Make a favorite German classic in a simple, practical sheet-pan version. These Black Forest bars combine a moist cocoa cake with juicy cherries and a rich layer of mascarpone and farmer’s cheese cream. An ideal dessert for coffee that needs no complicated shaping.
At a Glance:
- Prep time: 20 min | Baking time: 30 min | Total: 50 min (plus chilling)
- Servings: 16 | Difficulty: Easy
- Great for: family celebrations and weekend baking
- Make ahead: yes, the cake is best the next day after chilling
- Storage: in the fridge, keeps 3 to 4 days
- Serving tip: with a cup of good coffee
- Main ingredients: cherries and mascarpone
Ingredients
For the cake
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 packet vanilla sugar)
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (250 ml) milk
- 2/3 cup (150 ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 3/4 cups (350 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 jar pitted sour (Morello) cherries in juice (about 12 oz / 350 g drained)
- 4 tablespoons cherry juice from the jar
For the cream
- 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) heavy cream (at least 33%)
- 7 oz (200 g) smooth farmer’s cheese (or well-drained ricotta)
- 7 oz (200 g) mascarpone
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 packet whipped cream stabilizer (optional, see FAQ)
- 3 tablespoons chopped chocolate
For decoration
- 4 tablespoons chocolate shavings
- 16 whole jarred cherries
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the whole eggs with the granulated sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
- On low speed, gradually pour in the vegetable oil and milk while mixing.
- Gently fold in the sifted cocoa, flour, and baking powder in stages. Mix only until you have a smooth batter.
- Pour the batter into a rectangular 12×16-inch (30×40 cm) baking pan lined with parchment paper and spread it evenly.
- Scatter the drained cherries evenly over the top of the batter.
- Place the pan in an oven preheated to 340°F (170°C) and bake for about 30 minutes.
- Let the baked cake cool completely, then drizzle it with the cherry juice from the jar for extra juiciness.
- In a clean bowl, whip the cream, farmer’s cheese, mascarpone, powdered sugar, and stabilizer into a stiff cream.
- Gently fold the chopped chocolate into the finished cream by hand.
- Spread the cream evenly over the cooled cake and smooth the top.
- Decorate the cake with chocolate shavings and whole cherries so that each planned piece gets one cherry.
- Before serving, let the bars set in the fridge, ideally overnight.
Video Recipe
Tips and Storage
- The cake must be completely cold before you spread on the cream, or the mascarpone and cream will melt and the cream will lose its shape.
- Fold the chocolate into the cream by hand with a spatula only. A mixer could break it into fine dust and tint the white cream.
- Store the bars in the fridge in a container with a lid so the cream doesn’t absorb odors from other foods.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I use frozen cherries instead of jarred?
Yes, but thaw them completely in a sieve first so the excess water doesn’t soak the batter before baking. For drizzling, you can use cherry syrup mixed with a little water.
Can I skip the whipped cream stabilizer?
If you use very high-fat cream and firm mascarpone, the cream should hold its shape without the stabilizer. For safety and cleaner slicing, though, we recommend adding it.
The recipe is based on a version by P-S Backparadies, adapted by the We Cook With Love team.
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