Show-Stopping Black Forest Gâteau
Moist chocolate sponge, a light kirsch–cherry soak, thick glossy cherry compote, whole cherries, and a beautifully stable cherry buttercream that holds a four-layer cake perfectly. Festive, rich, and an ideal centrepiece.
Takes 2 hours 40 minutes
Serves 12
Ingredients
Chocolate Sponge (2 × 15cm / 6-inch cakes)
- 280 g 2¼ cups self-raising flour
- 20 g 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 250 g 1¼ cups caster sugar
- 40 g ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 350 ml 1½ cups oat milk
- 100 g ½ cup neutral oil (sunflower/rapeseed)
- 1½ tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 120 ml ½ cup aquafaba (liquid from one tin of chickpeas)
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- Cherries 2 tins total
- Tin 1: all cherries + all syrup
- Tin 2: all cherries optional: mix with 1 tbsp kirsch
Cherry Compote
- Cherries from Tin 1
- 120 –150ml ½–⅔ cup syrup from Tin 1
- 2 –3 tbsp maple syrup or sugar
- Zest of ½ orange optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
- 1 –2 tbsp kirsch optional
Kirsch Soak
- 6 tbsp cherry syrup from compote
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 –2 tbsp kirsch optional
Cherry Buttercream (structural filling)
- 250 g 1 cup vegan block butter, softened
- 350 g 3 cups icing sugar, sifted
- 3 tbsp cherry syrup from compote
- 3 tbsp very finely chopped compote cherries
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Decoration
- 100 g ½ cup dark chocolate (for shards)
- Whole cherries from Tin 2
- Optional: cocoa powder edible gold, cherry syrup
Instructions
Whip the aquafaba:
- Whisk 120ml aquafaba with 2 tbsp icing sugar for 3–5 minutes until soft peaks form; set aside.
Make the chocolate sponges:
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan) / 190°C (conventional) / 340°F.
- Line and grease two 15cm (6-inch) tins.
- In a bowl, whisk the dry ingredients (280g flour, 20g cornflour, 250g sugar, 40g cocoa, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp bicarb, pinch salt).
- In a jug, mix the wet ingredients (350ml oat milk, 100g oil, 1½ tsp vinegar, 1 tsp vanilla).
- Combine wet with dry until just mixed, then fold in half the whipped aquafaba.
- Divide into tins and bake 50–55 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool fully, then level the tops.
Make the cherry compote:
- Place cherries + syrup from Tin 1 into a saucepan with 2–3 tbsp maple syrup, optional orange zest, vanilla, and kirsch.
- Simmer 10–12 minutes until thick and glossy.
- Strain into a bowl:
- Compote cherries
- Compote syrup (for soak)
Make the kirsch soak:
- Mix 6 tbsp compote syrup, 1 tbsp maple, and 1–2 tbsp kirsch.
- Use sparingly.
Prepare whole cherries:
- Drain all cherries from Tin 2.
- Optional: toss in 1 tbsp kirsch.
- Pat dry so they don’t water down the filling.
Make the cherry buttercream:
- Beat 250g vegan butter until pale.
- Add 350g icing sugar, 3 tbsp cherry syrup, 3 tbsp finely chopped cherries, and 1 tsp vanilla.
- Mix until smooth and spreadable.
Slice and soak the sponges:
- Slice both cakes horizontally → 4 layers.
- Brush each layer with 1 tbsp kirsch soak.
- Do not oversoak.
Assemble the gâteau:
- Repeat for each layer: Sponge + light kirsch soak, Thin smear of buttercream (glue layer), Cherry buttercream, Spoon of thick compote, Scatter of whole cherries.
- Finish with a smooth layer of buttercream on top.
- Chill 20 minutes to set.
Make chocolate shards:
- Melt 100g dark chocolate, spread thinly on parchment, chill 5–10 minutes, then snap into shards.
Decorate:
- Add chocolate shards, cherries, and a drizzle of cherry syrup.
- Optional cocoa dusting or edible gold.
Chill before slicing:
- Refrigerate 1–2 hours for perfect clean layers.