This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Easy Black Forest Gateau
Ingredients serves 8
FOR THE SPONGE:
110g self raising flour
Tspn baking powder
110g softened butter or margarine
110g caster sugar
2 large eggs
2 – 3 drops vanilla essence
FOR THE REST:
600ml double cream (suitable for whipping)
Level tbspn caster sugar
2 jars black cherries in Kirsch (Tesco stock them)
2 tbspns chocolate vermicelli
Large handful of fresh cherries, de-pipped and halved.
How to prepare
Lightly grease two 7″ sponge tins and line the bases with greaseproof paper.
In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour and baking powder and then add all the other ingredients and whisk until thoroughly combined. Divide the mixture between the two tins, level off and bake on the centre shelf of your oven for about 30mins or until a skewer comes out clean. As soon as they are ready, using oven gloves, run a palette knife around the edge of each sponge and turn them out onto a wire rack. Peel off the base papers and leave to cool.
Take one cooled sponge and lay on a serving plate. Drain the cherries over a jug, retaining the juice. Spoon about 4 tbspns of the juice over the sponge. Whip the cream with the caster sugar and, using a palette knife, spread some cream on the sponge. Cover with cherries.
Carefully split the second sponge into two layers. Using a large spatula so the sponge doesn’t break, put one layer on top of the base sponge. Cover that layer with cream and cherries. Put the final round of sponge on top and cover with cream (both top and sides). Sprinkle with the chocolate vermicelli and top with fresh cherries (you could use more cherries from the jar if you prefer but I find that fresh cherries give a lovely freshness to this cake). Pour the remainder of the cherry Kirsch juice into a jug and serve with the cake.