Black Forest Sheet Cake

By Samantha Seneviratne

Updated July 23, 2024

Black Forest Sheet Cake
Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Total Time
1 hour 25 minutes, plus cooling
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
65 minutes
Rating
4(102)
Notes
Read community notes

This beauty has all the beloved flavors 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.

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Ingredients

Yield:12 servings

    For the Cake

    • ¾cup/177 milliliters vegetable oil, plus more for the pan
    • 2cups/256 grams all-purpose flour
    • 1cup/201 grams granulated sugar
    • ¾cup/165 grams packed dark brown sugar
    • 1cup/95 grams Dutch-processed cocoa powder
    • 2teaspoons baking powder
    • ½teaspoon baking soda
    • 1teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2large eggs
    • 1½cups buttermilk
    • 2teaspoons pure vanilla extract

    For the Cherry Jam

    • 6cups/900 grams fresh or frozen dark sweet cherries, pitted (see Tip)
    • ¾cup/150 grams granulated sugar
    • 1 to 2tablespoons Kirsch, to taste
    • ¼teaspoon almond extract
    • 2teaspoons cornstarch

    To Finish

    • 2cups/473 milliliters cold heavy cream
    • 2tablespoons powdered sugar
    • Chocolate shavings (optional), for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

613 calories; 31 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 82 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 59 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 346 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9- by-13-inch baking pan, then line it with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two long sides.

  2. Step 2

    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.

  3. Step 3

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

  4. Step 4

    While the cake cools, prepare the cherry jam: In a small saucepan, combine 5 cups/750 grams 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.

  5. Step 5

    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 milliliters of the syrup. (If you have more, store the rest in the refrigerator for another use.) Transfer 1 tablespoon syrup from the ½ cup to a small bowl, then stir the Kirsch and almond extract into remaining syrup; set aside to cool completely.

  6. Step 6

    Add cornstarch to the reserved 1 tablespoon 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 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool completely.

  7. Step 7

    To finish: Using an electric mixer on medium, beat the cream and powdered 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.

Tip
  • If you don’t have a cherry pitter, you can use a chopstick or a pastry tip to force the pit out.

Ratings

4 out of 5
102 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Casper Pike

Cherries on sale!! The jam is so scrummy. Brushed cake,divided and froze cake/jam. I made some stabilized whipped cream with gelatin. I have eaten slices for breakfast. ;)

Midwest cook

Easiest way to pit cherries without a special pitter is with a paperclip. Unbend the two parts and scoop the pit out with the larger loop.

Phyllis C-E

Oh, my gosh! I used frozen big sweet cherries to make this cake. Baked and served the cake in a 9x13 pyrex baking pan. Directions easy to follow. This cake was devoured. Thank you very much for the recipe!

Emma

This was delicious and much easier than a 2 layer more traditional BF cake

Lori LS

I made this for my friends birthday, it's his favorite cake. We were celebrating at the pool and it was just the right vibe for a picnic outdoor celebration. I made it exactly as written and it turned out perfectly. I used frozen dark sweet cherries and it was truly delicious.

Ken

Looks and sounds delicious and I lnow I would eat it with great pleasure but having worked as a chef in a Baden-Baden hotel I can tell you that they don't use sweet cherries in Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. They use sauer kirschen, sour cherries, which in the US we call pie cherries.

Katrin

Kirsch is a clear brandy made with cherries. Germans would call it Schnapps, but it’s not like American „Schnapps“ which is sweeter. You can use Dr. McGillicuddy Cherry Brandy. You can use Williams Pear Brandy. If you leave it out, you’ll lose that distinctive taste. If you have non-drinkers, leave it out and then offer some Brandy to sprinkle on cake slices as desired. The traditional cherries for this cake are sour cherries, not sweet.

Tessa

I'd use more vanilla if I couldn't use the almond extract. Almonds go well with cherries but vanilla would probably work.

laura maxwell

Cook’s Pure Almond extract is made not from almonds but the pits from peaches and apricots. My child with a sever nut allergy to all tree nuts has no issues with this almond extract.

Penelope

I always sub applesauce for oil.

Janet

Question: one family member with almond allergy- what would be a good substitute? Love this recipe!

Kathleen

Vanilla works and I would guess lemon would as well.

Camille

Use cherry juice instead of Kirsch if you want to skip the alcohol.

Erika M

Can’t wait to try this! My husband loves those sweet dark cherries that are traditionally used in Black Forest cake and this looks much simpler than the layer cake

DW

I am not the most accomplished cook or baker but pulled this off. The syrup and jam directions didn’t make sense and I ended up with the 1/2 cup syrup at the end (minus the tablespoon). I added the Kirsch to the tablespoon of syrup which went into the cherries so that’s how I read it. Ended up just pouring the 1/2 cup syrup over the cake itself before the jam. Also Not sure if it’s worth spending all that money for a bottle of Kirsch probably not. So 4 stars for the confusion and Kirsch.

Barb

A little bit goes a long way -- a rich, dense cake. We are still working through the left-overs, day four.

Bibi

My cake came out dense and sticking to the roof of the mouth ... not light. Not sure where I might have gone wrong. Maybe once the syrup and cream are piled on no one will notice.

Bibi

I agree, overly complicated jam instructions. This should just say thicken the cherries with a slurry made with approx 1 T syrup and cornstarch combined first then added over heat.

Stephanie

Made a half recipe of this as directed in an 8x8 pan. Recommend sifting the dry ingredients together. It was delicious and easy, but still felt really indulgent - tasted like Black Forest cake with less effort and more fun to make when you aren’t in the mood for a finicky recipe.

HMS

Could you use coconut oil in place of vegetable oil?

Liz

Did not have kirsch so I I put in about a third of a cup of port and some vanilla extract and the cornstarch prior to cooking. The cake recipe is a winner though I do recommend sifting The dry ingredients. Easy and delicious.

Malika

This was very delicious! I cut the cake in half, and froze half of it for a later day. I used frozen cherries from trader joes to make the jam and no kirsch because I don't drink. My whole family loved it! The jam is really yummy.

Claire

Easy dessert to make ahead, then finish at the last second to serve. The cake is ridiculously moist. I didn't want to buy Kirsch, so I skipped the almond extract and used Amaretto in place of both the Kirsch and extract. Maybe it would have been better to follow the recipe, but it was still delicious, so I didn't miss the Kirsch. Using a chopstick to pit the cherries was messy, but very quick and easy.

Casper Pike

Ditto chopstick to pit cherries. I broke down to use a paring knife to pit cherries for the jam. I ordered a $8 pitter. Very easy to use. money well spent.

stephen d

I’m not a skilled baker but this was as easy as it gets. It didn’t take long to make and the payoff was a major wow. I don’t usually buy single-task gadgets but I’d advise getting an inexpensive cherry pitter for this recipe.

Minh Thy

I have memories of some baddd black forest cakes growing up that made me think I don't like it. This recipe affirmed that I do in fact like black forest cakes, as do all my friends with the same sentiment. I had a friend allergic to nuts so I subbed Italian amarena cherries and the syrup instead of the kirsh and almond extract. It is a MUST! It heightens the cherry flavour! Friends texted me next day they were still thinking of the cake. Was a hugeeee hit!

julie zito

recipe amount listed for dutch cocoa is 8 oz (95 grams). Perhaps this is by volume. my package of dutch cocoa says 8 oz. (227 gm)--by weight.

Chowchap

95g = 3ounces

Dorothy

This is very tasty, but unlike other sheet cakes with butter cream frosting, it is better eaten right away. So definitely make for a crowd. Or I would keep half without the whipped cream for topping later.

Tim in Portland, OR

Easy. Delicious. Used fresh cherries and a potato masher to make the jam. Maybe a little too sweet overall….

Anne

What is Kirsch?

Nancy

Cherry liquor? The stuff of wedding toasts? Like Slivovitz which might be peach Liquor.

Suzinsf

cherry liqeuer. A google search will turn up various brands, though if you're shopping in a grocery store, typically you only find DyKypers. Not fancy but it should work.

Tessa

Cherry liqueur. Worth going to a well-stocked spirits retailer to purchase.

Emma O

This cake was very delicious and I made it for a party last night where it was devoured to great acclaim. I whirled together the cherries and whipped cream on top and it looked a bit like a good abstract modernist painting. I would add some chunks of chocolate the next time - some good choco shavings on top would be great, or maybe even some dark choco chips in the batter.

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