Haunted Black Forest Layer Cake Recipes

BLACK FOREST LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line with cooking parchment paper.
• In small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another small bowl, beat baking cocoa and 1 1/4 cups water with whisk until well blended. Set both bowls aside.
• In bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat 2/3 cup softened butter and 1 1/3 cups sugar on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in eggs, one at a time, just until smooth. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. On low speed, beat in one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the cocoa mixture, beating well after each addition, just until smooth. Repeat with flour mixture and cocoa mixture, ending with flour mixture. Scrape side of bowl occasionally. Pour 1 2/3 cups batter in each pan; spread evenly. Tap pans on counter 2 to 3 times to eliminate air bubbles from batter.
• Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, beat 1/2 cup sugar and the cornstarch with whisk. Beat in 1/3 cup water until smooth. Stir in chopped cherries. On medium-high heat, heat cherry mixture to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Pour into small bowl. Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour.
• In medium glass or metal bowl, beat egg whites and 1 1/2 cups sugar with whisk until blended. Set over pan of simmering water, beating occasionally, 16 to 20 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and egg mixture reaches 160°F. Remove from heat; pour into bowl of electric stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed 2 to 3 minutes or until glossy peaks form and bowl has cooled to feel slightly warm. Still on high speed, slowly add 1 1/2 cups butter, one piece at a time, scraping side of bowl occasionally, until mixture is smooth, thick and shiny, 12 to 14 minutes. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. If mixture separates, beat until smooth.
• Fit decorating bag with 1/2-inch round piping tip; fill with frosting. Place one cake layer on serving plate. Pipe a thick frosting border around top edge of cake layer. Pipe a second border just inside the first border. Spread 2/3 cup of the cherry filling over top of cake inside borders. Top with second cake layer; repeat borders and filling. Place third cake layer on top. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Press shaved chocolate around bottom half of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• When ready to serve, mound maraschino cherries in center of cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

HAUNTED BLACK FOREST LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• To make this cake, you will double the Genoise cake recipe, stirring 1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder into the flour and salt. Bake in two 9-inch round cake pans that are buttered, lined with parchment paper, and dusted with cocoa powder. To make simple syrup with kirsch, stir in 1/3 cup kirsch to simple syrup recipe.
• Slice each cake in half horizontally. Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand. Brush top with 1/4 cup simple syrup. Spread with 2 cups whipped cream, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Remove cherries from filling syrup with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a medium bowl. Scatter 1 1/4 cups cherries evenly over whipped cream. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons filling syrup. Repeat 2 times. Place final cake layer, cut side down, on top, and spread with ganache. Serve immediately.

HAUNTED BLACK FOREST LAYER CAKE - MARTHA STEWART HALLOWEEN 2007

Steps:

• Make the genoise: Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment; butter the parchment. Dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
• Whisk together flower, salt, and cocoa powder in a bowl.
• Put eggs, egg yolks, and granulated sugar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over (not touching) a pan of simmering water, and whisk until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch. Attach bowl to mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Raise speed to high. Beat until mixture is pale and thick, about 4 minutes more.
• Remove bowl from mixer. Sift flour mixture over the top; using large rubber spatula, carefully fold into egg mixture, cutting through middle and lifting gently over sides. When almost incorporated, pour melted butter down side of bowl; gently fold in to incorporate.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake until centers spring back when lightly touched, about 15 minutes.
• Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around sides of pan. Invert onto rack; remove parchment, and turn right side up on rack.
• Make the Kirsch simple syrup: Heat sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in kirsch. (The syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 month).
• Make the cherry filling: Whisk reserved cherry juice, sugar, kirsch, and cornstarch in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. Combine syrup and cherries in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.
• Make the ganache: Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour over chocolate in a bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Slowly whisk until smooth. Let cool completely, stirring often with a rubber spatula.
• Make the espresso whipped cream: Beat cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and espresso powder, and beat until soft peaks return.
• Assemble the cake: Slice each cake in half horizontally. Place once cake layer, cut side up, on a cake stand. Brush top with 1/4 cup kirsch syrup. Spread with 2 cups whipped cream, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Remove cherries from filling syrup with slotted spoon, and transfer to medium bowl. Scatter 1 1/4 cup cherries evenly over whipped cream. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons filling syrup. Repeat 2 times . Place final cake layer, cut side down, on top, and spread with ganache. Serve immediately.

SIMPLE SYRUP FOR BLACK FOREST LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil. Let cool completely. Syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 month.

BLACK FOREST POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar and 2/3 cup brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Beat in 1 teaspoons vanilla.
• Whisk together flour, cocoa, 1/2 tsp salt and baking soda. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in chopped chocolate. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch round cake pan (with sides that are 3 inches high). Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely (about 1 hour).
• Meanwhile, prepare Cherry Sauce. Stir together cherries, sugar, cold water, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, 12 to 15 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in Kirsch or brandy, vanilla, and salt. Cool completely (about 1 hour).
• Place cake on a serving plate or cake stand. Slowly pour Cherry Sauce over cake. Beat heavy cream, 1 tablespoons granulated sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoons vanilla at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Dollop whipped cream onto cake, and sprinkle with shaved chocolate.

HAUNTED FOREST PLATTER

Steps:

• To make a haunted forest, first create trees.
• Cut bottoms from stalks of broccoli to make 6-inch broccoli trees.
• Slice beets about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick to make a base for broccoli trees.
• Break wood toothpicks in half.
• Insert three to four toothpick pieces into bottom of each broccoli stalk and then insert into a beet slice.
• Stand broccoli upright.
• Cover to keep moist.
• To make egg ghosts, use a small knife or 1/2-inch aspic cutters to hollow out eyes and mouths to form a face.
• Cut small pieces of ripe olive to press into hollowed-out areas for eyes or mouth, if desired.
• Cover to keep moist.
• Using your imagination, create creepy creatures with tomatoes, sweet peppers, pickles, olives, and radishes.
• Place broccoli trees on serving platter. Cover surface of platter with shredded carrot.
• Hide egg ghosts in forest along with creepy creatures.
• Scatter piles of vegetables such as pea pods, beet slices, kohlrabi slices, olives, pickles, and/or any other desired vegetables.
• Add strips of red pepper to the broccoli branches.
• To make moss, add a few drops of green food coloring to a small amount of water in a medium bowl.
• Add cooked spaghetti and let stand about 5 minutes.
• Drain and place over broccoli trees.
• Keep platter covered until serving time.
• If necessary, spritz platter with water to keep it moist.