Black Forest Cake

By rossboys

Lynn Morford from Sherman, Illinois was a finalist in the "Bake-a-Cake" category in the Blue Ribbon Culinary Contest at the Illinois State Fair, Springfield, Illinois.

Ingredients

• Cherry Topping:
• 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• 2 (20oz) cans tart pitted cherries
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Frosting:
• 3 cups whipping cream
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 deg. Grease and flour 2 (9") round cake pans. Cover bottoms with waxed paper. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat until well blended. Pour evenly into prepared pans. Bake 35 minutes or until wood pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Loosen edges and remove to racks to cool completely.

While cake is baking, prepare Cherry Topping; cool. Split cooled cakes horizontally in half to make 4 layers. Tear 1 layer into crumbs; set aside. Reserve 1-1/2 cups Frosting for decorating cake; set aside.

To assemble, place 1 layer on cake plate. Spread with 1 cup frosting; top with 3/4 cup cherry topping. Top with second cake layer; repeat layers of frosting and cherry topping. Top with third cake layer. Frost sides of cake with remaining frosting. Pat reserved crumbs into frosting on sides of cake; pipe reserved 1-1/2 cups frosting around top and bottom edges of cake. Spoon remaining cherry topping onto top of cake. Refrigerate.

Cherry Topping: Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Combine reserved juice, cherries, granulated sugar and cornstarch in 2 qt saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in vanilla. Cool; set aside.

Frosting: Beat together whipping cream and powdered sugar in chilled bowl at high speed with electric mixer until stiff peaks form.