The perfect opportunity for making my friend the long promised cake finally arose but, it wasn't really the best situation for a three-layer cake. I had to improvise, deciding to modify the recipe I had planned to use and make cake balls instead.
Cake balls are one of those things that I enjoy eating but, I never had much interest in making myself. As far as I was concerned, they are one step too far over the line for me. Making a multi-layered cake is just easier. You don't have to frustrate yourself trying to keep the chocolate melted while you dip an endless number of balls. I enjoy a challenge, but a girl has to draw the line somewhere.
In the end I relented - my friend is worth the frustration and I did make a promise. So I provided a quite tasty, but less than authentic dessert for a pot luck dinner.
Black Forest Cake Balls
Ingredients:
Cake
1 2⁄3 c. all-purpose flour
2⁄3 c. cocoa powder
1 1⁄2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1⁄2 c. shortening
1 1⁄2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1⁄2 c. buttermilk
Filling
1/2 c. Kirschwasser
1 c. frozen cherries - pitted
Icing
2 c. heavy whipping cream
1⁄2 tsp. vanilla
1⁄8 c. Kirschwasser
2 Tbsp dry milk
2 Tbsp icing sugar
Dark chocolate melting wafer
Directions:
In a mason jar, combine the frozen cherries and 1/2 cup of Kirschwasser. Place in the fridge overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350F and line the bottom of three 9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
Sift the dry cake ingredients together.
Cream the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk and mix well.
Pour evenly into the cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean.
Remove the cakes and set aside to cool completely.
Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks then gently fold in the dry milk and icing sugar.
Add the vanilla and pour in the Kirsch until it's a good consistency.
Now comes the messy bit. Take 1 of the cakes and remove it from the tin. Place it in a bowl and combine with a about 1/2 of icing. Mix well and repeat with each layer of cake. Add as much icing as you feel is necessary and you get a good truffle-like consistency.
Not going to lie, I had a hard time not sitting down in the from the television and eating all of this myself. If you are good, you will continue on with the instructions.
Take out the mason jar with the cherries and drain the excess liquid. Cut the cherries in half (optional).
Take a good sized spoonful and create a cup to hold one of the cherries (or cherry halves).
Cover with more cake.
Repeat until you have no more cake left.
Melt the chocolate wafers and dip each ball.
Repeat until finished!
I ended up with just over 2 dozen cake balls. The kirschwasser added just a hint of flavor, the taste of alcohol was not defining taste at all. I'm not a fan of overly alcoholic rum balls, so I was purposely going for a hint versus whoa alcohol. These were well worth the effort. They are not too sweet, not too chocolaty (if there is such a thing), they are just right!
