Black Forest Cake

I didn't know that Black Forest Cake can be so easy to do until I actually took the time to find out how it's done.   It just has four major ingredients:

1. Your favorite chocolate cake recipe (boxed or made from scratch) soaked in your choice of rum, brandy or just a simple syrup.
2. Whipped Cream
3. Your choice of fruit filling: real fresh fruits or if you have the sweet tooth, canned or your own recipe of fruit filling.
4. Shaved Chocolate

I used my favorite Beatty's Chocolate Cake recipe and brushed Strawberry Dacquiri on it instead of the traditional cherry brandy or rum because kids will be eating this cake. The traditional Black Forest Cake is also filled and topped with cherries but no one in our house is a real big fan of cherry filling so I decided to use fresh strawberries instead. It made the cake lighter and saved us a ton of calories. But if you love the cherry filling, here's a great recipe with videos. > Click here.

TOOLS I USED:

• Stand Mixer
• Cooling Racks
• Mixing Bowls
• Vegetable Peeler
• Cake board

STRAWBERRY BLACK FOREST CAKE

Ingredients:

BEATTY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

MACERATED STRAWBERRIES

• 2 cups fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
• 1 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

VANILLA WHIPPED CREAM

• 3 cups (1-1/2 pints) heavy whipping cream
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI

DRAINED MARASCHINO CHERRIES

CHOCOLATE SHAVINGS

Directions:

Bake and cool your chocolate cake.

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

Combine all ingredients for the macerated strawberries in a bowl and set aside for at least 20 minutes.

Place mixer bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer and chill for at least 10 minutes. Combine all ingredients for the whipped cream on the chilled bowl and use the chilled whisk attachment to whip mixture until soft  peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator.

Use a vegetable peeler to make chocolate shavings from a chocolate bar.

Take your first layer of chocolate cake and brush with strawberry daiquiri.

Spread whipped cream, place the strawberries and sprinkle with chocolate shavings. (I used really small strawberries but it still made my cake too high. It's better to just chop the fruit into small pieces).

Place the second chocolate layer bottom side up on top of the filling. And then brush with strawberry daiquiri. Frost the cake with the remaining whipped cream. And use the remaining chocolate shavings and drained maraschino cherries to decorate for finishing touches.