Black forest gateaux is always a firm favourite, I found making one in cake form is much easier and less fussy!

It makes a fabulous centrepiece at a party too.

You Will Need:

• 350g Butter
• 350g Caster Sugar
• 6 Eggs
• 2 tbsp Kirsch
• 300g Self Raising Flour
• 50g Cocoa Powder

Filling and Decoration:

• 75ml Kirsch
• 450ml Double Cream
• 410g Can of Black Cherry Pie Filling
• 20g Melted Chocolate

Method:

• Line and grease 3 x 18cm tins.
• Preheat the oven to 170degrees C.
• Cream the butter and the sugar together.
• Add the eggs one at a time, and beat in well after each addition.
• Mix in the Kirsch.
• Sift the flour and cocoa power together and fold through the cake mixture.
• Divide equally between the three prepared tins and bake for 30 – 40 mins at 170 degrees C or until cooked though and springy to touch.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5mins in the tins before tuning out on to a cooling rack and cooling completely.

Filling and Decoration:

Prepare the chocolate and the cream

The Chocolate Shavings:

• Heat the chocolate in bain-marie until melted. Pour the melted chocolate on to a non-porous surface; I used the back of glass dish/plate, if you have a marble chopping board that would be perfect.  Chill in the fridge until firm.
• Hold a sharp knife at 90degree angle and scrape the knife over the chocolate towards you. You will get a curl of chocolate in front of the knife. Put this in a bowl with a lid and keep in the fridge until you are ready to use it.  Repeat this process until all the chocolate has been used or until you have got curled all you can.

Whip the double cream until thick and holds its shape.

Assembly:

• If the cakes are a little domed lightly cut the top off so they sit slightly more level.
• Place on cake on the plate or stand you are going to serve on.
• Brush the top with the Kirsch
• Spread a thin layer of cream over this and them pipe the cream around the edge to form a barrier to prevent the cherry pie filling from seeping out over the edges.
• Fill the middle with a third of the cherry pie filling.
• Repeat with the next layer of cake.
• Gently place the third cake on top. I place it so the base is upper most. This creates a nice flat top to your cake.
• As with the filling, spread a thin layer of cream over the top, pipe a ring of cream around the edge in whatever style you like best and fill the centre with the remaining cherry pie filling and decorate with a sprinkling of chocolate shavings.

Do keep this cake in the fridge and eat within 3 days.