Description
Delicious black forest cake squares with layers of chocolate cake, cherry filling, whipped cream, and chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup hot coffee (or hot water)
- 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling (or 2 1/2 cups sweet cherries + 1/3 cup sugar, cooked down)
- 1 tbsp kirsch or cherry juice (optional)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp instant vanilla pudding mix (optional for stability)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- Maraschino cherries or fresh cherries (for topping)
- Chocolate shavings or curls (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment.
- Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; mix until smooth.
- Stir in hot coffee. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 22–28 minutes until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely.
- Once cooled, lift cake out and carefully slice horizontally to make two thin layers.
- Beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and pudding mix (if using) to stiff peaks. Chill for 10 minutes.
- Place the bottom cake layer back into the pan (or on a board). Spread cherry pie filling evenly (stir in kirsch/cherry juice if using).
- Spread whipped cream evenly over the cherries. Top with the second cake layer and press gently.
- Heat cream until steaming. Pour over chocolate chips, rest for 2 minutes, then stir until glossy. Cool 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened, then spread over the top.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours (best overnight) for clean slices. Cut into squares.
- Decorate each square with a cherry and chocolate shavings.
Notes
- For best results, chill overnight before slicing.
- Use fresh cherries if preferred over canned pie filling.
- Instant pudding mix helps stabilize the whipped cream.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: black forest cake squares, black forest dessert bars, whipped cream layered cake, ganache topped cake, chocolate layer cake bars, cherry chocolate dessert