake and cherry sauce are completely cooled. Neither should be warm to the touch, as it will cause the whipped cream to melt. You’ll top the cooled chocolate cake with a fluffy cloud of whipped cream – I like to use the back of a spoon to make swirls – then spoon on the cherry sauce.
For this recipe, the cake, whipped cream and cherry sauce can all be made in advance. Bake the cake, cool fully, then cover the pan and store at room temperature overnight. The whipped cream should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, and the fully cooled cherry sauce should also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
I recommend only assembling the cake right before serving. Once assembled, it should be stored in the fridge.
More Black Forest Desserts to Try
Black Forest Sheet Cake
Equipment
- 9×13 Inch Pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour (281 grams)
- ¾ cup Dutch process cocoa (60 grams)
- 2¼ cup granulated sugar (450 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil (160 ml), or canola oil
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup buttermilk (180 ml)
- ½ cup sour cream (120 ml)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot coffee (240 ml), or boiling water
Cherry Sauce
- 3½ cups pitted cherries (about 500 grams), I cut mine in half
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- 2 tablespoon Kirsch, or lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, 33-40% MF, cold
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃). Grease a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) cake pan, then lightly dust with cocoa powder.
- In a very large bowl, sift in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then add in the sugar and whisk together until evenly combined.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, buttermilk, sour cream and vanilla extract keep whisking until there are no visible pieces of egg. Then whisk the hot coffee into the wet ingredients.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, then pour the wet ingredients into the well. Whisk together until the mixture is an even consistency. You could use an electric mixer for this. Be sure to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl a few times to ensure that there are no lumps of batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick or cake tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The cake should be starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, and if you give it a gentle nudge it shouldn't wobble like pudding.
- Cool the cake in the pan.
Cherry Sauce
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine all the ingredients. Stir constantly as the berries start to soften. They'll first start to release their juices, then the mixture will start to thicken (about 5-10 minutes).
- Remove from the heat. Allow the mixture to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to use.
Whipped Cream
- In the bowl of a sand mixer, or a large bowl using a hand held mixer, add the cold cream and powdered sugar. Whip together on medium speed, using the whisk attachment of your mixer. Beat together until medium-stiff peaks form. Watch constantly, to ensure that the whipping cream doesn't curdle.
Assemble
- Assemble the cake as close to the time you plan to serve it as possible.
- Top the fully cooled cake with whipped cream, creating a fluffy cloud-like texture. Spoon the fully cooled cherry sauce on top.
Notes
- Cocoa: This recipe is designed using Dutch process. Be sure to sift the cocoa powder first to remove lumps.
- Kirsch: Kirsch is a cherry liqueur traditionally used black forest. It can be replaced with lemon juice.
- Cherries: I always make black forest in the summer when cherries are in season. You could use frozen cherries if you prefer. They will take longer to boil down, and I do recommend using 4 teaspoons of cornstarch instead, as they will be juicier. Do not use cherries packed in syrup already, as the cherry sauce will be too sweet. I highly recommend using a cherry pitter if you have one.
- Serving: Black forest cake should be assembled as close to serving time as possible. I recommend only adding the cherry sauce right before serving. It can be assembled up to 1 hour in advance, and stored at room temperature. Otherwise store in the fridge.
- Make Ahead Tips: Make the cake the day before you plan to serve, cool fully, then cover the pan and store at room temperature overnight. Make the cherry sauce the day before, cool fully, then store in the fridge overnight. I recommend making the whipped cream the day you plan to serve, and storing in an airtight container in the fridge. Assemble before serving.
- Storage: Black forest should be stored covered in the fridge.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only, based on 1 slice, assuming the cake is sliced into 15 uniform pieces.
