Black Forest Sheet Cake

This beauty has all the beloved flavours of the classic Black Forest cake - cherries, chocolate and cream - re-assembled into a casual sheet cake perfect for summer picnics and birthday parties. To make the process even simpler, you can make and refrigerate the cherry jam up to 3 days in advance. Feel free to use fresh or frozen fruit (and there’s no need to thaw first, if using frozen). You can make this cake in the summertime, when fresh cherries are at their peak, or in the dead of winter, when you need something fresh and fruity to brighten your day.

Cake:
¾ cup vegetable oil, plus more for the pan (177 mL)
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached (256 g)
1 cup granulated sugar (201 g)
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar (165 g)
1 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (95 g)
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups buttermilk
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Cherry Jam:
6 cups fresh or frozen dark sweet cherries, pitted (900 g)
¾ cup granulated sugar (150 g)
1-2 Tbsp. Kirsch liqueur
¼ tsp. pure almond extract
2 tsp. cornstarch

To Serve:
2 cups heavy cream, cold (473 mL)
2 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
chocolate shavings (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Oil a 9x13” baking pan, then line it with parchment paper leaving a 2” overhang on the two long sides.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together ¾ cup oil, the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 26-32 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

While the cake cools, prepare the cherry jam: In a small saucepan, combine 5 cups (750 g) of the cherries with the granulated sugar over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, breaking the cherries down with a wooden spoon or potato masher, until the fruit has released its juice, about 6 minutes.

Pass the cherry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the syrup in a medium bowl and setting aside the cooked cherries. (Reserve the saucepan.) Measure out ½ cup (120 mL) of the syrup. (If you have more, store the rest in the refrigerator for another use.) Transfer 1 Tbsp. syrup from the ½ cup to a small bowl, then stir the Kirsch and almond extract into remaining syrup; set aside to cool completely.

Add cornstarch to the reserved 1 Tbsp. cherry syrup in the small bowl; whisk to combine. Transfer it to the saucepan, add the cooked cherries and cook over medium, stirring, until the mixture has thickened, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool completely.

To Finish:
Using an electric mixer on medium, beat the cream and confectioners’ sugar until you have medium-stiff peaks, about 2 minutes. Transfer cake to a serving plate. Poke the cake evenly all over with a toothpick then brush it with about ½ cup of the cherry-Kirsch syrup. Spread the cherry jam evenly on top and then top with the whipped cream. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cherries and some of the remaining cherry syrup; top with chocolate shavings, if desired. Serve right away.

Makes 12 servings.

Cook’s Notes:  If you don’t have a cherry pitter, you can use a chopstick or a pastry tip to force the pit out.