Recipe: Black Forrest Cake

BLACK "FORREST" CAKE

2 cups sifted cake flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sour cream, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup kirsch or cherry flavor brandy
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
4 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons kirsch or cherry brandy
2 (21-oz) cans cherry pie filling

Grease 2 (9 inch) cake pans; line bottoms with wax paper. Grease wax
paper and sides of pans and dust with flour or cocoa.

Combine first 6 ingredients and add shortening and 1/4 cup sour cream
Beat on low speed for 30 seconds or until well moistened. Add rest of
sour cream, milk and first measurement kirsch. Beat at medium speed for
1 1/2 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolks, beating after each addition for
20 seconds.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350F for 30 to 35 minutes until
center tests done. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from
pans; remove wax paper and cool completely on wire racks. Split cake
layers in half by marking with toothpicks and sawing in two with dental
floss.

Place knife blade in food processor. Break 1 cake layer into pieces and
pulse in processor or blender until it resembles fine crumbs. Set aside.

Beat whipping cream until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar until soft
peaks form. Add 2 tablespoons kirsch, beating until stiff peaks form.
Reserve 1 1/2 cups whipped cream as garnish.

Place 1 cake layer on plate; spread with 1 cup whip cream and top with 1
cup cherry pie filling. Repeat procedure and top with last cake layer.
Frost top and side of cake with whipped cream. Pat Cake crumbs around
sides of cake. Pipe or dollop remaining 1 1/2 cups whipped cream around
top exterior edges of cake; spoon 1 cup pie filling in center. Cover and
chill 8 hours.

Thought: You can put the kirsch in the cherry mixture.

"Thanks, Mama...for teachin' me that God didn't intend everybody
to be the same. If he did, he'd a given 'em all braces on their
legs."