Cooking with Shail

Hi!!! I am really happy and whenever I am happy I get to baking or making desserts. I have finally shifted to my new home and therefore celebrating with a cake. A black forest cake is like a balance cake between me and my husband. I love chocolate and he hates it so black forest is like a mediator for us I get my chocolate and for him its not an overdose of chocolate. A perfect solution for both. Originally black forest cake has rum essence or rum in sponge. Since we don’t use rum I have used coffee powder for soaking. If you wish to use rum or rum essence you can use it in soaking the cake or in the sponge. It is very easy and simple to make this cake. So lets check out the recipe.

For Sponge:

All purpose flour/Maida – 200 gms

Sugar- 100 gms

Baking Powder- 2 tsp

Baking Soda/Soda Bi Carb- 1 tsp

Milk Powder – 1/2 cup

Oil – 2 tbsp

Curd- 150 gms

Lukewarm Milk – 1/2 cup (use only if required)

Cocoa Powder- 2 tbsp

Salt – a pinch

For Icing-

Whipping Cream – 200 gms

Vanilla Essence- 2 tsp

For soaking;

Water- 1/2 cup

Coffee Powder – 1 tsp

Other:

Dark Chocolate Slab for making shavings

Cherries

Flour for dusting

Method:

For Sponge:

1) Sieve the all purpose flour/Maida, milk powder and salt together. Keep aside.

2) In a mixing bowl mix the curd and sugar till the sugar dissolves.

3) Now mix the baking powder and baking soda in the curd and cover and keep aside for 2 mins till it rises.

4) Now add the all purpose flour/Maida, milk powder and salt mixture (as made in step 1) in batches in the curd mixture and keep mixing till there are no lumps. Now add the cocoa powder and oil and mix well.

5) The batter should be of pouring consistency and not to thick. If the batter feels thick add the milk 2-3 tbsp at a time and adjust the consistency.

6) Pre-heat oven for 5 minutes at 180 degrees.

7) Dust round cake tin using flour and pour the batter in the tin. now bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes at 180 degrees. Take care that the batter should not be more than half of the height of the tin. The batter should be half of the tin or less then half only then it will have space to rise properly.

8) Once done check by inserting pin/toothpick in the center if it comes out clean then the sponge is ready.

For Icing:

1) In a deep vessel add the whipping cream. Remember the whipping cream should be chilled. You can use any brand whipping cream.

2) Start whipping the cream using electric beater. Initially start with speed 1 then go to maximum speed. Beat the cream till it form hard peaks. The entire time the cream is whipped it should be chilled. If it is summer season place the vessel in which you are whipping the cream in a wider vessel containing ice cubes and maintain the chilled temperature of the cream.

3) Once whipped the cream will double in volume.

4) In the whipped cream add vanilla essence and mix it. Do not mix the whipped cream vigorously as it will become loose. Mix gently by using a spatula.

For Chocolate Shavings:

Using a potato skin peeler peel the sides of the dark chocolate slab in one stroke at a time. The slab should be at room temperature not too hard or the shavings will not be long enough. Once you have enough shavings keep them in fridge till ready to use.

For Decoration:

1) Cut the cake horizontally in two halves.

2) Soak the sponge with soaking water [mix the water and coffee powder]. Apply whipped cream one layer and add some chopped cherries in the cream. Now place other half of cake on top. Cover the entire sponge from the outer side completely with whipped cream using palette knife and keep in fridge for 15 mins.

3) After 15 mins cover with chocolate shavings and cherries on top.

5) Leave the cake in the fridge for atleast an hour for setting. Serve chilled.

For baking tips follow my link as below…

https://alawyerskitchen.wordpress.com/2018/10/03/baking-tips/