Haunted Black Forest Cake Serves 8 ­ 10 Yields two 9­inch pans or two 8­inch pans and six cupcakes

Ingredients for cake 1 cup boiling water 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 1/2 cup all­purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract

For Filling 2 pounds frozen black cherries, thawed, drained, reserving juice 1/2 cup sugar 3 tbsp kirsch or use extra juice 2 tbsp cornstarch

For Whipped Cream(1 1/2 cup reserve for coating and decorating outer cake) 3 cups cold heavy cream 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

For Garnish/Decoration chocolate shreddings 12­14 maraschino cherries dipped in chocolate candied eyes (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare two 8­inch springform pans with baking spray. 2. In medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa, whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool. 3. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside. 4. In bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in

eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternating with the cocoa mixture, ending with the flour.

5. Fill the pans about halfway, being careful not to overfill. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, about 30­40 minutes.

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6. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Making the filling 1. Whisk reserved juice, sugar, kirsch (or extra juice), and cornstarch in a small saucepan

until smooth. 2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back

of a spoon, about 8­12 minutes. 3. Let syrup cool slightly. Combine syrup and cherries in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until

ready to use, up to 2 days.

For whipped Cream Whip cream on medium speed of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form, 4 to 6 minutes. Add sugar; whip for 1 minute. Refrigerate uncovered until ready to use. To Assemble Your cake

1. Slice the cake rounds in half so you have four even cake layers. 2. Drizzle on each of the 4 layers, a bit of the kirsch (extra juice) to moisten cake.

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3. Place bottom layer of cake on a serving plate; with whipped cream make a border

around cake layer then fill with cherry filling and top with whipped cream smoothing out whipped cream with spatula

and continue with each layer until all layers are filled. Leaving last layer with no filling.

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4. Once cake is built, crumb coat entire cake with a little amount of whipped cream,

refrigerate for 1 hour.

5. Take cake out of the refrigerator and add a little more whipped cream around cake to

cover any cake showing. 6. Pipe whipped cream around cake as decoration, add chocolate shavings, dipped

maraschino cherries, etc. http://cakesandmore101.wordpress.com

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