I haven’t put a recipe on here in a while, but son wanted to make chocolate cake this weekend, so we decided to add cherry pie filling to it to make a sort-of cheat’s black forest gateau. We decided not to put whipped cream on the cake and just have it on the side as our fridge isn’t working and we’d rather be able to leave the cake on the counter and just keep the cream on ice in the fridge. The engineer will be out on Monday!
The cake is a lovely light sponge cake that as long as you don’t over-mix, is lovely and with a tender crumb. It would also make a great chocolate Victoria Sponge.
Chocolate Cake:
6 oz/175g unsalted butter, softened
6 oz/175g caster sugar (granulated)
3 large eggs, beaten
6 oz/175g self raising flour (or 170g plain flour and 2 tsp baking powder)
1 oz/25g cocoa powder
1 tbsp warm water
Buttercream Icing:
2 tbsp cocoa powder
3 oz/75g softened butter
3 oz/75g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Whipped Cream:
250ml Double/Whipping Cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 oz/25g icing sugar
1 – 14 oz. tin cherry pie filling
Turn oven to 350’F/175’C
Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy, then addin the eggs a little at a time. If it starts to curdle, add a tablespoon of the weighed out flour and keep mixing until it is smooth. Add in the warm water.
Mix the flour and cocoa powder (and baking powder if using) together in a bowl, then add to the butter and sugar bowl and fold in.
Divide the mixture between two 8-inch sandwich tins, buttered and floured or lined. Level with a knife and put both tins in the middle of the oven for about 20-25 minutes. They are ready when you gently push the top with a finger the sponge bounces back and the cake is pulling away from the sides of the tin. Cool for 5 minutes in the pans, then carefully turn out on a wire rack to cool.
Meanwhile, carefully cream together the ingredients for the buttercream icing, then once there is no danger of icing sugar going everywhere, whip with an electric mixer until it’s lighter in colour and fluffy.
Whip the double/whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla together until ti forms soft peaks.
Spread 1/2 the butter cream onto the top of a layer of cake, putting the remainder in a piping bag with a tip. Once it’s smooth, pipe the remaining buttercream in a circle on the edge, building it up to form a wall to hold the pie filling in. Carefully pour the pie filling on top (it may not take the whole tin), then smooth out. Place the top layer on top and gently wiggle it to center it and level it. Pipe any remaining buttercream on top of the cake, dust with a little icing sugar and serve with the whipped cream and remaining pie filling. Perfect with Earl Grey Tea!
You can also ice the cake with the whipped cream and cover in chocolate sprinkles to make a more authentic looking black forest gateau…
Through The Looking Glass 