Made with homemade cherry filling, this German Black Forest Cake has layers of vegan chocolate sponge cake topped with sweet cherries and fluffy whipped cream. It’s a traditional German dessert that’s easy to make for any celebration.
Traditionally, a German black forest cake recipe soaks layers of chocolate cake in Kirsch, a cherry schnapps. The result is a moist, chocolate cherry-flavored dessert layered with fluffy clouds of whipped cream, also known as a black forest cherry torte.
This cake is a classic that I revamped to be vegan, and if you love a sweet cherry flavor, or my vegan cherry pie, you’ll be hooked in no time. With a rich mocha-like taste and covered in homemade whipped cream, every bite makes you want more, just like my vegan chocolate cream pie.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic Flavor: Sweet cherries paired with dark chocolate and a subtle hint of brandy, this German chocolate cherry cake is absolutely delicious.
- Versatile: Though it’s typically decorated with just whipped cream and cherries, you can vary the layers and aesthetics with a few small tweaks to suit the occasion.
- Simple to Make: Though a three-layered cake sounds intimidating, you only need to bake one chocolate cake before you level it into separate layers, making it easier than you think to come together. If you prefer a cake without layers, try my vegan chocolate cake recipe.
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Ingredients
- Cocoa powder: Natural unsweetened cocoa powder is essential to the vegan black forest cake for its traditional taste and the way it pairs with the cherry flavor.
- Espresso powder: Not included in more classic recipes, but a delicious twist. This intensifies the flavor of the chocolate. I also use it in this lava cake recipe.
- Cherries: You’ll need to pit the cherries before you get started, which means that frozen cherries are often easier to use. Fresh can be added, but it’ll be more work.
- Kirsch: This is a cherry schnapps liqueur that brings out a potent cherry flavor. If you can’t find it locally, you can replace it with brandy for a similar flavor.
- Vegan heavy whipping cream: I use a vegan whipping cream to make a homemade vegan whipped cream for the recipe. It brings a richer flavor, but in a pinch, store-bought whipped cream is fine.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Berries: In place of cherries, you can use a different fruit, like mixed berries. This is especially tasty in the summer months.
- Double chocolate: For more chocolate indulgence, drizzle vegan chocolate ganache, like the one I use in this yule log recipe, over the top of the German chocolate cake with cherries.
- Liqueurs: For a subtle flavor change, try using something like pomegranate liqueur in place of kirsch.
How to Make a German-Style Black Forest Cake
This chocolate cake comes together in sections to make it easier for you to prep in advance if you need to save some time in the kitchen.
Step 1: Prep the Batter and Bake. Combine all the ingredients for the chocolate cake and mix until well combined. Place the cake batter in a springform pan and bake until cooked through, about 50 minutes. Once the chocolate cake has cooled, use a cake level to slice it into three layers.
Step 2: Make the Cherry Sauce. Combine the sugar, cherries, and brandy in a large pan over medium heat and cook them until they begin to release their juices. Use a potato masher to press down the cherries. Use a spoon to remove ¼ cup of the juices and set aside. Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining cherry mixture, then cook for a few more minutes until the sauce thickens. Let the mixture cool.
Step 3: Make the Frosting and Layer. Beat the whipping cream until it peaks, then add the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whip it until combined, and then chill the frosting in the fridge. Grab the cake stand and add a dollop of frosting, then add the first layer of chocolate cake. Use a teaspoon to add the cherry mixture juices in a thin layer over the cake, then pipe a layer of frosting around the edges and in the middle.
Step 4: Build the Cake. On top of the frosting, add a layer of the boiled-down cherry mixture. Add another layer of cake and repeat the drizzle, frosting, and cherries. When you’re finished layering, pipe on the remaining frosting, then decorate with fresh cherries, frosting swirls, and chocolate shavings.
I love this black forest cake anytime of the year. It's great paired with thumbprint cookies with icing on a dessert table. Serve it for dessert after a light dinner of vegan orzo salad or crispy sticky tofu.
Expert Tips
- Thickening the cherries: You want to whisk in the cornstarch really well so that there are no clumps, and continue cooking the mixture until it thickens lightly into a syrupy texture.
- Cooling: The cherry mixture needs to cool on the counter for a few minutes and in the fridge for more time after that. This is because it needs to be fully chilled before being added to the cake layers.
- Decorating: I used a star piping tip on my piping bag and piped 8 swirls on the edges of the cake. You can do this, or just leave it with some frosting on top, decorated with more cherries and chocolate shavings.
- Cherries: If using fresh cherries, you’ll need to remove the pits and stems manually, and you may need to add 1 tablespoon of water to the mixture to get it boiling down.
- Storing: Once assembled, you can store the cake in the fridge for up to 3 days. To do this, place toothpicks in the top, wrap the cake on the stand in plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make this black forest cake ahead of time and keep it until you need it. Since the cherry mixture needs to chill fully, you can prep both the chocolate cake layers and the filling, as well as the cherry sauce, up to one day in advance and store them separately in the fridge. When you’re ready, make your vegan whipped cream and begin layering the cake.
Kirschwasser is a specialty alcohol made by fermenting cherries. This is why it’s used in traditional black forest cake recipes, because it brings such a potent cherry flavor.
Absolutely! To make a black forest cake without alcohol, use tart cherry juice in place of the Kirsch or brandy when soaking the chocolate sponge cake.
More Delicious Cake Recipes
German Black Forest Cake
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 210g
- ¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder 68g
- 1 cup sugar 200g
- 2 teaspoon espresso powder
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 cups dairy-free milk + 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar vegan buttermilk
- ½ cup neutral oil I used canola
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cherry Filling
- 800 g cherries I used frozen pitted cherries
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150g
- ¼ cup brandy (See Notes)
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups vegan heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Toppings
- fresh cherries
- shaved dark chocolate
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry and wet ingredients and mix. Transfer to a springform cake pan and bake at 350°F/ 175°C for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, add the cherries to a large pan over medium heat along with the sugar and brandy. Cook them down for 5-7 minutes, until they start to release their juices. Use a potato masher to press down on the cherries to release more of their juices.
- Once the cherries have cooked down, use a spoon to collect ¼ cup of the cherry juice. Add 2-3 tablespoon of brandy to the cherry juice and whisk together. Set aside. You will use this for the cake soak.
- Once you have removed the cherry juice, add the cornstarch to the cherries and use a whisk to quickly break up the clumps. Cook for another few minutes until the mixture thickens. Then remove from the heat to cool. Once the cherries have cooled, place them in the fridge to cool further. They will need to fully cool before adding to the cake.
- Next, we will make the frosting. Use a stand mixer or electric mixer to beat the whipping cream until it forms stable peaks. Then add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, and mix until well combined. Place in the fridge to chill.
- Once the cake has FULLY cooled, then use a cake level, or a serrated knife to level the top of the cake. Then use the knife or cake level to split the cake into two or three layers. I split mine into three layers.
- Add a small dollop of frosting to the bottom of the cake stand where you will be layering the cake. Then add the first cake layer on top. The frosting will help the cake stay in place.
- Grab your cherry & brandy cake soak and, using a teaspoon or pastry brush, add a thin layer of cake soak to the first layer of cake.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag and pipe a thick layer around the perimeter of the first cake layer. Add a thin layer of frosting in the middle. Then add a layer of the cooked-down cherries.
Notes
- Whipped cream: Wait until your whipping cream makes stable peaks before adding the other ingredients. Otherwise, it won’t be as fluffy on the cake.
- Prepping the cake tray: The reason you add a dollop of frosting to the cake tray before the first layer is to hold the cake in place.
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