This easy Black Forest cake begins with a brownie mix and gets added chocolate chips, so be prepared for fudgy decadence. The sweet, yet tart flavor of the cherries blends perfectly with the richness of the chocolate. Almond extract, which is a natural partner of cherries, helps balance the two strong flavors. This is a very rich brownie cake, so cut slices a bit smaller than you normally would.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients:
- Cake:
- 1 can (about 21 ounces) more fruit cherry pie filling (see instructions)
- 1 standard-size box brownie mix
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- .
- Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners' powdered sugar
- 1-1/2 to 2 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 Tablespoon reserved syrup from cherries
- 3 or 4 drops of almond extract
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat a Bundt cake pan with floured baking spray (or grease and flour pan).
Remove 16 whole cherries from the canned pie filling and place them evenly-spaced around the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan. Also remove 1 tablespoon of the cherry syrup and set aside for use in the glaze. Then quickly drain the remaining cherries from the syrup, discarding the syrup. (Just do a quick drain of the excess syrup. Some of the syrup will remain.)
Combine brownie mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, egg, and almond extract with a large fork until mixed. Some small lumps will remain. Fold in remaining cherry pie filling and chocolate chips.
Carefully spoon brownie batter into the pan, taking care not to dislodge the cherries in the bottom. Bake for 45 minutes or until center tests done with a toothpick. Let cool for 20 minutes, then invert cake onto a plate. When cake comes to room temperature, prepare the glaze.
Glaze:
Whisk together powdered sugar, cream, reserved cherry syrup, and almond extract until smooth. Add additional cream, if needed, to get the glaze to a drizzling consistency. Spoon glaze into a zip-top bag, squeeze out the air, and seal. Cut off a tiny piece of the corner of the bag and use as a pastry bag to drizzle glaze over the top of the cake. Let cake sit for an hour for the glaze to set up.
Yield: 12 servings
Note: This may also be baked in a 9- by 13-inch pan. You may need to reduce the baking time to 35 to 40 minutes.
Easy Black Forest Cake Recipe Photo © 2011 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Remove 16 whole cherries from the canned pie filling and place them evenly-spaced around the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan. Also remove 1 tablespoon of the cherry syrup and set aside for use in the glaze. Then quickly drain the remaining cherries from the syrup, discarding the syrup. (Just do a quick drain of the excess syrup. Some of the syrup will remain.)
Combine brownie mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, egg, and almond extract with a large fork until mixed. Some small lumps will remain. Fold in remaining cherry pie filling and chocolate chips.
Carefully spoon brownie batter into the pan, taking care not to dislodge the cherries in the bottom. Bake for 45 minutes or until center tests done with a toothpick. Let cool for 20 minutes, then invert cake onto a plate. When cake comes to room temperature, prepare the glaze.
Glaze:
Whisk together powdered sugar, cream, reserved cherry syrup, and almond extract until smooth. Add additional cream, if needed, to get the glaze to a drizzling consistency. Spoon glaze into a zip-top bag, squeeze out the air, and seal. Cut off a tiny piece of the corner of the bag and use as a pastry bag to drizzle glaze over the top of the cake. Let cake sit for an hour for the glaze to set up.
Yield: 12 servings
Note: This may also be baked in a 9- by 13-inch pan. You may need to reduce the baking time to 35 to 40 minutes.
Easy Black Forest Cake Recipe Photo © 2011 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
