German Black Forest Cake

FOR THE CAKE:
2 c. + 2 Tbsp. flour
3/4 c. cocoa
3/4 tsp. soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
3 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
3/4 c. butter, melted
1 c. milk
Butter three 7-8” cake pans and put wax paper on bottoms. Butter and flour the paper. Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Beat eggs and sugar for 5-10 minutes with electric mixer until batter ribbons when beaters are lifted. Mix milk, melted butter and vanilla into dry ingredients and carefully fold in egg mixture. Pour batter into pans, smoothing the tops, and bake at 350º for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 5 minutes. Run knife around edge of pans and invert on racks to cool.

FOR THE FILLING:
2 lbs. canned sour cherries, drained
1/3 c. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. Kirsch (cherry liquor)
5 tsp. cornstarch
In saucepan combine cherry juice, sugar and cornstarch. Bring mixture to boil over moderate heat, simmer and stir for 1 to 3 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cherries and kirsch and let cool.

FOR THE SYRUP:
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. water
2 Tbsp. kirsch
Combine sugar and water, bring to boil and simmer, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add kirsch. Cool

FOR THE CHOCOLATE WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3 Tbsp. kirsch
3 c. well chilled whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. sifted confectioner’s sugar
3/4 c. cocoa powder
2 sq. sweet chocolate (or more), shaved
3/4 c. chopped pecans
Combine gelatin, kirsch and vanilla in saucepan and let gelatin soften 5 minutes. Gently heat mixture over low heat, stirring, until liquid is clear. Remove from heat. In chilled bowl with chilled beaters, beat cream until it holds soft speaks. Add sugar and cocoa and beat until it holds stiff peaks. Add gelatin mixture in stream, beating and beat until it holds stiff peaks again. Save shaved sweet chocolate and chopped pecans for garnish

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
Invert one layer on cake plate. Brush with syrup, and spread half of cherry filling over it. Spread with 1 1/2 c. of whipped cream, and sprinkle with shaved sweet chocolate. Repeat with second layer. Add top layer and brush with syrup. Spread whipped cream around sides of cake and top of cake. Sprinkle top and sides with shaved sweet chocolate and chopped pecans Chill 4 hours before serving.

Added 06/12/17