Black Cherry Cocoa Recipes

BLACK FOREST CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• To make the chocolate cake: Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Generously butter two 8-inch cake pans that are at least 2-inches high, and dust with cocoa powder, tapping the ramekins slightly to remove any excess.
• In a large bowl, place flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Mix until combined. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, oil, vanilla, buttermilk, and water (pour the water slowly so it won't cook the eggs). Whisk until smooth. Add egg mixture into flour mixture and mix until smooth. Don't overbeat - batter will be lumpy at first, but mix gently and eventually stir with a whisk just until smooth. The batter will be thin and liquid. That's ok.
• Scrape batter into prepared pans. Bake cakes for 30-35 minutes (depending on your oven - this might take longer), or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan before unmolding, then let cakes cool completely on a wire rack. I recommend wrapping the cakes in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze them for several hours before cutting them. Cut each cake layer in half horizontally.
• To make the syrup: place drained cherries in a medium bowl, and add to the bowl ¼ cup Kirsch and ½ cup cherry juice from can. Leave to soak at room temperature for 30 minutes or more, then drain cherries in a sieve over a bowl, keeping both the cherries and syrup. Add more cherry juice to the syrup to get 3/4 cup syrup (you won't need the rest of the juice, discard it or save for another use). This will be the soaking syrup for the cake layers.
• To make the whipped cream: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Read more about making perfect whipped cream here.
• Assembly: Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate and brush with 1/3 of the cherry syrup. Cover top with a thick layer of whipped cream frosting (about 1 cup) and top with 1/3 of the cherries. Repeat twice more with remaining layers and top with the last cake layer (there's no need to soak the top layer with syrup). Frost the top and sides of the cake with whipped cream. If you want, reserve some of the whipped cream, about 1½ cups, for decorating the top. Use a pastry bag with a large flower tip, and pipe rounds around the top. Top with whole cherries. Cover the sides and top with chocolate shavings, if desired. Store cake in the fridge, covered, for up to 4 days.

BLACK FOREST CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners.
• Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in milk. Add flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda; beat until batter is smooth.
• Pour batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each liner about half-full.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 25 minutes.
• Cut tops off the cooled cupcakes. Remove a small amount of the center of each cupcake. Fill the centers with a small dab of black cherry jam. Put the tops back on, covering the jam.
• Combine heavy cream, sucralose sweetener, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Whip until soft peaks form. Place in the refrigerator until chilled.
• Place whipped cream in a piping bag fitted with a round or star tip. Frost each cupcake with a swirl of whipped cream. Top each one with a maraschino cherry and grated chocolate.

BLACK FOREST CHERRY COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• 2. In a medium size bowl whisk together thoroughly, the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
• 3. In a medium size saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips; stirring constantly until the chocolate chips have melted.
• 4. Remove the pan from the heat, and cool for 10 minutes.
• 5. Now whisk in the light brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract, until blended together.
• 6. Add the flour mixture, and stir until smooth.
• 7. Stir in the chopped cherries and the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.
• 8. Drop tablespoons of cookie dough, 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.
• 9. Bake in oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until toothpick inserted in one of the cookies, comes out clean.
• 10. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely
• 11. To make the frosting for the cookies: In a medium size bowl beat together, the frosting ingredients. Pipe or spread frosting over each cookie. (I did sprinkle a bit of red sugar over each cookie, to make them look more festive.) Allow cookies to sit for 2 hours, before placing them in a Tupperware like container. These cookies do freeze well.