Description

Experience the Elegant Black Forest Cake Roll, a delightful German dessert that combines rich Dutch-processed cocoa chocolate sponge with tart fresh cherries and a luscious whipped cream filling, all elegantly rolled into a beautiful spiral and finished with a decadent dark chocolate ganache.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake

3 large Eggs or aquafaba for vegan
1 cup Granulated Sugar or coconut sugar as alternative
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or vanilla bean paste
1 cup Flour or gluten-free blend
1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Dutch-processed preferred)
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt (optional)

For the Filling

1 cup Heavy Cream or coconut cream for dairy-free
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar or erythritol for sugar-free
1 cup Fresh Cherries or well-drained frozen cherries

For the Ganache

8 ounces Dark/Semi-Sweet Chocolate or bittersweet for richer flavor
1/2 cup Butter or margarine for dairy-free
2 tablespoons Kirsch or Cherry Juice (omit for non-alcoholic version)

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Instructions

Cake Preparation: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan by greasing and lining it with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes for a light sponge. Fold in vanilla extract gently. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a separate bowl, then gradually fold this dry mixture into the egg mixture without deflating it. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly with a spatula. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cake springs back lightly when touched.
Rolling the Cake: Immediately turn the cake out onto a clean powdered sugar-dusted kitchen towel. Carefully peel off the parchment paper and roll the cake up in the towel while still warm to form the spiral. Allow it to cool completely in the rolled towel, which helps prevent cracking.
Filling Preparation: In a clean mixing bowl, beat the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Optionally fold in cherry juice and chopped fresh cherries for added flavor and texture.
Assembling the Cake Roll: Gently unroll the cooled cake and spread the whipped cream filling evenly over the surface. Sprinkle cherries on top of the cream. Carefully re-roll the cake without the towel to maintain the spiral shape.
Ganache Preparation: Heat the cream (or substitute) in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Pour the hot cream over chopped dark or semi-sweet chocolate and let sit for a minute, then stir gently until smooth and glossy. Stir in kirsch or cherry juice if using.
Decorating and Chilling: Drizzle the ganache over the cake roll, decorate with whole cherries and chocolate curls if desired. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to set the ganache and firm up before slicing and serving.

Notes

For extra indulgence, serve the Black Forest Cake Roll with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or additional whipped cream.
You can substitute aquafaba for eggs to make this recipe vegan, and use coconut cream and margarine for a dairy-free variation.
Omit Kirsch or cherry juice for a non-alcoholic version without compromising on flavor.
Sifting the dry ingredients and folding gently is key to maintaining a light, fluffy cake texture.
Cooling the cake rolled in a towel helps prevent cracking when you unroll and fill it.