The Menu of Flavours

Posting 100th recipe...yummy eggless black forest cake...

Ingredients:

For cake:

1. All purpose flour/Maida - 1.5 cups
2. Unsweetened cocoa powder - 3 tbsp
3. Sugar - 1 cup
4. Baking soda - 3/4 tsp
5. Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Water - 1 cup
7. White vinegar - 1 tbsp
8. Vegetable oil - 1/4 cup
9. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
10. Salt - 1/4 tsp

For frosting:

1. Heavy cream - 2 cups
2. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
3. Confectioner's sugar - 1/4 cup

For filling and decorating:

1. Chopped pitted cherries - 1/2 cup
2. Whipped cream -1/2 cup
3. Syrup that comes with the cherry or sugar syrup - 1/2 cup
4. Grated milk chocolate - 1 cup
5. Pitted whole cherries -8 nos

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• In a bowl sieve together all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.Set aside.
• In another mixing bowl, mix together vegetable oil and sugar .Add in vanilla essence, vinegar and water.Mix it again.To this mixture, add in the sieved flour.Mix both the wet and dry ingredients using a whisk to form a batter without any lumps.
• Transfer to a greased baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer or knife inserted to the center comes out clean.

• Let it cool completely.Meanwhile, prepare the frosting.In a bowl take the heavy cream and beat it until it begins to thicken.Add in confectioner's sugar along with vanilla essence and beat again until stiff peaks form.
• Place  the cake in a serving plate and cut it horizontally in half using a long knife.Remove the upper half carefully and set aside.On the cake on the serving plate, pour some cherry syrup generously and top it with cream.Spread it evenly and add chopped cherries.

• Place the other half on top of it and pour the remaining syrup. Cover it with  whipped cream frosting.Reserve some cream for decoration.Refrigerate the cake for at least two hours.

• Decorate the cake with remaining whipped cream frosting and top it with some cherries.Sprinkle grated chocolate on top and sides generously.

• Refrigerate until serving.Slice and enjoy this yummy black forest cake..