Black Forest Sheet Cake {Easy to Make}

The combination of rich chocolate cake, tangy cherries, and luscious whipped cream frosting is perfect for a not-too-sweet dessert everyone will love.

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A showstopping dessert that will have you craving seconds. All your favorite grown-up flavors in an easy-to-make sheet cake.

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
🧂 Ingredients
🍴Instructions
🥫 Storage instructions
🔍 FAQs
👩🏻‍🍳 Expert tips
📖 Here’s the recipe

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

Irresistibly delicious: This cake is a perfect combination of flavors, with a moist chocolate cake, creamy whipped frosting, and juicy cherries that will leave you craving more.
Easy to prepare: With simple, straightforward instructions and common ingredients, you don’t have to worry about layers, making syrups, or anything complicated.
Crowd-pleaser: This stunning dessert is sure to impress guests at any gathering, making it a perfect choice for birthdays, potlucks, or just a special treat for your loved ones.

🧂 Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.

You’ll need the following for this elegant dessert:

All-purpose flour
Granulated sugar
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Baking soda
Baking powder
Whole milk
Vegetable oil
Vanilla extract
Large eggs
Hot water
Frozen black cherries

Heavy whipping cream
Powdered sugar
Vanilla extract

Fresh or frozen black cherries
Shaved chocolate

🍴Instructions

Step One: mix wet and dry ingredients separately

dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls.

Preheat and prep: Start by preheating your oven to 350℉. Next, grab your 9×13 baking dish and coat it with nonstick cooking spray to ensure your cake won’t stick.

Combine dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. This will create a well-blended, lump-free base for your cake.

Mix wet ingredients: In a separate, medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the whole milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and large eggs. This mixture will help give your cake its moist, tender texture.

Step Two: make the batter

Combine wet and dry mixtures: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and mix gently using a rubber spatula until they’re combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can cause the cake to become tough.

Add hot water: Gently whisk in the hot water to create a smooth, pourable batter. This step helps to create a lighter, fluffier cake.

Step three: add cherries

bowl of cake batter with chopped cherries.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chopped black cherries. This ensures even distribution of the fruit throughout the cake.

Step Four: bake

Pour and bake: Transfer the cake batter to your prepared baking dish, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remember to keep an eye on your cake to avoid overbaking.

Cool the cake: Let your cake cool completely before moving on to frosting and decorating. This will ensure that the whipped cream frosting doesn’t melt when applied.

Step Five: make the frosting

whipped cream in bowl and being spread on cake.

In a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, whip the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Then, add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Be cautious not to over-whip the cream, as it may become grainy.

Step six: garnish and serve!

Once the cake has cooled, generously spread the whipped cream frosting evenly over the top, creating a smooth layer.

Garnish and enjoy: To make your cake even more enticing, add a beautiful garnish of shaved chocolate and black cherries. Now, it’s time to slice, serve, and savor every scrumptious bite!

🥫 Storage instructions

Due to the whipped cream frosting, it’s best to store the cake in the refrigerator. Cover the cake with plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container to maintain its freshness. Your cake should stay fresh for up to 4 days when refrigerated.

The whipped cream frosting will not freeze well, but you can freeze the unfrosted cake just fine.

🔍 FAQs

Can I use a different type of fruit instead of cherries for this recipe?

Absolutely! While cherries are traditional in a Black Forest cake, feel free to experiment with other fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries. Just make sure to chop them into small pieces and fold them into the batter as you would with the cherries.

Can I use store-bought whipped cream for the frosting?

Yes, something like Cool Whip would be fine as well.

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert tips

Room temperature ingredients: For best results, use room temperature ingredients, especially the eggs and milk. This will help them blend more easily with the other ingredients and create a smoother, more even batter.
Don’t overmix: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing can cause the cake to become tough and dense.
Test for doneness: To ensure your cake is baked to perfection, insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, your cake is ready. If there’s still wet batter on the toothpick, give it a few more minutes in the oven and check again.
Cool completely: Let your cake cool completely before frosting to prevent the whipped cream from melting or becoming too soft. This will also make it easier to spread the frosting evenly.

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📖 Here’s the recipe

close up view of chocolate cake with cherries and creamy frosting.

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