Black Forest Cake

Method

1. 01

   Step 1: Whisk the eggs

   Heat the oven to 175 °C (350 °F) and line the base of a 22 cm springform tin with baking paper; leave the sides ungreased. Whisk the eggs and sugar on high speed for 8–10 minutes, until tripled in volume and falling from the beaters in a thick ribbon that sits on the surface for a few seconds.

2. 02

   Step 2: Fold in the dry ingredients

   Sift the flour, cornflour and cocoa together and fold into the eggs in three additions, cutting down and lifting up so the foam stays airy. Stir the warm butter into two spoonfuls of batter, then fold that gently back in — this stops the butter sinking to the bottom.

3. 03

   Step 3: Bake the sponge

   Pour into the tin and bake for 35–40 minutes without opening the oven for the first 25. It is done when it springs back under a fingertip and a skewer comes out dry. Invert the tin onto a rack and cool completely, at least 2 hours, so the sponge doesn’t sink.

4. 04

   Step 4: Cook the cherries

   Drain the cherries over a saucepan, add the sugar to the juice and bring to the boil. Pour 100 ml of the hot syrup into a cup and stir in 30 ml of the kirsch — that’s your soaking syrup. Stir the cornflour mixed with the cold water into the remaining syrup and cook for 1 minute until thick and glossy; take off the heat, fold in the cherries and the rest of the kirsch, and cool.

5. 05

   Step 5: Whip the cream

   Whip the cold cream with the mascarpone and icing sugar on medium speed for 3–4 minutes, to firm but still smooth peaks. Watch closely: overwhipped cream turns grainy. Set aside about a third for the top and sides.

6. 06

   Step 6: Split and soak

   Trim any dome off the sponge and cut it into three layers. Set the first on a serving plate inside a cake ring or the rim of the springform and brush with a third of the kirsch syrup.

7. 07

   Step 7: Build the layers

   Spread a 1 cm layer of cream over the sponge, pipe a cream border around the edge and spoon half the thickened cherries inside it. Top with the second layer, soak and repeat. Finish with the third layer, soak it with the remaining syrup and press down lightly with your palm.

8. 08

   Step 8: Decorate and chill

   Remove the ring and cover the top and sides with the reserved cream. Shave the chocolate with a vegetable peeler straight onto the cake and press curls onto the sides. Decorate with the cherries and chill for at least 4 hours so the cake firms up.