Dark chocolate cake, sweetened whipped cream, and cherries: that’s really all you need for a Black Forest cake. But if you’re like me, and you like cherry-flavored things but not actual cherries, what can you do? You can whip up your own version of this famous dessert, that’s what.

Cherries have wonderful flavor, but I don’t want to eat an actual cherry because of the skin. So instead of making this cake with cherries, I put a few tablespoons of cherry preserves into my food processor and spun it until it became smooth, then folded it into my Kirsch-flavored whipped cream. The end result is one of the best little cakes I’ve made in some time; it’s a small, two-layer 6-inch cake, perfect for just Mike and me. I chose to level my cakes, leaving me with a fair amount of leftover scraps; those will likely become cake pops later this week. You could absolutely make this without leveling your cakes, though the layers just won’t be quite as even; you could also bake this in a regular 8-inch cake pan and just split that one layer into two. 

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the whipped cream

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Kirsch
• 2 tablespoons cherry preserves, pureed if desired
• Semisweet chocolate, for garnish

Preparation 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease two 6-inch round cake tins and line each with a parchment circle.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir together, then add water, oil, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for about 2 minutes, until the batter is smooth; it will be thin.

Divide batter evenly between the two tins; bake for 22-25 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tins for just a minute or two, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cakes are cool, level them if desired; reserve the scraps for a trifle, cake pops, or other treat. 

Place heavy cream and powdered sugar in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat on low at first to combine. Add Kirsch, then increase speed to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in cherry preserves.

Place bottom layer of cake on your cake plate and top with a thick layer of whipped cream. Carefully place the top layer, covering the top and outside of the cake. Using a fine grater, grate semisweet chocolate over the top of the cake for garnish. 

Store cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 2 days; the cake will dry out once it’s cut, but still taste delicious. Makes about 6 servings.