The Black Forest cake roll is a delicious dessert that features a light chocolate sponge cake filled with whipped cream and a sweet amaretto cherry filling.
Black Forest Cake Roll
The Black Forest cake roll is a delicious dessert that features a light chocolate sponge cake filled with freshly whipped cream and a sweet amaretto cherry filling. What is a cake roll? A cake roll is a thin sponge cake that is usually rolled with jelly preserves, fruit filling, sweetened whipped cream, ice cream or buttercream filling. The name cake roll is also used interchangeably with roulade, jelly roll, Swiss roll or cream roll depending on the recipe’s geographic origin.
This particular cake roll is a twist on the traditional Black Forest torte or layer cake, which originated in the 1920’s in Germany’s Black Forest region. A traditional Black Forest cake contains chocolate, whipped cream, cherries and is flavored with the cherry flavored brandy, Kirsch. This particular version contains all of the same flavors of a classic Black Forest cake, but replaces the Kirsch with amaretto liqueur or flavoring.
How to Make Black Forest Cake Roll
The key to this Black Forest cake roll is getting the sponge texture just right so the cake doesn’t break when you roll it: be sure to beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and to roll the cake carefully while it’s still warm. Be sure to plan ahead, as this cake takes several hours from start to finish.
Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs, separated
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whipping cream, cold
- ¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted + more for dusting
- 1 ½ cups cherry pie filling *preferably homemade + more for serving
- 1 teaspoon amaretto liqueur or amaretto flavoring
Instructions
Line a jelly roll pan (15”x10”x1” pan) with parchment paper and grease well. Sift together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
Separate the eggs and place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and the egg yolks in a separate large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Add the pinch of cream of tartar to the egg whites and whip with a mixer on high until until soft peaks form. Once soft peaks form, gradually add in granulated sugar and continue to beat on high until stiff peaks form.
Add the vanilla extract to the egg yolks and mix on high until thick and a soft yellow color, around 3-4 minutes; gently fold into egg whites using a rubber spatula. Gently fold in the sifted dry ingredients, in three separate additions ensuring no streaks of dry ingredients remain in the batter.
Pour batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and bake @ 375°F for 12-15 minutes until the edges of the cake spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean; prepare working surface while the cake is baking. Do NOT over bake.
How to Assemble
To prepare working surface, use a clean tea or kitchen towel and dust with powdered sugar. Once cake is removed from oven, immediately run a sharp knife around the edges of the cake and invert onto the prepared towel. Remove the parchment paper and trim any uneven edges of the cake, if necessary. Slowly roll the cake (with the towel), starting at a short end until the cake is rolled into a log. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, slowly unroll the cake and towel. Place the cold whipping cream and powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer; beat on high until soft peaks form. Evenly spread the freshly whipped cream onto the cooled cake using an offset spatula. In a small mixing bowl, combine the cherry pie filling and the amaretto liqueur or flavoring.
Dollop the cherry pie filling into 3 even horizontal rows on top of the whipped cream. Slowly re-roll the cake without the towel and place seam side down onto a platter. Dust the top with additional powdered sugar before cutting into slices; serve with additional cherry pie filling if desired.
Tips:
- Do not over whip the whipping cream; only beat until soft peaks form; make sure your bowl and beaters are chilled prior to whipping the cream
- Can replace the amaretto liqueur or flavoring with Kirsch (using a 1:1 ratio)
- Consume within 48 hours after making; keep leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container
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Want more chocolate cake recipes?
Black Forest Cake Roll
Equipment
- jelly roll pan (15”x10”x1” pan)
- parchment paper
- mixing bowls of various sizes
- electric or stand mixer
- rubber spatula
- offset spatula
- clean tea or kitchen towel
Ingredients
For the cake
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs separated
- Pinch of cream of tartar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling
- 1 cup whipping cream cold
- ¼ cup powdered sugar sifted + more for dusting
- 1 ½ cups cherry pie filling *preferably homemade + more for serving
- 1 teaspoon amaretto liqueur or flavoring
Instructions
For the cake
- Line a jelly roll pan (15”x10”x1” pan) with parchment paper and grease well. Sift the ½ cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Separate the 4 large eggs and place the egg whites in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and the egg yolks in a separate large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the Pinch of cream of tartar to the egg whites and whip with a mixer on high until until soft peaks form. Once soft peaks form, gradually add in ¾ cup granulated sugar and continue to beat on high until stiff peaks form.
- Add the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the egg yolks and mix on high until thick and a soft yellow color, around 3-4 minutes; gently fold into egg whites using a rubber spatula.
- Gently fold in the sifted dry ingredients, in three separate additions ensuring no streaks of dry ingredients remain in the batter.
- Pour batter into the prepared jelly roll pan and bake @ 375°F for 12-15 minutes until the edges of the cake spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean; prepare working surface while the cake is baking. Do NOT over bake.
- To prepare working surface: use a clean tea or kitchen towel and dust with powdered sugar.
- Once cake is removed from oven, immediately run a sharp knife around the edges of the cake and invert onto the prepared towel. Remove the parchment paper and trim any uneven edges of the cake, if necessary. Slowly roll the cake (with the towel), starting at a short end until the cake is rolled into a log. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
For assembly
- Once cooled, slowly unroll the cake and towel.
- Place the 1 cup whipping cream and ¼ cup powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer; beat on high until soft peaks form. Evenly spread the freshly whipped cream onto the cooled cake using an offset spatula.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the 1 ½ cups cherry pie filling and the 1 teaspoon amaretto liqueur or flavoring. Dollop the cherry pie filling into 3 even horizontal rows on top of the whipped cream.
- Slowly re-roll the cake without the towel and place seam side down onto a platter. Dust the top with additional powdered sugar before cutting into slices; serve with additional cherry pie filling if desired.
Notes
- Do not over whip the whipping cream; only beat until soft peaks form; make sure your bowl and beaters are chilled prior to whipping the cream
- Can replace the amaretto liqueur or flavoring with Kirsch (using a 1:1 ratio)
- Consume within 48 hours after making; keep leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container
So Delicious!