Cherry Vanilla Cake With Kirschwasser Food

CHERRIES JUBILEE

Steps:

• Put the cherries, sugar and lemon zest and juice in a large skillet and stir to combine. Cover and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Uncover and cook until the cherries get juicy, about 5 minutes more.
• Mix together the rum and kirschwasser in a measuring cup, then add to the cherries. Ignite the alcohol with a long match and swirl the pan slightly until the flames subside, about 30 seconds. Serve the warm cherries and their juices over ice cream.

KIRSCH CHERRY POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Place cherries in a jar or bowl you can seal, pour kirsch overtop, enough to cover and reserve at room temperature overnight (at least). Ideally, I like to soak the cherries for a couple of days, this will colour the kirsch pink as the cherries bleed a bit of colour.
• Pre-heat oven to 325°F (163°C). Prepare two loaf pans; spray well with non-stick spray and line with parchment paper. In a stand mixer cream together butter and sugar until smooth, then add almond & vanilla extracts, and mix. Add eggs and mix on medium for about 90 seconds until light and smooth.
• Combine dry ingredients in a bowl remove 2 tablespoons of dry mix and reserve. Drain cherries and reserve kitsch, cut cherries in half reserving eight to ten whole to garnish the top of the cake. Add dry mix alternately with the milk and 2 tablespoons of remaining kirsch to the batter, at a medium speed, until combined. Do not whip or over-mix.
• Remove mixed batter from stand mixer. Mix drained cherries with the reserved portion of the flour mix and fold into batter.
• Divide batter equally between two the two loaf pans and finish with whole cherries if desired. Bake at 325°F (163°C) until done, about an hour to an hour and 20 minutes. If top begins to brown too early, tent the with tin foil until cooked through. Be sure to test the center with a toothpick to ensure it's fully baked.
• Remove from oven and immediately brush top with reserved kirsch, a couple of times. Cool for ten minutes or so on a wire rack before unmolding, then brush entire surface with remaining kirsch. Repete bushing with surface to taste, or until the top of the cake top is glossy and well soaked (you can use it all if you like, I know I like!)

CHERRY VANILLA CAKE WITH KIRSCHWASSER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and dust with flour a 9-inch cake pan or tarte pan with removable bottom. Shake off any additional flour.
• Pit the cherries, then blend in a bowl with lemon juice and cherry brandy (or juice) and let stand at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Cream the butter and sugar, lemon peel, nutmeg and vanilla until fluffy, then beat in eggs, one at a time. Add flour. Pour into pan and spread batter evenly.
• Lift cherries from juices with a slotted spoon and distribute over batter, rounded sides up. Drizzle cherry juices over fruit.
• Bake until cake around fruit springs back firmly when lightly touched, about 30 minutes. Let cool, then serve slightly warm or at room temperature, sprinkling with powdered sugar before serving if you wish. Cake is best served 1- 2 days after baking as the flavor mellows and intensifies. This cake freezes well.

BLACK FOREST GATEAU (SCHWARZWALDER KIRSCHTORTE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper and set aside.
• Whisk the eggs yolks, eggs, and sugar in a large metal bowl over a pot of simmering water for a few minutes until the mixture is about 120 degrees F. Remove the bowl from the heat, and keep whisking to aerate the mixture until it is thick and fluffy, about 10 minutes. The mixture should increase in size 4 to 5 times and become very pale in color.
• Gently fold in both the sifted flour and wheat flour, and the cocoa powder. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan, and flatten it out carefully with a rubber spatula. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, and cut a few vents in the parchment paper so that the steam can evaporate. Let inverted cake rest for 24 hours.
• In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons Kirsch, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and the corn flour. Add a pinch lemon zest and a pinch of cinnamon to the bowl, and stir to combine. In a small saucepan, bring to a boil the remaining 4 tablespoons Kirsch. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sugar mixture, and stir. Then add the cherries, stir again, and heat through. Remove from the heat, pour into a bowl, and let cool.
• Cut the cake into 3 layers. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the bottom layer, and place it in the refrigerator to cool and harden slightly. Meanwhile, make the Whipped Cream and the Syrup.
• Remove the chocolate-covered base layer from the refrigerator and brush syrup over the top. Add about 1/2 of the filling mixture, and 1/4 of the whipped cream. Repeat the layer, brushing with Syrup, then filling, and then Whipped Cream. Place the third cake layer on top, brush it with Syrup, and then cover it with Whipped Cream. Spread the remaining Whipped Cream around the side of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with chocolate shavings and additional cherries.
• Whip together the cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla sugar. If you don't have vanilla sugar, you may substitute 1 tablespoon sugar plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Begin whipping slowly, making the mixture lighter, and continue until you have achieved light and airy whipped cream.
• Combine 1 1/2 cups water and 3/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. When mixture is boiling and sugar has totally dissolved, remove the pan from the heat and add the Kirsch, and stir to combine.

AUTHENTIC BLACK FOREST CAKE (SCHWARZWALD KIRSCH KUCHEN)

Steps:

• Pit most of the cherries leaving about 10 for decoration on top of the cake. Take the pitted cherries and soak them in a jar of the 1/2 cup Kirsch overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F Line the bottom of three 9 inch round cake pans with parchment.
• Sift the dry cake ingredients together.
• Cream the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
• Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk and mix well.
• Pour evenly into the cake pans. Bake for 20 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
• Cool and remove the cakes. Prick the tops of the cakes with a toothpick and pour the 1/2 cup of Kirsch (that the cherries soaked in) onto the cake.
• In a bowl beat the butter until light and creamy. Add the icing sugar, salt and espresso and mix well. If the icing is too thick add Kirsch or cherry juice.
• Cut the cherries into halves.
• Place the base layer on top of your cake tray, spread 1/2 of the filling over one top, cover with cherries and top with another layer of cake.
• Spread the second half of the filling over that layer of cake, cover with cherries and top with the third layer of cake. Cover this and let sit in the fridge for a day or two to allow the kirsch to soak into the cake and become moist.
• The day you're going to serve this cake prepare the icing. Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks.
• Gently fold in the dry milk and icing sugar.
• Add the vanilla and pour in the Kirsch until it's a good consistency.
• If you like more icing double this recipe. Spread the icing over all of the cake.
• Place the fresh, intact cherries on top for decoration and cover the top with the chocolate shavings. Serve and enjoy!

CHERRY VANILLA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour a 13 x 9 pan.
• Mix cherry pie filling and cake mix together by hand.
• Add rest of ingredients and stir by hand until well mixed.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for 40-50 minutes or until top is golden brown.
• I usually do not frost this cake, I dust it with confectioners sugar.