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Black Forest Sheet Cake

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling time 2 hours
Servings 24 servings
Author Ann Otis

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 ¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ⅔ cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Cherry Filling

  • 1 24 oz jar pitted sour cherries in light syrup (or 2 14-oz cans)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 tablespooons granulated sugar (omit if using sweet cherries)

Whipped Cream Topping

  • 3 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ⅓ cup icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 oz chocolate shavings (optional)
  • fresh cherries for decorating (optional)

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined.
  • Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, water and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until smooth.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake in the preheated oven 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out onto the cooling rack and cool completely.
  • Using a long serrated knife, carefully slice the cake into two even layers.

Cherry Filling

  • While the cake is cooling, drain the cherries, reserving the syrup.
  • Pour 1 cup of the reserved syrup into a medium saucepan and whisk in the cornstarch and sugar. Bring the syrup to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it boils, it will thicken significantly. Cook the syrup for one minute, whisking frequently, and remove from heat.
  • Transfer the pan to the refrigerator to cool to room temperature or colder. Stir the cherries into the cooled syrup.
  • Spread the cherry filling evenly over one of the cake layers.

Whipped Cream Topping

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, icing sugar, and vanilla extract together until stiff peaks form.
  • Spread half the whipped cream over the cherry layer. Place the second cake layer on top, and spread the remaining whipped topping over the top.
  • Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings and/or fresh cherries if you like.

Notes

This cake should be stored in the refrigerator, and will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container.