Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cake)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 175 °C (fan 160 °C). Butter only the base of a 14 cm round springform tin and line it with baking paper. Leave the sides ungreased so the sponge can climb up them.

   Add in this stepButter (for the tin) ½ tsp

   oven

2. Whisk the eggs, sugar and salt with an electric mixer on high for 6 min, until tripled in volume, very pale, and falling from the beaters in a ribbon that sits on the surface for a moment. That air is the only thing raising the sponge, so don't cut this short.

   Add in this stepEggs, room temperature 2Caster sugar 50 gSalt 1 pinch

3. Sift the flour, cornflour, cocoa and baking powder together over the eggs in 2 or 3 additions. Fold gently with a spatula, lifting from the bottom of the bowl, and stop as soon as no dry flour is visible. Overmixing knocks out the air and makes a flat sponge.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 30 gCornflour (cornstarch) 15 gUnsweetened cocoa powder 10 gBaking powder ¼ tsp

4. Pour the batter into the tin, tap it once or twice on the counter to burst large bubbles and bake in the oven for 20 min. It's done when the centre springs back when pressed lightly and a skewer comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, run a knife around the edge, unmould and let it cool completely (about 1 hour).

   oven

5. Drain the cherries over a bowl to catch the juice. In a small pan, stir most of the juice with the filling cornflour and sugar until smooth before turning on the heat. Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, then keep stirring for 1 min, until thick and glossy. Turn off the heat, fold in the cherries and let it cool completely.

   Add in this stepJarred sour (morello) cherries, drained 180 gJuice from the cherry jar 120 mlCornflour (for the filling) 12 gSugar (for the filling) 10 g

   medium heat

6. In a chilled bowl, whisk the very cold cream with the icing sugar, vanilla and half the kirsch for 3 min, until it holds firm peaks. Stop there: overwhipped cream turns grainy and buttery. Set aside about a fifth of it in the fridge for decorating.

   Add in this stepWhipping cream (35%+ fat, well chilled) 300 mlIcing sugar 30 gVanilla extract ½ tspKirsch (cherry brandy) 10 ml

7. Slice the sponge horizontally into 3 layers with a bread knife (2 for the smallest cake). Mix the remaining cherry juice and kirsch to make a soaking syrup. Put the bottom layer on a plate, brush generously with syrup, spread with a thin layer of cream, then spoon the cherry filling evenly over it, leaving a 1 cm border. Cover with cream, add the second layer and repeat syrup and cream, then top with the last layer and brush with syrup. Cover the top and sides smoothly with cream.

   Add in this stepJuice from the cherry jar 30 mlKirsch (cherry brandy) 10 ml

8. Pipe the reserved cream into rosettes around the top edge and set a cherry on each. Scrape the dark chocolate with a vegetable peeler to make shavings and scatter them over the centre and press them onto the sides. Chill for at least 2 h so it slices cleanly.

   Add in this stepDark chocolate (for shavings) 30 gCherries for decorating (fresh or jarred) 5