This is my mom's favorite part of the Oktoberfest, and probably her German heritage. A three layer (actually five if you count the frosting and cherry ones) chocolate cake laced with kirsch.
The kirsch is the prominent flavor in the cake. It is a clear brandy that is made by distilling sour cherries called morellos that are native to Europe. This is not your typical chocolate cake. The cakes themselves are stiff, the cherries sour and the kirsch gives it a fairly bitter flavor. Definitely an acquired taste.
Ingredients:
For cakes:
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate melted (we used the choco bake things that Toll House makes)
1 cup flour
For syrup:
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
2 tbsps. kirsch
For the buttercream frosting:
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
2 tsbs. kirsch liqueur
For topping:
2 cups drained, canned sour cherries
2 tbsps. confectioners' sugar
2 cups heavy cream, whipped
What we did:
Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla together until thick. This will take about 10 minutes. Blend in the chocolate and flour into the batter.
Pour the batter into 3 eight-inch round cake pans (already greased) and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool the cakes about 5 minutes.
While the cakes are cooking, you can make a syrup by boiling the water and sugar for about five minutes. Cool it. When it is cooled, add the kirsch.
To make the the buttercream filling, beat the sugar and butter until well blended. Then add egg yolk and beat until fluffy and thick. This should take about five minutes. Blend in the kirsch.
When the cakes have cooled, use a fork to poke the tops of all of them with numerous little holes. Then pour equal parts of the syrup over all of the cakes. The liquid should get absorbed into all of the holes.
Now you can start assembling the cake. Take your largest cake round for the base and cover the top with some of the buttercream filling. Strain the can of sour cherries, and stick some of them in the frosting of this layer. Put the second cake on top, spread with butter cream filling and more cherries. Put the third cake on top.
The final step is to cover the cake with a whipped cream topping. To make the topping, just beat the whipped cream with the confectioners sugar until fluffy and thick (it should be like whipped cream). This will take about 10 minutes. You want this to be thick enough to spread over the cake. You should get medium-sized peaks as you come to the end of the beating.
Frost the top and sides of cake with the whipped cream frosting and decorate with cherries. Put in a safe place until guests arrive to avoid early hijackers.
The kirsch is the prominent flavor in the cake. It is a clear brandy that is made by distilling sour cherries called morellos that are native to Europe. This is not your typical chocolate cake. The cakes themselves are stiff, the cherries sour and the kirsch gives it a fairly bitter flavor. Definitely an acquired taste.
Ingredients:
For cakes:
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate melted (we used the choco bake things that Toll House makes)
1 cup flour
For syrup:
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
2 tbsps. kirsch
For the buttercream frosting:
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
2 tsbs. kirsch liqueur
For topping:
2 cups drained, canned sour cherries
2 tbsps. confectioners' sugar
2 cups heavy cream, whipped
What we did:
Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla together until thick. This will take about 10 minutes. Blend in the chocolate and flour into the batter.
Pour the batter into 3 eight-inch round cake pans (already greased) and bake for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool the cakes about 5 minutes.
While the cakes are cooking, you can make a syrup by boiling the water and sugar for about five minutes. Cool it. When it is cooled, add the kirsch.
To make the the buttercream filling, beat the sugar and butter until well blended. Then add egg yolk and beat until fluffy and thick. This should take about five minutes. Blend in the kirsch.
When the cakes have cooled, use a fork to poke the tops of all of them with numerous little holes. Then pour equal parts of the syrup over all of the cakes. The liquid should get absorbed into all of the holes.
Now you can start assembling the cake. Take your largest cake round for the base and cover the top with some of the buttercream filling. Strain the can of sour cherries, and stick some of them in the frosting of this layer. Put the second cake on top, spread with butter cream filling and more cherries. Put the third cake on top.
The final step is to cover the cake with a whipped cream topping. To make the topping, just beat the whipped cream with the confectioners sugar until fluffy and thick (it should be like whipped cream). This will take about 10 minutes. You want this to be thick enough to spread over the cake. You should get medium-sized peaks as you come to the end of the beating.
Frost the top and sides of cake with the whipped cream frosting and decorate with cherries. Put in a safe place until guests arrive to avoid early hijackers.
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