Oktoberfest Find

 

For Oktoberfest this year, we just made some tried and true favorites that we have already previously posted on our blog. You can find some of our favorite Oktoberfest recipes here, here, and here. However, we did make this fantastic new discovery. My mom was reticent to make it because she worried that a lot of us wouldn't eat it because some people in our family aren't huge fans of cherries. Oh, I'm so glad she did make this though. It is fantastic!

 

German Black Forest Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 cup whole milk
3 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) pitted tart cherries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons cherry brandy or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whipped Cream:

3 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottoms of two greased 9-in. round baking pans; grease paper.

In a large bowl, beat milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla until well-blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into milk mixture.

Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely.

Meanwhile, for filling, drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. In a small saucepan, whisk sugar, cornstarch, and reserved juice; add cherries cook and stir over low heat 10-12 minutes, or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in brandy or vanilla. Cool completely.

In a large bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until stiff peaks form.

Using a long serrated knife, cut each cake horizontally in half. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Top with 1 1/2 cups whipped cream. Spread 3/4 cup filling to within 1 in. of edge. Repeat twice. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining whipped cream, reserving some to pipe decorations, if desired. Spoon remaining filling onto top of cake. Refrigerate until servings.

Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition information: 1 slice: 659 calories, 34 g fat, 136 mg cholesterol, 329 mg sodium, 84 mg carbohydrate, 7g protein.

Source: Taste of Home, submitted by Stephanie Travis of Fallon, Nevada. You can find it here.

Notes: This is fantastic and completely worth using your calories on! Don't be tempted to substitute cherry pie filling for this recipe. The pitted tart cherries add so much to this cake.