Black forest poke cake

9×13 inch pan

It's not a secret how much I love, love, love cherry desserts. That why I'm always drawn to try the black forest cake (cherries, chocolate and vanilla,what not to like right??) but I'm always disappointed from the lack of the chocolaty flavor. You see, when you build a 3 layer cake, your cake layers needs to be sturdy enough to hold the structure, so you can't make it with super moist and heavy cake. Well I decided to give up the beautiful, but dull, 3 layer black forest chocolate cake, and go with the ugly sister version of the oh so rich, moist and decadent poke cake. OMG, so much better. For those of you who prefer the layered beautiful version, I promise I'll post it in the future, maybe even try to soak it a little in chocolate ganache for richer flavor,we will see. In the meanwhile run to the kitchen to make this one, you won't regret it 😋

Ingredients

For the cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

¾ cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

½ cup oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup hot coffee

For the chocolate sauce

1 can condensed milk

120 gr milk/ dark chocolate - or combo

½ cup rum

For the cherry topping

1 pound frozen/fresh cherries

½ cup rum

¼ cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

For the vanilla frosting

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 package instant vanilla pudding (make sure not to buy the cooked one) 96gr/3.4oz

Some dark chocolate for shaved choclate flakes

Instructions

Make the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 300°f/150°c

2. Sift the flour and the cocoa powder into a large bowl

3. Add the sugar, baking soda and the salt and mix well

4. In a separate bowl combine the wet ingredients but the hot coffee

5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix only until combined

6. Carefully add the hot coffee and mix till combined

7. Pour the mixture into the pan

8. Bake for 35-40 min until a toothpick comes out with wet crumbs.

9. While cake is in the oven make the chocolate sauce and the cherry filling

10. Take out of the oven and poke with a wooden spoon.

11. Immediately pour the chocolate sauce over.

Make the chocolate sauce

1. In a saucepan heat the condensed milk

2. When hot, add the chocolate and stir till it melts.

3. Remove from the heat and mix in the rum.

4. Pour over the poked hot cake.

5. Let cool and absorbed for few minutes.

Make the cherry topping

1. Combine all the ingredients in a pan and mix well

2. Cook on medium- heat until thickened

3. Spread on the cool cake

4. Place cake in the fridge for few hours till completely cool

Make the vanilla frosting

1. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients

2. Whip on high speed till soft to medium peaks

3. Spread over the cooled cake, let the cherry pick from underneath the frosting

4. Garnish with some shaved chocolate flakes (using a knife, carefully shave the surface of a chocolate bar)

Enjoy 😋