Gluten-free Black Forest Cake
Feb
This totally decadent Black Forest Cake is sure to impress when guests come over for afternoon tea. It’s so gorgeous and moist and loaded with flavour and made with only wholesome ingredients. The homemade cherry chia jam really adds a special touch to this delicious cake. Cherries are chock-full of goodness including vitamin C, protective antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Tart cherries in particular are a good source of melatonin which is a hormone that helps regulate our sleep-wake cycle.
Gluten-free Black Forest Cake
Cake:
250 g pitted cherries, frozen or fresh
5 organic eggs
200g almond meal
¾ cup cacao powder
1/3 cup coconut sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
Cherry jam:
1 ½ cups pitted cherries for jam
1 ½ cups pitted cherries for filling, halved
1 heap Tbsp coconut sugar
1 heap Tbsp chia seeds
Cream filling:
250ml heavy whipping organic cream
1 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
1 tsp vanilla essence
Chocolate ganache:
200g dark good quality chocolate
½ cup organic cream
Method:
- Preheat oven 180*C. Grease and then line two 8 inch round cake tins with baking paper.
- Blend all cake ingredients in your food processor and pour equal amounts into the two cake tins. Put your cakes in the oven and bake them for 22-25 minutes, until a skewer comes out cleanly from the centre. Allow them to cool completely before you add the filling.
- To make the cherry jam blend 1 1/2 cups cherries, chia and coconut sugar in your food processor. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan over a medium heat and stir until it thickens up. Pour the jam into a bowl and place in the fridge until it cools.
- Whip cream with maple syrup and vanilla until it forms firm peaks. Keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
- To make the ganache, heat cream in a small saucepan over a medium heat then add in chocolate and keep stirring until you have a glossy thick ganache. Pour ganache into a small bowl and allow it to cool.
- When you are ready to assemble your cake spread all the cherry jam on one cake then top with extra 1 1/2 cups of cherries. Cover the cherries in whipped cream then place the other cake on top (base up so you have a nice flat top to your cake).
- Pour the ganache over your cake and then place it in the fridge. To easily coat the sides of your cake put your ganache in the freezer for 5 minutes so it thickens up, then you can spread it easily around the sides of your cake. Decorate with cherries, chocolate shavings or flowers and enjoy!
TEA PAIRING: This decadent Black Forest Cake pairs beautifully with our Bodhi Black BeauTEA and HonesTEA.
Recipe by naturopath Lisa Guy.
