Black Forest Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cans (14.5 oz each) pitted tart cherries, drained, 1/2 cup (120 mL) juice saved
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp kirsch (cherry brandy) or 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups heavy cream, cold
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2 oz dark chocolate, shaved

Before you start

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease two 9-in round pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
• Chill a bowl for whipping the cream.

Directions

1. Whisk: all-purpose flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
2. Beat in until smooth: step 1, eggs, whole milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract.
3. Bake 350°F 30 to 35 min, until a toothpick comes out clean: step 2.
4. Cool completely, split each layer in half: step 3.
5. Simmer, stirring, until thick, 10 min: pitted tart cherries, sugar, cornstarch.
6. Stir in, cool: step 5, kirsch (cherry brandy) or 2 tsp vanilla extract.
7. Whip to stiff peaks: heavy cream, powdered sugar.
8. Stack layers with cream and cherries, frost: step 4, step 6, step 7.
9. Garnish, chill until serving: step 8, dark chocolate.