Easy Black Cherry Cake
Black Cherry Cake has a moist chocolate cake sponge, soaked with black cherry syrup, and is layered with light cream and cocoa powder on top.
Servings 14
Ingredients
For the Syrup:
- 2 lbs. fresh cherries or frozen cherries
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
For the Cream:
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
How to Make Black Cherry Syrup
- Remove the stems, rinse cherries thoroughly and remove the pits. Transfer cherries into small sauce pan. Add sugar. Mash cherries with a potato masher.
- On a stove burner bring the mashed cherries to a boil on high. Reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Remove cherries from the burner and let it cool completely before use. (I like to make the syrup the night before I plan to bake, so the syrup has had plenty of time to cool.) After the cherry syrup cools, pour it through a strainer to separate the cherry chunks from the syrup. Set aside until ready for use.
How to Make the Batter
- Make the batter using How to Make Chocolate Sponge instructions. While cake sponges are cooling, make the cream.
How to Make the Cream
- Pour heavy cream into mixer bowl. Beat it on high for 1 minute or until it becomes thick. Add powdered sugar, beat for another minute. Then add sour cream and beat for one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix in left out cream for one more minute. Refrigerate the cream until ready for use.
How to Assemble Cake
- Cut off about ¼ “ from the top of each sponge.
- Soak both bottom sponges with cherry syrup. Place a sponge on a cake platter. Cover the soaked sponge with a generous amount of cream (about 2 cups).
- Tear the trimmed tops into several large pieces and place them on top of the cream. Then cover it with a thick layer of cooked black cherry chunks. Press the top sponge down a bit, if necessary, to level the cherries.
- Place another 2 cups of cream over cherries and even out the cream. Place a second cake sponge on top of the cream. Soak the top of the sponge with the remaining cherry syrup, and then crumb coat the cake with some cream. Place the cake and the remaining cream into the fridge (you should have about 3 cups left) for an hour.
- Remove the cake and reserved cream from the fridge. Beat the cream for 30 seconds to fluff. Cover the cake with cream. Sprinkle the top with cocoa powder and decorate however you like.
- Place fresh cherries on top of the cake for a touch of freshness and decor. Refrigerate the cake for 4 hours or overnight.
- Slice it up and enjoy with tea or coffee!
Notes
- Using fresh cherries will give your black cherry cake a vibrant and juicy flavor, but if they're not in season, frozen cherries can be a great alternative.
- When making your cherry syrup, be sure to let it cool completely before using it on your cake. This allows the cake to soak up the syrup without becoming soggy.
- Cut off about ¼ inch from the top of each sponge before assembling your cake. This will help the cake to absorb the cherry syrup and also make it easier to layer and assemble.
- Soak both bottom sponges with cherry syrup, but be careful not to oversoak them. You want the sponges to be moist, but not falling apart.
- When assembling your cake, don't be shy with the cream and cherry filling. A generous amount of both will make your cake moist and delicious.
- After assembling your cake, refrigerating it for at least 4 hours or overnight is crucial. This allows the flavors to meld together and the cake to set, giving you a perfect slice every time.
- This cake turns out soft and moist when stored in a covered container overnight.