Birthday? Anniversary? Going-away party? This super-easy, one-bowl layer cake is the perfect dessert for any gathering of chocolate buffs. Recipe from Sarah Carey from EveryDay Food for our YouTube collaboration, check out more great recipes on MarthaStewart.com.
For the cake:
Unsalted butter, softened, for greasing
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, plus more for pans
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
3/4 cup warm water
3 tbsp safflower oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the frosting:
2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
3/4 cup creme fraiche, or sour cream
For the cake:
Unsalted butter, softened, for greasing
85g unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder, plus more for the cake tins
190g cups all-purpose flour
300g sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
180ml cup low-fat buttermilk
180ml warm water
3 tbsp safflower oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the frosting:
280g icing sugar
30g unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
170g cream cheese, room temperature
165g unsalted butter, softened
265g bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
180g creme fraiche, or sour cream
2 x 8-inch cake pans
Black Forest Cake is a traditional German dessert that has been well and truly adopted by happy dessert eaters worldwide. Typically, black forest cake consists of several layers of chocolate cake, with whipped cream and cherries between each layer. Then the cake is decorated with additional whipped cream, more cherries, and chocolate shavings. This version is particularly delicious as I spike each layer of the cake with rum or kirsch, a fragrant cherry liqueur making it moist, boozy and oh so good. Recipe from The Pleasures of the Table: Rediscovering Theodora Fitzgibbon.