Black Forest Loaf Cake
Celebrating Christmas in July with this Black Forest Loaf Cake! This Black Forest Loaf Cake features a rich, chocolate cake that is extra fudgy like a brownie. It is layered with a jammy cherry filling and sweet cream cheese. The cake is topped with whipped cream and fresh cherries for the finishing touch. The cherry filling is made by cooking fresh, or frozen cherries with sugar, a dash of lemon juice to brighten the flavor and your choice of Mad Elf beer, Kirsch, or water to create an extra syrupy, delicious jammy layer. Both the Mad Elf beer and Kirsch deepen and enhance the cherry flavor in the jammy cherry layer. Mad Elf beer is made with five different varieties of cherries and wildflower honey, which adds a delicious sweet and tart flavor profile to the cherries.
Black Forest Loaf Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 9×5 inch loaf 1x
Description
This Black Forest Loaf Cake features a rich, chocolate cake that is extra fudgy like a brownie. It is layered with a jammy cherry filling and sweet cream cheese. The cake is topped with whipped cream and fresh cherries for the finishing touch. The cherry filling is made by cooking fresh, or frozen cherries with sugar, a dash of lemon juice to brighten the flavor and your choice of Mad Elf beer, Kirsch, or water to create an extra syrupy, delicious jammy layer. Both the Mad Elf beer and Kirsch deepen and enhance the cherry flavor in the jammy cherry layer.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup hot coffee or hot water
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cherry Filling
- 1 1/2 cups cherries, seed removed and cut in half
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch +2 tablespoons cold water
- 1/3 cup Mad Elf beer, Kirsch (cherry brandy or liquer) or water
Cream Cheese Center
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×5 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Make the cherry filling. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Add to a medium along with cherries, lemon juice, sugar, and Mad Elf beer, Kirsch, or water.
Cook over medium heat until mixture is thickened.
Remove from heat and pour onto rimmed plate or shallow bowl. Place in refrigerator until ready to use.
3. Make the cream cheese filling. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl using a handheld mixer, beat cream cheese, egg yolk and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Set aside until ready to use.
4. Make the chocolate cake. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer, or a whisk, or using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar sour cream, Greek yogurt, hot coffee (or hot water), eggs and vanilla extract until combined.
Add in sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix just until combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
5. Assemble. Pour half the chocolate cake into prepared pan. Scoop half the cherry filing over the cake, then the cream cheese mixture, then the remaining cherry filling. Pour remaining chocolate cake batter on top.
6. Bake. Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, placing a piece of aluminum foil over top of the cake at the 20 minute mark. This prevents the top from drying out.
7. Allow the cake to fully cool on a wire cooling rack, then chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour before slicing. If you slice too soon, the cake does tend to fall apart with the layers of cherry filing and cream cheese filling. This cake is almost like a brownie and it does best after it fully cools and chills a bit for the most clean slices.
8. Before serving, make the whipped cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the softened cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread over top of the cooled loaf cake and garnish with fresh cherries.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 50
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
