My brother loves all things German-the beer, the food, the language, all of the above. So when he asked for a Black Forest cake for his going away party, he headed off to Navy boot camp months ago, I was a little surprised he didn’t want a German chocolate cake. And then I was informed that Black Forest Cake was German, duh! So I volunteered to make it, little did I know the time that was supposed to go into it. I started looking for a good recipe, but most of them called for alcohol (it was a family function that would be feeding kids and kids like cake LOL) or strange ingredients that didn’t seem authentic. So I decided that I would create my own version, I love experimenting in the kitchen! It turned out really well and he hardly missed the alcohol

Ingredients:
1 18.25oz chocolate cake mix (dark chocolate is best, cake will be sweet enough)
+ oil, water, and egg as the recipe calls for
2 cans of canned, pitted cherries (usually called sour cherries-not pie filling or maraschino cherries), drained reserving liquid
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp brandy extract
1 large tub whipped cream
1 10oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (can use melt-able baking chocolate)

Directions:
1. Mix and bake cake according to directions in 2 9-inch pans, greased and floured halfway up sides.
2. Let cakes cool completely before continuing. Place one layer on cake platter.
3. Mix together 1 cup of reserved cherry juice, almond, vanilla, and brandy extracts (used in place of alcohol) *. Pour half of mixture evenly over the layer on the platter, slowly to let cake absorb liquid.
4. In a large bowl, gently mix the whipped cream with enough reserved cherry juice to color and flavor it. Be careful not to add too much liquid or over-mix, it will separate. Set aside.
5. Set some of the chocolate aside for garnishing. Melt half of the remaining chocolate according to package directions and spread over the top of the first layer of cake.
6. Cover the chocolate in a single layer of cherries. Spread a small layer of whipped cream over the cherries.
7. Place second layer of cake on top. Pour remainder of cherry juice mixture evenly over the second layer, slowly to let cake absorb liquid.
8. Melt second half of chocolate. Spread melted chocolate over the top of second layer. Cover the cake in whipped cream mixture.
9. Use remaining cherries to garnish the cake. Grate or shave reserved chocolate over the cake.

*Traditional Black Forest Cake uses a German cherry brandy called Kirschwasser or Kirsch. You can leave out the extracts and replace as much of the cherry liquid with the brandy as you wish, depending upon how strong you want it to be. Remember the alcohol does not get cooked off!