Egg Less Black Forest Cake recipe, which is easy to prepare in your home kitchen, for special occasions. It was Diwali and Pranav’s birthday last week, my week was full of excitement, fun, and lots of food.
We had a great Diwali at home .. Hope you too had a safe & great Diwali. Nitya and Yati gave a skip to bursting crackers this Diwali also and they were happy with rangoli, lights, diyas with the whole family. It was #ecofriendlydiwali for us.
This time for Pranav’s birthday I made this eggless Black Forest Cake. It was moist and soft and was a success in-spite being an eggless version. I had a scare in mind before trying out the eggless version. Because it is very important to have a very light airy sponge when we make a Black Forest cake. For the simple reason that the sponge has to be soaked with a syrup before we layer the cake with cherries and Whipped Cream. There is no way you can use a cake which is heavy and dense.
My Daughter gave me all the possible poses for the photography (which she normally refuses to do) because it was her father’s birthday cake.
And when we have to skip the eggs (which normally gives the cake a soft, light and airy texture), it gets very difficult to achieve the right feel. I had my doubts for using condensed milk as a substitute for eggs in this recipe. (I think, Condensed milk works great when we are making an eggless version for a heavy cake like pound cake).
After a lot of research, the idea came in. It was using Baking soda along with vinegar. We all know that the baking soda plus vinegar making things go boom. So adding a tablespoon of vinegar to the cake batter, in the end, helped me get the right texture. I am giving the credit to “Wacky Cake” recipe. This was a popular recipe during World War II because of the rationing of ingredients like eggs and butter.
There is no butter, no eggs and no milk in the cake. Ideally, the sponge alone can be called a vegan recipe too. Everything is mixed together right in a bowl, using only a whisk. So it’s gonna be a quick and fuss-free sponge to bake.
Important Tip: because the reaction starts immediately as you add the vinegar to the cake batter, you have to get your cake batter in the oven right away, before you lose all those little air bubbles.
This was my story for making the sponge for the Black Forest cake airy for our eggless version. But you will be surprised to know that, there are more stories /History linked to the Black Forest cake:
German bakers had invented a German dessert known as Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, and we know it as Black forest cake. Also known as Black Forest Cherry Torte, Black Forest Gateau, (British English) Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (in German).
The Schwarzwälder or Black forest, is a popular tourist destination in Germany, with dense forests and beautiful high lands. This region is known for its abundant and beautiful cherry trees.
They say that the name of the cake is linked to the famous Black Forest woman’s costume: A dress skirt which is as black as chocolate shavings, the blouse as white as Cream and the Bollenhut hat that had red pompoms, which resembles cherries on the top.
The typical black forest cake contains several layers of chocolate cake, with oodles of whipped cream, and cherries in each layer, further decorated with additional whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and cherries. In traditional versions, kirsch is added, which is a clear, colorless fruit brandy made from (sour cherries).
However, today, even other kinds of liquors are used. And we are making our Black Forest without alcohol and without eggs.
Let’s get to the important points first:
1 . Cake tin: I choose to use three cake tins of the same size to bake the cake (for the simple reason that, I had them at home and together they all fit in my oven). This saved some effort and time of cutting a baked cake into equal layers. However; I feel that the thickness of the sponge layers in my cake was not correct. The cake would have been more enjoyable if my sponge layer would be little less in the height of what you see in the images. According to Pranav: the sponge layer should be as thick as a cream layer….. I agree with my dear Husband.
Please don’t do the mistake I did. Cut each layer little thinner than mine. But at the same time be careful not to break the baked cake when cutting the layers. Use a sharp serrated knife to do the job.
2 . We are using warm water mixed with cocoa powder in the recipe. Make sure that the water is warm not boiling hot. You should be able to stick your finger into the cup of warm water for a couple of seconds not longer than that.
3. It is very important to use good quality cocoa powder, here is what I have been using for years now and it works wonderfully always.Hershey’s Cocoa Powder, 225g
4. Please measure the ingredients correctly and preheat the oven for at least for 10 minutes.
5 . Don’t forget to line the cake tin with parchment paper.
6. I have mentioned above, that the reaction starts immediately as you add the vinegar to the cake batter, you have to get your cake tin in the oven right away before you lose all those little air bubbles. So please keep the cake tins ready lined with parchment paper to pour the prepared cake batter. Keep the oven switch on: preheating at 180*C and be quick.
7. If you are using three tins the way, I have used, the baking time will be reduced to 15 minutes. And if you are using a single cake tin to bake the whole batter, the baking time will increase to 25 to 30 minutes. Make sure to check the cake with a toothpick test (insert a toothpick in the centre of the cake, and if it comes out clean, the cake is done and if some wet crumbs stick to the toothpick, the cake will need some more time in the oven) Also the baked cake should have firm but yet soft touch with a spring feel.
8 .Transfer the baked cake to a rack and let it cool for about 5- 10 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge of the baked cake and remove from the cake tin to cool them completely on the wire rack.
9. Cream: The cake is layered and topped with whipped cream. You can use the brand which is easily available to you, or the easiest would be a local dairy near your home which sells heavy cream. We will need whipped cream beaten till stiff peaks for this recipe.
Meggle Spray Cream ( Whipped Cream )
10. If you want to use some alcohol to the cake, this is how you make the syrup: Place the sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the kirsch and remove from the heat. Pour the syrup into a small cup or bowl and set it aside.
For the alcohol-free version: use tinned cherries and drain out all the liquid in a pan. Heat the liquid on a medium flame and add some sugar. At this point, you can use some cherry essence to enhance the flavor too. Pour the syrup into a small cup or bowl and set it aside.
Neo Premium Red Cherry Tin, 800g
11. Deseed the cherries to line in between the layers when icing the cake. Don’t forget to keep some of the cherries as whole to decorate the top of the cake.
12. Use any good quality chocolate to make chocolate shavings for the top and bottom of the cake. I have used a knife to make the curls that you see on the top of the cake. And a grater to make small snippets for the lower part of the cake.
If you have any queries on chocolate here, you will find your answer Chocolate FAQs
But don’t forget, the looks don’t really matter that much, its all in the taste. After all its home baking and in the end your love and effort will count the most so #happybaking
Swiss Jello Roll Recipe
Anniversary Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake
1 cup of warm water mixed with 1/4 cup of cocoa powder
1/4 cup of strong coffee
1 and 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1 cup of castor sugar
3/4th teaspoon of baking soda
A pinch of salt
1/2 cup of oil
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 teaspoons of white vinegar
To assemble
2 cups of whipped cream
1 can of cherries
2 tablespoons of sugar
Cherry essence
Chocolate Shavings
Method
Preheat the oven to 180*C. Place the rack in the center of the oven. Line the cake pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients properly using a whisk (flour, sugar, baking soda, a pinch of salt).
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients with your fingers and pour in the coffee, cocoa powder and warm water mix, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix all the ingredients together using a wire whisk. When all the ingredients are mixed well add the vinegar and give it a stir again. Quickly pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
When the baking time is about to get over, insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean, the cake is baked. Transfer the baked cake to a rack and let it cool for about 5- 10 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge of the baked cake and remove from the cake tin to cool completely on the wire rack.
To assemble
Jadeite 9″ Glass Cake Stand – By Mosser Glass
Drain the cherries and divide them into 2 piles. Reserve 8 to 12 cherries to garnish the top of the cake. Deseed the ones that will go in between the layers of the cake.
In a large bowl, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla on medium-high speed until it holds firm peaks. Do not overbeat; the whipped cream should be smooth and firm.
Place the cake on a work surface with its original top up. With a long serrated knife, cut the cake horizontally into 3 even layers.
Transfer the top layer to a cake stand, arranging it top side down. Brush it liberally with the syrup. With an offset spatula, smooth on a 1/2-inch layer of whipped cream. Nestle half of the cherries into the whipped cream, scattering them evenly over the top.
Place the middle cake layer on top of the cherries, pressing it lightly into the whipped-cream layer. Brush with syrup, spread with whipped cream, and scatter the remaining half of the deseed cherries over the cream.
Finally, add the last cake layer, cut side up, on top of the cherries, again settling it into the whipped-cream layer. Brush with syrup. With an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of whipped cream over the top of the cake. Spread a thicker layer onto the sides.
Decorate the bottom part with chocolate shavings and top with the chocolate curls. The last part of the whipped cream should be pipped on the edge of the layer and place whole cherries in each cream hoop.
Enjoy and Happy Baking
