Eid days bring the nostalgia of mamu coming to meet us with Black Forest Cake (mother’s brother is called mamu). Everyone joked he brings the same cake every year because he likes it.
Mum would bring it out in the tray, cut small slices, and serve it to everyone with tea. Tea is mandatory to go with cake in desi household.
I for one, did not fancy the cake much and resorted to having a bite then tea.
Fast forward to now, I still don’t like the cake much, but yes, I like to make it on Eid days to replicate the same memory.
Also, no one can insist enough to change the cake type, it will always be Black Forest Cake.
And I don’t make it on Qurbani day; not that crazy. But I try to make it on day two or three or the weekend during the Eid holidays when family comes over to meet us.
The method is quite elaborate; hence I am dicing it down to each segment, and then the assembling part.
How to Make the Sponge Cake
Things You Would Need:
- 6 large eggs
- 5-ounce flour
- 6-ounce sugar
- 1-ounce cocoa powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
Sponge for Black Forest Cake
- Ideally, the oven should be preheated. Preheat the oven at 180°C.
- Take a pan, grease it generously, and use a baking sheet. I like to use my round nine-inch pan for this cake.
- In a mixing bowl, separate the egg whites. Using a mixer, beat the egg whites until the white clouds start forming.
- Time to add vanilla extract and sugar gradually and keep mixing the egg whites.
- I sift the flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder in another bowl. Using a spatula, gradually add the dry ingredients and fold. It has to be a gradual process, using one swift movement to mix egg whites with dry ingredients.
- After you find the cake mix is all incorporated, with no lumps, pour it into the greased and lined pan.
- Put it in the oven for approximately thirty minutes. I recommend checking the cake after 25 minutes with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, she is ready; if not, let it sit in the oven for another five minutes, and do the toothpick test again.
- Leave the pan aside to cool, it's best not to flip the cake when hot.
- Later, when the sponge cake has cooled down, slice the cake horizontally into three equal slices.
The Jam
- Can of cherries
- 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp sugar
Sometimes, I use fresh cherries too. It depends mainly on the availability. Put roughly eight to ten cherries aside for decoration and deseed the remaining cherries.
Add lemon juice and sugar, and using a tater masher, gently make a mush of the berries.
Cook for another ten minutes until you see the jam-like consistency forming. Add a little water to get the desired jam-like consistency.
Put it in the refrigerator to cool.
Time to Bring it Home
- You would need a pack of whipped cream and chocolate shavings to assemble the cake.
- Bring out your fancy cake platter. Place the first of three layers of the sponge cake.
- Layer it with the whipped cream, some jam, and another thin layer of cream. Top it with another slice of sponge cake.
- Repeat the same process before you place the third and last slice.
- Cover the whole cake with whipped cream; I leave some aside to make the cherry couches.
- Drizzle chocolate shaving on the sides, and on top of the cake. Cover every inch.
- Now, make those round shapes across the border of the cake using a piping bag. Put the cheery in the middle to get a similar look from back home.
- Time to put the cake in the fridge for the next three hours to cool down.
Parting Thoughts
I usually make the cake the same day as I plan to consume it. The sponge cake doesn’t taste as great the way it tastes fresh; I am picky like that.
Also, don’t forget to serve the guests tea with cake – it helps wash down the creamy flavour in the mouth.