Black Forest Cake

Ingredients

CAKE

• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips, melted
• 4 large eggs

FILLING & FROSTING

• 3 cups heavy whipping cream
• 12 ounce jar Morello (sour) cherries My jar was 24.7 oz/700g total weight, 12 oz/340 g drained weight
• 11/2 tablespoons cherry liquor (kirsch) *see notes
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp cherry juice (from the jar)
• 6 ounces grated dark chocolate
• fresh cherries for garnish optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F Grease two 9" round cake pans with butter or nonstick spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside
2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, and eggs. Gradually beat the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
4. Stir in the melted chocolate chips and mix just until well blended. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
5. Bake the cakes until a tester comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto wire cooling racks to cool completely. You may also turn them out onto plastic wrap and wrap well to either freeze for later (thaw in refrigerator overnight) or refrigerate a few hours until well chilled. TIP: Well chilled cakes are easier to level and frost. 

To fill and decorate the cake:

1. Remove the cherries from the syrup and set aside both the cherries and syrup - you'll need both!
2. Make the whipped cream. Place the whipping cream in a large bowl and use either the whisk attachment on your stand mixer or a hand mixer to beat. Start at low speed, then work your way up to high, adding the powdered sugar and cherry juice as you mix. Beat on high until stiff peaks form, then stop and set aside. 
3. Use a long serrated knife or cake leveler to cut each  Place the first layer on a cake board or plate and brush a coating of cherry syrup (or kirsch) over the surface. Spread about a 1/3" layer of whipping cream onto the cake and top with 1/3 of the cherries. Repeat with the remaining layers.
4. Use the rest of the whipped cream to coat the sides and top of the cake. Decorate with the grated chocolate and fresh cherries (if using). Refrigerate the cake until you're ready to serve. Since this cake uses a whipped topping, it is best served the day it is assembled since the frosting will gradually deflate. 

Recipe Notes

Adapted from King Arthur Flour.

*Use syrup/juice from the sour cherries as a substitute for the liquor if you can't find it or would like to omit the alcohol. 

source:http://goodiegodmother.com/black-forest-cake/