Black Forest Cherry Cake

Ingredients

• 6 eggs (separated)
• 175 g cane sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla sugar
• 75 g spelt flour
• 50 g cornstarch
• 50 g cocoa powder
• 40 ml kirsch
• 1 jar blackberries (720 g contents)
• 1 Tbsp vanilla sugar
• 3 tsp cornstarch
• 500 ml whipping cream
• 1 tbsp powdered sugar (from cane sugar)
• 2 packets gelatin powder
• 100 g chocolate shavings
• 8 decorative cherries
• chocolate shavings

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat oven to 180 °C (fan 160 °C; gas: level 2–3). If needed, butter the bottom of a springform pan and dust with crumbs.

2. 2.

   Beat egg whites with a hand mixer until stiff. Gradually fold in cane sugar and vanilla sugar. Fold in yolks. Sift spelt flour, cornstarch, and cocoa together, sprinkle over the egg mixture, and gently fold in. Pour batter into pan, smooth top, and bake for about 35 minutes (check with a skewer).

3. 3.

   Remove from oven and let cool in pan. Release from pan and chill overnight if possible. Cut each layer horizontally twice and drizzle lower layers with kirsch.

4. 4.

   Drain blackberries, reserve the juice, and reduce to 4 tbsp with vanilla sugar. Mix remaining juice with cornstarch and whisk into hot reduction. Boil, remove from heat, fold in most blackberries (reserve a few for decoration), and let cool. Whip cream with powdered sugar and gelatin until stiff. Pipe cherry filling into rings on the lowest layer. Spoon about ¼ of whipped cream over it and smooth.

5. 5.

   Place second layer atop and spread half of remaining whipped cream. Add third layer, cover entire cake with remaining whipped cream, and decorate as desired (using a piping bag and zig‑zag nozzle).

6. 6.

   Sprinkle chocolate shavings over the cake and around the rim. Garnish with leftover cherries, decorative cherries, and chocolate shards. Serve chilled on a stand.