Food blogger Jo Brigdale has created a menu of comfortably warming dishes to ensure you’re warm, comfortable and enjoying good food this season. Follow her instructions below for Black Forest gateau.
This is a simplified take on a classic Black Forest gateau. All the flavour without any of the fuss or hassle of making a traditional one. This could be served as dessert at a dinner party with ice cream of your choice or as part of a buffet during the festive season. You could also enjoy it simply with a cup of coffee or tea. Just make sure you wear your Hotter party shoes this season and have lots of fun whatever your plans!
***Jo made her cake in a stand mixer but you could use a big mixing bowl and an electric hand mixer just as easily.
Ingredients (serves 8-10)
For the cake
- 225g caster sugar
- 225g unsalted butter, softened
- 4 free range eggs
- 150g self-raising flour
- 75g cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
For the decoration
- 400g tub shop brought vanilla buttercream or frosting
- 100g black cherry jam
- 1 tub glacé cherries
- 25g dark chocolate, grated to sprinkle on top of the cake
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Grease and line two sandwich tins. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, add the butter and sugar and cream together until combined.
Next add in the eggs and mix together on a medium speed until light and foamy.
Gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into the egg, butter and sugar mixture on a low speed. It is best to do this in a couple of goes otherwise you may end up getting covered in flour! Keep mixing until everything is combined and the mixture is chocolate coloured. Divide the mixture evenly between the two sandwich tins.
Bake the cakes in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes until they have risen slightly and a knife inserted into each of them comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in their tins before removing them.
To decorate, place the bottom cake on your serving plate or board, using a palette knife spread the cake with the buttercream first and then top with the black cherry jam. Place the other cake on top and spread with more of the vanilla buttercream. Place a circle of glacé cherries around the edge of the cake and top with the grated chocolate. Allow to set for a little bit then serve and enjoy!
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Tweet @HotterShoes and tell us if you’ll be trying out Jo’s mouth-watering dessert.
[separator type=”thin”]About Jo…
Jo Brigdale, from blog www.joskitchen.co.uk, is a freelance food writer, recipe developer and tester, social media consultant and professional blogger. She has a passion for making and eating simple and easy food that fits into a busy lifestyle. When she’s not in the kitchen she’s a busy mum to sons Thomas and Daniel and also runs parenting blog www.josnursery.co.uk.
