If you’re looking for a delicious and elegant dessert to impress your guests, look no further than a Black Forest Bundt Cake which is essentially a Cherry Chocolate Bundt Cake made with almond flour, cherries and cherry brandy. Not only is this cake mouth-wateringly delicious, but it’s also gluten free!
You might also like my traditional Black Forest Layer Cake.
A delicious twist on a classic German dessert: Black Forest Bundt Cake
If you’re a fan of all things black forest, then you must try this Black Forest Bundt Cake. Moist and almost like a brownie, this cake will wow you with its great chocolate flavor and luscious cherry sauce.
After testing this cake over and over again these past few weeks, friends and neighbors agree: I finally got it! The best Black Forest Bundt Cake starring chocolate, cherries, cherry liquor and whipped cream is here.
Trending now: Keto Chocolate Bundt Cake with Strawberry Roses.
Now that I’ve got your attention, let me show you how to make this Black Forest Bundt Cake inspired by the timeless classic that comes from the Black Forest region of Germany.
Or try Low-Carb Red Velvet Cake.
What is more: This cake is actually fairly healthy, since it’s made with delicious, mildly nutty, low-carb almond flour instead of refined flour. So, if you also use a zero-calorie sugar replacement such as monk fruit, this cake will be relatively low in calories and not likely to spike your glycemic index.
Looking for diet tips? Check out my tips on weight loss & management.
THE INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
For the chocolate cake batter
ALMOND FLOUR – Fine, blanched almond flour, not coarse almond meal.
GRANULATED SWEETENER OF CHOICE – Sugar or for fewer calories, opt for a sugar-free sweetener.
COCOA POWDER – regular or organic.
BAKING POWDER – as a standard leavening agent.
SALT – a small amount brings out the chocolate flavor.
INSTANT COFFEE OR ESPRESSO POWDER (optional) – boosts the chocolate flavor.
EGGS – provide structure, leavening and richness.
SOUR CREAM – full fat.
VANILLA EXTRACT – for flavor, aroma and to enhance the other flavors.
CHOCOLATE EXTRACT (optional) – also enhances the chocolate flavor.
DAIRY-FREE MILK OF CHOICE – I used unsweetened almond milk.
For the cherry filling
CHERRIES FOR THE FILLING – pitted, frozen, halved dark sweet cherries or fresh cherries. If you use frozen cherries, I recommend cutting them in half when they are still slightly frozen, since they are easier to handle before they get soft and mushy.
GRANULATED SWEETENER OF CHOICE – to make the cherry brandy simple syrup that is brushed on each cake layer.
XANTHUM GUM – If the filling gets watery, thicken it with a small amount of xanthum gum.
For the cherry liquor syrup
CHERRY BRANDY (Kirschwasser in German) – Cherry brandy is key for this recipe since it gives this cake its characteristic black forest flavor. I made several versions of this cake. When I added the cherry liquor to the cherry filling, it baked off. So, I brush the baked cake with cherry liquor and added some to the cherry sauce.
For the chocolate ganache
SEMISWEET OR DARK CHOCOLATE BAR(S) – 1 or 2 depending on how much chocolate ganache and/or chocolate shavings you want to use. I personally like using dark chocolate but if you’re a fan of slightly sweet chocolate, opt for semisweet chocolate.
For the whipped cream
HEAVY CREAM – to make gently sweetened whipped cream for the crowning rosettes.
GRANULATED SWEETENER OF CHOICE – to lightly sweeten the whipped cream.
Cherries & cherry sauce
CHERRIES TO CROWN THE TOP OF THE CAKE – If fresh cherries aren’t available, dark red, pitted & stem-on bada bing cherries are delicious and look great on top of this German Black Forest Bundt Cake. You could also opt for bright red maraschino cherries. You’ll find both in glass bottles at supermarkets.
CHERRY SAUCE MADE FROM CHERRY JUICE – If you use frozen cherries, you can make the sauce with the extra cherry juice you will have. To thicken it, just whisk in some xanthum gum. You can also add some cherry brandy to the sauce.
CHERRY SAUCE MADE FROM FRESH CHERRIES – Remove the pits and stems and purée the cherries. This will yield a thick sauce which you can spike with cherry brandy.
HOW TO SERVE THE CHERRY SAUCE – Pour it over the chocolate ganache before adding the whipped cream or serve a slice topped with some – or do both which is what I do. By the way, my neighbors absolutely love the cherry sauce – it’s a must for this recipe.
Also popular: Healthy Carrot Cake.
Equipment to make Black Forest Bundt Cake
- Mixer – Personally, I like to use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for the cake and a whisk attachment for the whipped cream. However, you can also use an electric hand mixer.
- Bundt pan – A 10-12 cup nonstick bundt cake pan.
- Brush – to brush on the cherry brandy.
- Piping bag – to pipe the rosettes on top.
- Piping tip: I used an 849 closed-star piping tip to pipe the rosettes.
How to make Black Forest Bundt Cake with cherries
Now that you have the ingredients ready, let’s make a cake! Here’s a quick overview of how to make a Black Forest Bundt Cake:
Make the cherry filling
1. Make the cherry filling: Remove pits and stems. Then, cut the cherries in half.
2. Cook for a few minutes and add sweetener. If your sauce gets runny, add xanthum gum to thicken it.
Make the cherry sauce to pour over the cake
CHERRY SAUCE MADE FROM CHERRY JUICE – If you use frozen cherries, you can make the sauce with the extra cherry juice you will have. To thicken it, just whisk in some xanthum gum. You can also add some cherry brandy to the sauce.
CHERRY SAUCE MADE FROM FRESH CHERRIES – Remove the pits and stems and purée the cherries. This will yield a thick sauce which you can spike with cherry brandy.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease the bundt pan. I use about a teaspoon of melted butter.
3. Then, use a sieve to sprinkle cocoa powder on the greased pan.
3. Sift the dry ingredients together (almond flour, sweetener, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, optional instant espresso powder) and whisk until fully combined.
4. Add the wet ingredients starting with the eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, optional chocolate extract, and dairy-free milk of choice. Mix well.
5. Use a kitchen scale to divide the batter and pour half into the greased bundt pan. Make a tunnel and pour the cherry filling into the tunnel. If you can’t make a tunnel, put the cherry filling on top of the batter, avoiding the edges.
6. Pour the remaining batter on top.
7. Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes until a skewer or knife comes out clean.
8. After letting the cake cool for 10 minutes, release it from the bundt pan.
Make the cherry liquor sauce & the chocolate ganache
9. To make the cherry liquor sauce, combine the cherry brandy with a little cherry juice. Then, after removing the cake from the oven, brush with cherry liquor sauce while the cake is still hot and can absorb the liquid.
10. Melt a chocolate bar and pour the chocolate over the cake. I use a 72% dark chocolate bar, but you can also use semisweet or milk chocolate.
The cherry sauce & whipped cream
11. Pour the cherry sauce over the cake.
12. Make the whipped cream, beating until it forms thick peaks. You definitely don’t want runny whipped cream for this cake. I like to gently sweeten the whipped cream.
13. Pipe rosettes on top. I used an 849 closed-star piping tip. Also, serve each slice with a little extra whipped cream.
14. Top with cherries. If fresh cherries aren’t available, dark red, pitted & stem-on bada bing cherries are delicious and look great on top of this German Black Forest Bundt Cake. You could also opt for bright red maraschino cherries. You’ll find both in glass bottles at supermarkets.
Tips to make the perfect Black Forest Bundt Cake
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when making this Black Forest Cake recipe:
- The cherry sauce is essential. I always make enough so there’s some left over to pour over the individual slices.
Additional decoration ideas
- Sprinkle with chocolate shavings. To make them, use a vegetable peeler and peel a chocolate bar.
- Add some pink by crumbling up a chocolate-cherry bar and sprinkling it on top of the bundt cake.
Common questions about this Black Forest Cake recipe
A 10-12 cup bundt pan.
The edges will pull away from the pan and a knife or skewer will also come out clean.
I used an 849 closed-star piping tip.
Yes, cherry brandy gives this chocolate-cherry cake its distinct flavor. However, if you omit it, you’ll still have an amazing cherry-chocolate bundt cake.
You need enough to pipe the rosettes and to add some to each slice when you serve the cake.
How to store Black Forest Bundt Cake
Refrigerate for up to 5 days in a sealed cake container. You can freeze the cake but the whipped cream will get runny when you thaw the cake, so be prepared to remove the whipped cream either before or after freezing.
DID YOU MAKE THIS BLACK FOREST BUNDT CAKE RECIPE?
I’d love to hear your feedback. Please leave a comment/star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. And, of course, be sure to tag me on Instagram as I love seeing photos of the recipes you’ve made.
Black Forest Bundt Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 10-12 Cup Bundt Cake Pan
- 1 Brush to brush on the cherry brandy.
- 1 Piping Bag (optional) to pipe the rosettes on top.
- 1 Piping Tip (optional) I used an 849 closed-star piping tip to pipe the rosettes.
Ingredients
Cherry Filling
- 1½ Cups Cherries – Fresh or Frozen
- 4½ Tablespoons Sweetener
- 1 Teaspoon Xanthum Gum (optional) only add it if you need to thicken your filling a bit.
Cherry Sauce
- 1½ Cups Fresh or Frozen Cherries or Pure Cherry Juice If you make this recipe with frozen cherries you will have pure cherry juice.
- 1 Teaspoon Xanthum Gum (optional) if you need to thicken the sauce
- Sweetener Sweeten to taste. The amount depends on how sweet your cherries are.
- 2 or more Tablespoons Cherry Brandy The amount depends on how boozy you want it to taste.
The Chocolate Cake Batter
- 3 Cups Almond Flour
- 1½ Cups Sugar or Zero-Calorie Sugar Replacement
- 1 Cup Cocoa Powder
- 3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Instant Espresso Powder (optional) to intensify the chocolate flavor.
- 6 Eggs
- 1 Cup Sour Cream
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Chocolate Extract (optional) to intensify the chocolate flavor.
- 3 Tablespoons Milk of Choice I use unsweetened almond milk.
Cherry Liquor Syrup
- 6 Tablespoons Cherry Brandy (German: "Kirschwasser")
- 1 Tablespoon Cherry Juice (optional)
Chocolate Ganache
- 1-2 Chocolate Bars 1 or 2 depending on how much chocolate ganache and/or chocolate shavings you want to use. I use a 72% dark chocolate bar but if you're a fan of slightly sweet chocolate, opt for semisweet chocolate.
Whipped Cream
- 2 Cups Whipped Cream to pipe rosettes and to serve some with each slice.
- 2 Tablespoons Powdered Sweetener
Cherries to Crown and Decorate the Cake
- 12 or more Fresh cherries, or canned cherries such as dark red, pitted & stem-on bada bing cherries or bright red maraschino cherries.
Instructions
Cherry Filling
- Remove pits and stems. Then, cut the cherries in half, so you have 1½ cups of cherries.
- Cook on stovetop for about two minutes so the cherries get a bit mushy. Then add sweetener. I added 4½ Tablespoons of sweetener, but check for sweetness. You may need more or less sweetener depending on your cherries.
- If your sauce is runny, whisk in 1 Teaspoon of xanthum gum. Set aside and let it thicken while you proceed to the next step.
Make the Cherry Sauce
- Puree 1½ cups fresh or frozen cherries. If you use fresh cherries, you might have to cook them a little on the stove so they get mushy. This will give you a nice, thick sauce.If you make the recipe with frozen cherries, you'll find that you have a lot of extra cherry juice. You can use this juice to make the sauce but you need to whisk in a teaspoon of xanthum gum to thicken it.
- Sweeten to taste. The amount depends on how sweet your cherries are.
- Stir in 2 or more tablespoons cherry brandy. The amount depends on how boozy you want the sauce to taste.
Chocolate Cake – See photos of the process in the post above
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease the bundt pan. I use about a teas
- Then, use a sieve to sprinkle cocoa powder on the greased pan.
- Sift the dry ingredients together (3 cups almond flour, 1½ cups sweetener, 1 cup cocoa powder, 3 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 (optional) teaspoon instant espresso powder) and whisk until fully combined.
- Add the wet ingredients starting with the 6 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 (optional) teaspoon chocolate extract, and 3 tablespoons dairy-free milk of choice. Mix well.
- Use a kitchen scale to divide the batter and pour half into the greased bundt pan. Make a tunnel and pour the cherry filling into the tunnel. If you can't make a tunnel, put the cherry filling on top of the batter, avoiding the edges.
- Pour the remaining batter on top.
- Bake at 350°F for 40-50 minutes until a skewer or knife comes out clean.
- After letting the cake cool for 10 minutes, release it from the bundt pan.
Make the Cherry Liquor Sauce & Brush Cake with It
- Mix 6 tablespoons of cherry brandy with 1 tablespoon cherry juice. Then, after removing the cake from the oven, brush the cake with cherry liquor sauce while it is still hot and can absorb the liquid.
Make the Chocolate Ganache & Pour over Cake
- Melt 1 or 2 chocolate bars and pour the chocolate over the cake. I use a 72% dark chocolate bar, but you can also use semisweet or milk chocolate.
Pour the Cherry Sauce over the Chocolate Sauce
- Pour about ¾ cup cherry sauce over the chocolate sauce. Pour the remaining cherry sauce over the individual slices when you serve them.
Make the Whipped Cream
- Beat 2 cups of heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of powdered sweetener, beating until it forms thick peaks.
- Pipe rosettes on top. I used an 849 closed-star piping tip. Also, serve each slice with a little extra whipped cream.
Top with Cherries
- If fresh cherries aren’t available, dark red, pitted & stem-on bada bing cherries are delicious and look great on top of this German Black Forest Bundt Cake. You could also opt for bright red maraschino cherries. You’ll find both in glass bottles at supermarkets.
Notes
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