Black Forest Gateau Loaf Cake

#blackforestcake #loafcake #blackforestcakerecipe #blackforestloafcake Indulge in this delicious Black Forest Gateau loaf cake! This rich and moist chocolate loaf is layered with luscious cherries and chocolate chips, topped with whipped cream, cherries and a sprinkle of grated dark chocolate. Perfect for a special dessert or a delightful afternoon treat, it's a modern twist on a classic favourite! Black Forest Loaf Cake Timings: • Preparation Time: 15 minutes • Cooking Time: 60 minutes • Decorating Time: 15 minutes • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes Serves: 10 Slices Ingredients: For the Cake: • ¾ cup (175g/7 oz) unsalted butter • ¾ cup (175g/7 oz) sugar • 1 cup (135g/4 ½ oz) self-raising flour • ½ cup (40g/1 ½ oz) cocoa powder • 4 medium eggs • 1¼ cups (175g/7 oz) tinned cherries • 2 tbsp plain or self-raising flour (to coat cherries) • ½ cup (75g/2 ½ oz) dark chocolate chips For the Topping: •3 tbsps Kirsch, (if you don’t have use cherry juice instead) • 3 tbsps cherry juice (from tin) • 1 cup (250ml/8.45fl oz) double cream • 2 tbsps icing/powdered sugar •v 5 tbsps cherry jam • Fresh or tinned cherries, for decoration • Dark chocolate curls, for decoration • Cherry jam, for decoration Method For the Cake: 1. Preheat the oven to: • 160°C/320°F [Fan Oven] • 180°C/360°F [No-Fan] • Gas Mark 4. 2. Line a 2lb loaf tin with parchment paper. 3. Cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. 4. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and eggs to the bowl, then beat until you have a smooth batter. 5. Drain the cherries from the liquid and dry with a kitchen towel (reserve the liquid for later use). Mix the dried cherries with a little flour, which will help prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking and gently fold them into the mixture with the chocolate chips. 6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top 7. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. It may take a little longer than 60 minutes due to the cherries and chocolate chips so keep an eye on it. 8. Once the cake is out of the oven, mix together 3 tablespoons of cherry juice with 3 tablespoons of kirsch (if you have it) if you don’t have just use cherry juice. 9. While the cake is still warm, poke the cake with a skewer in a few places and drizzle it with the cherry juice. 10. Allow the juice to soak in and let the cake cool completely. I leave the cake in the tin until I’m ready to decorate and then I turn it out onto a plate and use my serving place and place it on the bottom side of the cake and flip the plate over. The cake can be moist and this prevents the cake from being damaged taking it out of the tin For the Topping: 1. Whip the double cream and icing sugar together until soft peaks form. 2. If the cherry jam is thick with cherries, place it in a sieve to remove the lumps. 3. If desired, stir a spoonful of kirsch or cherry juice into the cherry jam to loosen it up a little. Gently swirl a few teaspoons of the jam through the whipped cream. 4. Spread the cream mixture evenly over the cooled cake. 5. Sprinkle dark chocolate curls on top and garnish with fresh/tinned cherries and swirl over some of the cherry jam. 6. Mmm, Scrummy!!!. Notes: • Because this cake includes cream, it's best to store it in the refrigerator. The kirsch helps keep the sponge moist; without it, the cake may become dry. • While the cherries and chocolate chips are optional additions, they greatly enhance the flavour of the cake. • If you prefer, you can top the cake with buttercream instead of just fresh cream.