BLACK FOREST CAKE

Ingredients:
1 cup of cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups of boiling water
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups of cake flour
2 cups of packed brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup of softened butter
Filling:
2 cups of frozen cherries, thawed
3 cups of whipping cream
1 cup of powdered sugar
1 cup of chocolate shavings

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour two 9” cake pans. In a medium bowl, combine cocoa and water until smooth. Cool to room temperature. In another bowl, combine eggs, cocoa mixture and vanilla. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add butter and remaining cocoa mixture and mix on low for 30 seconds. Once combined, increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg mixture in three batches, scraping between each addition and mixing until well combined before the next addition. Pour into the prepared pans, smoothing if necessary. Bake 20-30 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, remove from the pans and allow to cool completely.

Whip the cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks just begin to form. To assemble the cake, place one layer of the chocolate cake on a plate. Place 1/3 of whipped cream on top and spread evenly. Place half the cherries randomly in the whipped cream. Top with next layer and frost entire cake with remaining whipped cream. Arrange remaining cherries on top of the cake and garnish by sprinkling chocolate shavings over the cherries.

Mix \’n\’ Match:
Bold, intense flavors of Arabian Mocha Sanani and French and Italian Roasts need a strong dessert partner. The Black Forest takes the cake with equally bold attributes. The fruit in the dessert enhance the bold components in each of these coffees. Moreover, its rich chocolate, sweet cherries and light cream bring the powerful duets together in sumptuous harmony.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Joe LaVilla, The Art Institute of Phoenix