white forest cake

White Forest Cake has fluffy vanilla cake layers filled with whipped white chocolate ganache and a cherry kirsch sauce. Frost the cake in a cream cheese buttercream frosting and decorate with fresh cherries for the most beautiful cake!

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Why you’ll love this White Forest Cake:

• Cherry Kirsch Sauce – This cake is filled with a homemade cherry sauce that uses the traditional kirsch liqueur!
• Whipped White Chocolate Ganache – This adds an unexpected pop of flavor to the cake filling. This is a traditional Black Forest Cake for white chocolate lovers! (If you love the ganache, you’ll love my Tuxedo Cake!)
• White Cake Layers – Fluffy white cake layers are moist and full of flavor.

Ingredient Overview:

• Butter – I prefer salted butter, but you can use unsalted if that’s your preference.
• Eggs – Use large eggs. Be sure they are at room temperature.
• Sour Cream – Use full-fat for the best results.
• Cake Flour – Cake flour produces a lighter crumb in cakes, and I highly recommend using it! Spoon & level your flour for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly in will lead to too much flour. 1 cup of cake flour weighs 110 grams, whereas 1 cup all-purpose flour weighs 130 grams. (Some people standardize at 120, 125, or 130 – I’ve chosen 130 grams.) See substitution below.
• Vanilla Extract – Since the flavor in this cake comes from simple quality ingredients, be sure to use real vanilla instead of imitation for the best flavor.
• Vegetable Oil – Using a combination of oil and butter gives this cake the best of both worlds – oil keeps the cake tender and moist, and butter adds flavor.
• Kirsch – This can be found in many liquor stores. You won’t use much in this recipe, but you can continue using it up in my Black Forest Pie, Black Forest Ice Cream, and Black Forest Brownies!

Recipe Variations:

•  Cake Flour Substitute – Make your own cake flour by spooning & leveling 1 cup of flour into a measuring cup, using a flat edge to level it off. Add to a mixing bowl, then remove two tablespoons (scoop & level them off). Add two tablespoons of corn starch, then sift this mixture twice. This is important to evenly mix the ingredients and to give the same light texture as cake flour.
• Frozen Cherries – You can use fresh or frozen dark sweet cherries.
• Kirsch – You can omit the kirsch liqueur from the cherry sauce if needed. Use water instead.
• Tart Cherries – You can use tart/sour cherries instead of dark cherries if that’s your preference. You may need to adjust the sugar in the cherry sauce to taste.
• Cake Mix – In a pinch, you can use a white cake mix and then make the remaining elements from scratch.
• Cherry Pie Filling – Substitute a can of cherry pie filling for the homemade cherry filling in a pinch.

How to Make White Forest Cake:

Step 1: Make the Cake Batter. Cream together the butter and vegetable oil. Then, beat in the sugar, then the egg whites. Add the sour cream and vanilla, and mix until just combined. Add the dry ingredients with the mixer on low. Then, repeat with the milk.

Step 2: Bake the Cakes. Divide the batter between the cake pans, and bake.

Step 3: Make the Cherry Kirsch Sauce. Heat cherries, sugar, kirsch, and almond extract in a saucepan, adding a cornstarch slurry towards the end to thicken the sauce.

Step 4: Make the Whipped White Chocolate Ganache. Make this once you’re ready to assemble the cake – it cannot be made ahead. Stir simmering heavy cream into chopped white chocolate, then pop it in the freezer, stirring every 5-10 minutes, until it’s no longer runny, but not solid. Then, beat it until it’s whipped!

Step 5: Assemble Cake. Frost the bottom layer with an even layer of whipped white chocolate ganache. Pipe a border of frosting around the layer, and fill with cherry sauce. Repeat this with the 2nd layer, then add the final layer upside down for a flat top.

Apply a light layer of frosting all over the cake for a naked cake look. Chill for at least 30-40 minutes before serving!

Serving + Storing:

The entire frosted cake can be chilled up to 24 hours in advance of serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, with plastic wrap pressed over the cut portion.

Expert Success Tips:

• Cold Ingredients – Be sure to let the cold ingredients all come to room temperature as indicated in the recipe. This is absolutely essential for the best texture and results.
• Avoid a dense cake – Mix the ingredients for the cake batter as directed – if it says 2 minutes, set a timer for 2 minutes. This affects the cake texture.
• Cornstarch – Be sure to dissolve your cornstarch into the water before adding to the cherry mixture as directed, or you’ll have chunks in your cherry sauce.
• Scale – A kitchen scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since the amount you get will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, and the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
• Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.

FAQs:

Special Tools:

• Offset Spatula – Offset spatulas make frosting a cake so easy! They can also be used for spreading cake and brownie batters evenly.
• Cake Turntable – If you make at least a few cakes a year, a cake turntable makes the frosting process a breeze!
• Piping Bag & Piping Tip – I like to use a reusable piping bag and a Wilton 1A or 2A piping tip, but you can use a plastic bag with the corner snipped off in a pinch.

More Cake Recipes to Love:

• Incredible Funfetti Cake
• Perfect White Birthday Cake
• Salted Butterscotch Crunch Cake
• Peach Cobbler Cake
• German Chocolate Cake
• Best Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
• Mojito Cake

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