I decided to make these Mini Black Forest Cakes as I love the flavours of black forest – chocolate, alcohol, cream and cherries – bliss! I made them mini as I think they look extra cute, plus they are great for dinner parties!
Step by step…
To start I whisked together eggs and caster sugar.
I whisked for 5 minutes until the mixture grew in size and was pale and thick.
I gently folded in self raising flour and cocoa powder that I sieved first. Finally I folded in melted butter.
I poured the mixture into a lined tray, any baking tray with a lip will work, but a Swiss Roll tray
I baked the sponge for 12 minutes, then I turned it out onto a cooling rack
Once fully cool I cut out discs using a 7cm diameter cutter
I brushed kirsch
Next I whipped up double cream and piped it onto the bottom half of the cakes.
Then I sliced some cherries in half and put three halves onto each cream topped cake.
I brushed the underside of the top layer of cake with a bit more kirsch then placed it on top. Then I piped on more cream, sprinkled over some grated dark chocolate and placed a cherry in the middle.
I was really impressed with the final look of the Mini Black Forest Cakes! I took them along to a family meal and everyone loved them and commented on how professional they looked. I devoured mine and could’ve eaten another easily! The sponge is so light and the cherries, which were from Aldi, were gorgeously juicy. I had a few problems with some of the Mini Black Forest Cakes being a bit wonky, I think extra cream on top of the cherries in the middle would’ve helped the sponge stick to it more. I’ll also add more kirsch next time as I think it could’ve been stronger, but that depends on personal taste.
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
| Baking trays | Mixing bowls | Cooling rack |
| Kitchen scales | Round cutters | Piping bags |
| Electric hand mixer | Round piping nozzle |
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Mini Black Forest Cakes
Ingredients
- 5 Eggs large
- 140 g Caster sugar
- 100 g Self raising flour
- 25 g Cocoa powder
- 25 g Butter melted
- 50 ml Kirsch
- 200 ml Double cream
- 21 Fresh cherries
- 6 blocks of Dark chocolate
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4, grease and line a swiss roll tin or baking tray with a lip
- Whisk together the eggs and caster sugar with an electric hand mixer, whisk for 5 minutes until the mixture grows in size and is pale and thick
- Sieve the self raising flour and cocoa powder then gently fold it in. Then fold in the melted butter
- Pour the mixture into the tin
- Bake the sponge for 12 minutes. Turn it out onto a cooling rack to cool down completely
- Once fully cool, cut out discs using a 7cm diameter cutter. Brush the kirsch over the cakes
- Whip up the double cream and pipe it onto the bottom half of the cakes
- Slice the cherries in half and put three halves onto each cream topped cake
- Put the other pieces of cake on top. Pipe on more cream, sprinkle over some grated dark chocolate and place a cherry in the middle
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 2 days
NB. Aldi supplied me with the ingredients for this post, but all opinions are my own. Recipe from BBC Good Food
I'd gladly have a couple of those now, love cherries and love retro bakes – so BFG is a firm fav!
Thank you, I am loving the retro feeling of this too 🙂
Hurrah for the return of the GBBO! I wanted to bake a black forest cake but sadlymy oven died 🙁 Love your mini versions, yum!
Yay so glad it's back! Hope you get to make one soon!
I love your mini bakes they look amazing! What a shame your nerves got the better of you as you are definitely good enough to get on the GBBO – next year you have to be on there!!!! Your post is great and I look forward to reading more throughout this series – I agree this year looks like it will be a lot of fun 🙂
Thanks so much Rachel! I hope you enjoy the rest of my GBBO bakes this year 🙂 please let me know if you try any yourself!
How cute are they?! They look very professional….. I definitely reckon you should give GBBO application another shot next year! You'd be fab xx
Thank you so much Kate!! That's so nice of you 🙂
These look super cute and very pretty Kat. BFG was a first for me too this month. No idea why as it's so delicious. Would be very excited if you made it through to GBBO, would be great to be rooting for someone we know.