December 14, 2019
Black Forest Loaf Cake!
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An easy black forest loaf cake with a chocolate cherry sponge soaked with kirsch, freshly whipped cream, cherries and more!
Loaf cakes
Okay yeah, I am addicted to loaf cakes now. I didn’t do any really for the entirety of my blog… and then five in the last four months. I just can’t resist! I love them so much! Sorry I neglected them really.
Anyway… this is the last loaf cake of the year, so I thought I would go out with a bang! And by bang, I mean a very indulgent and utterly delicious loaf cake with all the black forest goodness.
I have always loved posting Black Forest goodies on here as you all seem to adore them too – my Black Forest Cheesecake is one of my favourites, but my Black Forest Gateau is the main inspiration for this particular bake.
Black forest
The combination of darker chocolate, fresh cream, cherries and kirsch is utterly irresistible to me these days, and having it in loaf cake form is even better. It’s so easy to slice up and serve, and you have the lovely cosiness of it being a wonderful sponge with all the goodness on top.
The bake itself is very simple – it’s a standard chocolate sponge recipe, with the cherries soaked in kirsch folded through and baked. A drizzle of kirsch on top, some freshly whipped sweetened cream with some cherry jam swirled through, some fresh cherries and some more chocolate!
Tin
For this beauty, I used the same glorious loaf tin that I have fallen in love with – and now so many of you have too. It’s a ‘2lb loaf tin‘ but as I have mentioned in other loaf cake posts, peoples tins can vary in size. So the exact measurements of this one are – 24.4 x 14.4 x 6.9 cm.
Kirsch
I personally found this one so easy to make, partly because you don’t have to wait for any butter to come to room temperature for the buttercream, and I use Opies cherries in kirsch, so they’re already soaked and utterly delicious. The booze in the bake has a delicious kick – so it’s definitely not for kids!
You can of course make this without the alcohol, but then I wonder whether it really is a black forest bake – cherry and chocolate is delicious though. You could use pudding cherries in a tin instead for the cake, and then soak the sponge in a simple sugar syrup to keep it going dry in the fridge!
Cream
I topped this one with the whipped cream as I obviously got some snarky comments from topping my black forest gateau with buttercream, even though I explained in the post it was to be able to keep it fresh for longer. People don’t like to read everything I write…
But for this one, instead of just making it regular whipped cream on its own, I thought I would swirl in some cherry jam to give the cake a whole new element. I just love how it looks – it looks aesthetically pleasing, it’s delicious, and I just adore it!
Cherries
I thought fresh cherries would look the nicest on top, with some dark chocolate curls, but you can use whatever you fancy – more cherries soaked in kirsch, or anything! Honestly, decorate it how you fancy. As long as it tastes good, it doesn’t matter too much!
If you have any questions, then leave them below in the comments – but definitely check out the cake tin I recommend and use, and make sure to pay attention to the recipe notes and details and you’ll smash it! Enjoy!
Black Forest Loaf Cake!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 200 g light brown/dark brown sugar
- 150 g self raising flour
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 4 medium eggs
- 200 g cherries soaked in kirsch (I used Opies)
- 100 g dark chocolate chips
For the Topping
- Kirsch
- 300 ml double cream
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 100 g Cherry jam
- Fresh cherries
- Dark chocolate curls
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan and line your 2lb loaf tin with parchment paper!
- Beat together your butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in your flour, cocoa powder and eggs and beat again until smooth and perfect!
- Drain your cherries from the kirsch liquid (keep the liquid for later!) and fold the cherries and chocolate chips through the cake mixture.
- Pour the mixture into the tin, and bake the cake for 50-60+ minutes, or until baked through. You can test with a skewer!
- Once out of the oven, drizzle over some of the kirsch liquid - I used about 8-10 tablespoons worth!
- Leave the kirsch to soak in and cake to cool slightly in the tin for 20 minutes, before turning out to cool fully on a wire rack.
For the Topping
- Whip together your double cream and icing sugar until softly whipped. Carefully swirl through a the cherry jam lightly with a spoonful of kirsch if you wish and then spread on top of the cake!
- Add on some dark chocolate curls, and some fresh cherries and you're done! Enjoy!
Notes
- This cake is best kept in the fridge due to the cream - the kirsch helps keep the sponge softer so without the sponge may dry out.
- I used Opies cherries in Kirsch!
- I used this beautiful loaf tin for this bake.
- The cherries in the cake and the chocolate chips are optional, but I think it enhances the bake a lot!
- And you can easily top with buttercream instead of fresh cream if you prefer!
ENJOY!
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J x
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Am making this for Christmas- would be great if I could make gluten free. Do you know if I can substitute the flour for gluten free flour?
Hi, do you think this would work using frozen cherries? (Defrosted first obviously!) Thanks!
I made this cake today for our community cafe (along with your Bronuts) it was delicious and sold out pretty quickly. I’m not a cherry lover but this has converted me and will definitely make again – thanks for another delicious recipe
Hi Jane I made this today and I have to say amazing 👏 thank you so much for sharing x
This cake is incredible.
I mixed in a bit of cherry juice into the cream and it was heavenly. There was a bit left so I added it to a cup of coffe – YUM!😁
Hi Jane,
I tend to use mostly large eggs…..if this recipe uses 4 medium eggs….how can I adapt it for large?? Thanks xxxxx
Hiya! 3 large eggs should be fine for this recipe! Enjoy! x
Cannot wait to try this one! YUM!!
What can I use in replacement of Kirsch my husbands religious beliefs do not allow consumption of alcohol
Hiya! I would recommend using a cherry Jam/conserve, or the syrup from a tin of cherries! Hope this helps! x
Hi Jane can I bake loaf cake one day and decorate the next day
Hi Jane. I’ve made this before and it was great. But this time I cannot find the Opies jar of cherries anywhere. All supermarkets seem to be sold out. I’ve bought a tin of the cherries in syrup that can be used for baking but I’m not sure if they’ll work in this loaf cake? Can you advise or suggest an alternative. Many thanks xx
Hiya! Yes this should work absolutely fine! Enjoy! x
Just made it delicious love your recipes easy to follow and can adapt when needed😀
Yaaay so glad you love it! Thank you, enjoy! x
Can I freeze the loaf and defrost when needed and then add the cream
Yes you can! Hope this helps, enjoy! x
hello Jane can I use canola oil ?
I made this loaf cake at the weekend. I was delicious. Unfortunately I could not find Cherries in Kirsch anywhere so I used canned Cherries in syrup. This worked absolutely fine & it tasted great too but I’m sure it would be better with the alcohol. I have since managed to buy some so will be making this cake again. Lovely moist tasty cake. 😋
Hey! This sounds lovely, glad you enjoyed it!xx
Hi Jane! I’d like to make this in 2 heart shaped tins for valentines day! Would the whipped cream mix be ok in between the cakes? Maybe with more cherries ?
Yes it would be fine between the cake layers! And you can put more cherries if you want!
Just tried making this, had it in for 60mins gas mark 4, still gooey in middle and top is cracked, now covered in foil for extra time. What have I done wrong, I am not very good at making cakes. I have just bought a kenwood k mixer, thought I did it ok. Any tips.
The mixer won’t have anything to do with it – sometimes cake such as loaf cakes and bundt cakes can take longer, but also I have never baked in a gas oven so I wouldn’t know if that is contributing towards it. As long as it tastes okay in the end it’ll be fine x
Love love love this cake!! Went down a treat. Really easy to follow like all the recipes. Made gluten free!
Hi Jane.
I am literally working my way through your site. Your recipes are amazing and so easy to follow!
On this one. Could i use the cherry pie filling that you can buy in supermarket’s?
Many thanks
Natalie
Yes that should be fine! X
Also,
If you were to use buttercream instead of whipped cream which recipe would you use? Thanks!
Hiya,
Would it be possible to make these as cupcakes? Would you change the ingredient ratios at all?
Thanks!
As it is I think the batch would be about 24 cupcakes?! So if you want 12 I would half! And I would use a vanilla buttercream maybe with the jam swirled in still x
Another great recipe, thank you!
How could I make this in two 20 inch cake tins? Ie could I use the same recipe, divide and then cook for a shorter period of time (how long ish?) or is this recipe best kept as a loaf cake? It’s for a birthday, hence wanting to making it slightly bigger and more lavish.
Yes you can – I’m not completely certain on timings but I think about 25-30 minutes in two 20cm/8″ tins xx
Hi, it says that you use kirsch in the topping in the ingredients list but not in the directions. So have some but don’t know what I’m Supposed to do with….apologies if I have misread this. Thanks
You can add a little with the cherry jam to the whipped cream if you wish, but it’s optional! I just use the liquid from the jar of the cherries in the cake. x
Hi Jane! Can I ask where you bought the Kirsch from please? OR do you order it online?
Thank you! 🙂x
The supermarket! x
Hi, Im making this for my boyfriends birthday, I am using numbered silicone moulds, would it be okay to just double the recipe 🥰
It depends on the size of mould as some are huge, some are small – so you could always make double and then bake some cupcakes with the spare mix for example? x
I was wondering could you substitute dark chocolate chips for milk/white chocolate chips instead? (I’m just looking to make a chocolate loaf and decided to use your recipe)
Yes you can!
This looks so exciting i really want to bake this but i don’t consume alcohol, what can we replace the kirsch with please x
Black forrest is my favourite
It’s mentioned in the post.
Hi what is Opies
It’s a brand… google it!