black forest cake with sour cherries

When you really love someone you do things that you normally wouldn't do.  Like make a cake instead of cupcakes.  I have never made a layered cake.  I think about making one all the time and I am always reading articles on how to do so, but when it comes time to bake I always choose cupcakes because they are so easy.  Layered cakes scare me.  I'm not sure why.  Anyways, making a layered cake was on my list of things to do this year and Ryan has been asking me to make a black forest cake for a few months now. Next month is Valentine's Day and our 8 year wedding anniversary, so I thought I would make it as an early anniversary present (honestly, I made it early so if it didn't turn out I would have time to redeem myself).  Luckily my mother-in-law freezes large amounts of sour cherries every summer and let me have some of her stash.  If you aren't lucky enough to have a mother-in-law with a sour cherry stash, you can use canned cherries instead.  This is the perfect cake for Valentine's day!

* recipe #9 in my 52 recipe challenge

Black Forest Cake with Sour Cherries:

Chocolate Cake:

1 2/3 cups flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 tsps baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Filling:

1 cup butter, room temperature

3 1/2 cups icing sugar

cherry juice

2 cups sour cherries, drained

Whipped Cream Icing:

2 cups whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

4 tbsp icing sugar 

bag of dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar to decorate

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Use non stick cooking spray on two 9' pans.  Trace the bottom of your pans on parchment paper and cut out these circles, placing on the bottom of each pan.  
3. In a bowl, add the flour, baking soda and salt.  Make sure to sift all the lumps out of your cocoa and add to the flour.  Stir and set aside.
4. Cream together the coconut oil and sugar.  
5. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
6. Add the flour mixture and while mixing, slowly add the buttermilk and mix until combined.
7. Divide the batter between the two pans.  Use a spatula to get a flat top and then place in the oven. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean (40 minutes was perfect in my oven).
8. Let the cakes cool and then gently place upside down on a plate or wire rack. Place the cakes in the fridge until nice and cold.
9. While the cake is cooling, whip the butter until light and fluffy.  
10. Add the icing sugar and mix well.
11. Slowly add the cherry juice, one tablespoon at a time until you get a nice consistency. *Using either a cake stand or the plate you will be serving on, place 4 pieces of parchment paper so it is covering where the edges of the cake will be, but not all the way to the middle.  After you ice the cake, you will easily be able to remove the parchment paper and then your cake stand or plate will be clean. (see above)
12. Take the cooled cake out of the refigerator.  If your cakes are uneven, use a knife to make them nice and flat.  Place one of the cakes on the parchment lined cake stand or plate.  Make a nice layer of icing and then cover in sour cherries.  Place the second cake on top. Put back in the refrigerator. 
13. While the cake is cooling, make the whipped cream icing.  It is important to use icing sugar here so the whipping cream stays firm.  Also, be careful not to add too much sugar because this is a very sweet cake. Place your whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl and whip until nice and thick.
14. Take your cake back out of the refigerator and cover with the whipping cream.  You can decorated however you like after.  I used dark chocolate chips, but you can also use a vegetable peeler on a frozen chocolate bar to get nice flakes.
15. Find someone you love and share this cake.  Enjoy!