recipe for Black Forest chocolate cake

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"Frodo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I would like a recipe for Black Forest chocolate cake.
Does it need whipping cream added to the cake? How do you
make the chocolate cake? Does it take marachino cherries
as well? Do you have to put it in the refrigerator to
chill it before

serving?

Quoted message said:

Should you add strawberries in glaze and whipping
cream when serving the cake for dessert? What meal
should be served before the cake is served? Sincerely;
Ingrid Kraemer

* Exported from MasterCook *

Black Forest Cake

Recipe By : Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method --------
------------ -------------------------------- -----CAKE-----
1 c Water 1 c Honey
1/2 c Applesauce 1 t Vanilla 1 t Vinegar 2 c Wholewheat
pastry flour or -- ¥ unbleached white flour
2/4 c Cocoa powder 1 tb Baking powder 1 t Baking soda
-----SYRUP-----
3/2 c Water
4/4 c Honey 2 Thin lemon or orange slices
5/3 c Kirsch -----ICING-----
6/4 c Raw cashews
7/4 c Water 2 ts Vanilla
8/2 c Honey 10 oz Firm tofu 3 oz Semi-sweet chocolate,
Melted 16 oz Jar pitted cherries, Drained

CAKE: Preheat oven to 350F. Combine liquid ingredients in
a large bowl & whisk well. Sift dry ingredients together &
whisk into liquid mixture. Pour into greased & floured 9"
cake tin & bake for 35 minutes or until springy.

Cool cake completely & remove from pan. With a serrated
knife, cut cake horizontally to make 3 thin layers.

SYRUP: Combine first 3 ingredients in a small pot & boil
for 3 minutes. Let cool & then add kirsch.

ICING: In a blender, combine cashews, water & vanilla.
Blend till smooth & creamy. Add honey & tofu & blend
again. Set aside 2 c for the vanilla icing to go on top &
sides of cake. To the rest of the mixture, add melted
chocolate & 3 tb of syrup. Blend till smooth. Chill both
icings before using.

TO ASSEMBLE: Carefully remove the top two layers of cake.
Brush some syrup onto bottom layer & spread half of
chocolate icing over it. Place the middle cake layer on
top & brush with syrup & icing. Put down a layer of
cherries & dot with a little vanilla icing to help the top
layer stick. Place the top layer on the cherries & brush
again with syrup. Frost top & sides with vanilla icing.
Decorate with cherries & pipe rosettes if desired.

Chill several hours before serving. The cake can be kept
covered if not being served till the following day.
However, the frosting may discolour after about 3 days.

"Vegetarian Times" December, 1993

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- - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 195 Calories; 2g Fat
(7.4% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 2g
Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 152mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0
Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat; 3 Other
Carbohydrates.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0

* Exported from MasterCook *

Black Forest Cake 3

Recipe By : Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method --------
------------ -------------------------------- -----CAKE-----
2 c Plus 2 tb All purpose flour 2 c Sugar
3/4 c Cocoa 1 1/2 ts Baking powder
4/4 ts Baking soda
5/4 ts Salt 3 Eggs 1 c Milk
6/2 c Vegetable oil 1 tb Vanilla -----CHERRY TOPPING-----
2 cn (20 Ounce size) [censored] pitted Cherries,
undrained 1 c Sugar
7/4 c Cornstarch 1 t Vanilla -----FROSTING----- 3 c
Whipping cream
8/3 c Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 inch
round cake pans. Cover bottoms with waxed paper. Combine
dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and
vanilla; beat until well blended. Pour evenly into
prepared pans. Bake 35 minutes or until wooden pick
inserted in centers comes out clean. While cake is baking
prepare Cherry Topping and let cool. Cool layers in pans
on wire racks 10 minutes. Loosen edges, remove from pans
to racks. Remove waxed paper, cool completely. Split each
cake layer in half horizontally. Tear one of these split
layers into crumbs; set aside. (Use toothpicks on sides of
cakes to use as guides when cutting horizontally) Prepare
Frosting; reserve 1 1/2 cups for decorating cake, set
aside. Brush loose crumbs off cake layers. To assemble
place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread top of this
layer with one cup frosting top with 3/4 cup Cherry
Topping. Top with second cake layer; repeat layers of
Frosting, Cherry Topping and cake, ending with cake. Frost
side of cake with remaining frosting. Pat reserved crumbs
onto frosting on side of cake. Spoon reserved frosting
into pastry bag fitted with star decorator top. Pipe
around top and bottom edges of cake. Spoon remaining
cherry topping onto top of cake. Refrigerate.

Cherry Topping: Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice.
Combine reserved juice, cherries, sugar and cornstarch in
two quart saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened,
stirring constantly. Stir in one teaspoon vanilla. Cool,
set aside. Directions for Frosting: Beat together whipping
cream and powdered sugar in chilled medium bowl at high
speed or electric mixer until Stiff Peaks form.

Fabulous Party Ideas 1994

I have seen this impressive cake, but have not tasted it.
It will be a party stopper. Well worth the effort.

== Courtesy of Dale & Gail Shipp, Columbia Md. ==

From: Gail Shipp

From: "Christi Calvert Brogan" <brogan@date: 7 Apr 1999
06:37:17 -0600

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- - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 6548 Calories; 403g
Fat (53.4% calories from fat); 52g Protein; 740g
Carbohydrate; 22g Dietary Fiber; 1573mg Cholesterol; 3851mg
Sodium. Exchanges: 4 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 3 Non-Fat
Milk; 79 Fat; 43 Other Carbohydrates.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

* Exported from MasterCook *

Black Forest Cherry Cake

Recipe By : Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes Fruits German

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method --------
------------ -------------------------------- Cake-----------
1 Cup Sugar 4 oz Unsweetened Bakingchocolate* Syrup-----------
1/3 Cup -- water ---------filling----------
1/3 c Butter -- unsalted 2 tb Kirsch liquer 2 c Sour
cherries -- canned, Drain 1 c Cream -- heavy,
whipped 6 Eggs -- large 1 t Vanilla extract 1 c
Flour -- sifted
2/4 c Sugar 2 tb Kirsch 1 1/2 c Confectioners' sugar 1
Egg yolk -- large Topping---------- 2 tb
Confectioners' sugar 8 oz Semisweet chocolate bar (1)

* There should be 4 squares of chocolate and it should
be melted.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
++++++++++
+++ ++++ CAKE: Beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla together
until thick and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Alternately fold
chocolate and flour into the egg mixture, ending with
flour. Pour the batter into 3 8-inch cake pans that have
been well greased and floured. Bake in a preheated 350
degree F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until a cake tester
inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans
for 5 minutes; turn out on racks to cool completely.
SYRUP: Make syrup by mixing together sugar and water and
boiling for 5 minutes. When syrup has cooled, stir in
kirsch. [censored] the cake layers and pour syrup over all 3
layers. FILLING: To make the butter-cream filling, beat
together sugar and butter until well blended. Add egg
yolk; beat until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Fold in Kirsch. CAKE ASSEMBLY: To assemble cake, place 1
layer on a cake plate. Spread with butter cream filling.
Using 3/4 cup of the cherries, which have been patted dry,
drop cherries evenly over cream. Place second layer on
cake. Repeat. Place third layer on top. Fold 2 T
confectioners' sugar into the whipped cream. Cover the
sides and top of the cake with whipped cream. Decorate top
of cake with remaining 1/2 cup cherries. To make chocolate
curls from chocolate bar, shave (at room temperature) with
a vegetable peeler. Refrigerate curls until ready to use.
Press chocolate curls on sides of cake and sprinkle a few
on the top. Chill until serving time.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 302 Calories; 19g Fat
(57.1% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 1g
Dietary Fiber; 214mg Cholesterol; 136mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1
Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 3 1/2 Fat; 1/2
Other Carbohydrates.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

* Exported from MasterCook *

Black Forest Dump Cake

Recipe By : Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method --------
------------ --------------------------------
1 (8oz.) can crushed Pineapple
1 (9oz.) can cherry pie Filling 1 pk
Devil's food cake mix 1 c
Chopped pecans
2/2 c Butter or margarine, melted Whipped topping

Drain pineapple, reserving liquid. Spread pineapple in a
lightly greased 13x9 inch pan. Add pie filling,
spreading gently. Sprinkle dry cake mix on pie filling;
top with pecans.

Combine butter and reserved pineapple liquid; drizzle on
mixture in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.
Cut into squares. Top with whipped topping.

from Southern Living Annual Recipes 1985

From: Ldavis <[email hidden]> Date: Sunday, May 30,
1999 4:00 Pm MM by Helen Peagram

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- - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 198 Calories; 20g Fat
(85.4% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 2g
Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; trace Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2
Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 4 Fat.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

* Exported from MasterCook *

Brigitte Sealing's Black Forest Cake

Recipe By : Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method --------
------------ -------------------------------- MMMMM-------------------
TYPED BY LINDA FIELDS------------------------

- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 0 Calories; 0g Fat
(0.0% calories from fat); 0g Protein; 0g Carbohydrate; 0g
Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 0mg Sodium. Exchanges: .

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0

* Exported from MasterCook *

Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte (black Forest
Cherry Cake)

Recipe By : Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes Fruits German

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method --------
------------ -------------------------------- -----CAKE-----
6 Eggs -- Large 1 c Sugar 1 t Vanilla Extract 4 oz
Unsweetened BakingChocolate* 1 c Flour -- Sifted -----SYRUP-----
1/4 c Sugar
2/3 c -- Water 2 tb Kirsch -----FILLING----- 1 1/2 c
Confectioners' Sugar
3/3 c Butter -- Unsalted 1 Egg Yolk -- Large 2 tb
Kirsch Liquer -----TOPPING----- 2 c Sour Cherries --
Canned, Drain 2 tb Confectioners' Sugar 1 c Cream --
Heavy, Whipped 8 oz Semisweet Chocolate Bar (1)

* There should be 4 squares of chocolate and it should
be melted.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
++++++++++
+++ +++ CAKE: Beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla together until
thick and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Alternately fold
chocolate and flour into the egg mixture, ending with
flour. Pour the batter into 3 8-inch cake pans that have
been well greased and floured. Bake in a preheated 350
degree F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until a cake tester
inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans
for 5 minutes; turn out on racks to cool completely.
SYRUP: Make syrup by mixing together sugar and water and
boiling for 5 minutes. When syrup has cooled, stir in
kirsch. [censored] the cake layers and pour syrup over all 3
layers. FILLING: To make the butter-cream filling, beat
together sugar and butter until well blended. Add egg
yolk; beat until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Fold in Kirsch. CAKE ASSEMBLY: To assemble cake, place 1
layer on a cake plate. Spread with butter cream filling.
Using 3/4 cup of the cherries, which have been patted dry,
drop cherries evenly over cream. Place second layer on
cake. Repeat. Place third layer on top. Fold 2 T
confectioners' sugar into the whipped cream. Cover the
sides and top of the cake with whipped cream. Decorate top
of cake with remaining 1/2 cup cherries. To make chocolate
curls from chocolate bar, shave (at room temperature) with
a vegetable peeler. Refrigerate curls until ready to use.
Press chocolate curls on sides of cake and sprinkle a few
on the top. Chill until serving time.

- - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 399 Calories; 19g Fat
(43.0% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 50g Carbohydrate; 1g
Dietary Fiber; 214mg Cholesterol; 136mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1
Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 3 1/2 Fat; 2 Other
Carbohydrates.

Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Frodo said:

I would like a recipe for Black Forest chocolate cake.
Does it need whipping cream added to the cake? How do you
make the chocolate cake? Does it take marachino cherries
as well? Do you have to put it in the refrigerator to
chill it before serving? Should you add strawberries in
glaze and whipping cream when serving the cake for
dessert?

Below is a recipe that will answer your questions. It is
from _Recipes: The Cooking of Germany_, Time-Life _Foods of
the World_ series.

Quoted message said:

What meal should be served before the cake is served?

It is generally served by itself, with coffee, not as a part
of a larger meal.

Victor

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte Black Forest
Cherry Cake

To serve 8 to 10

CHOCOLATE CURLS 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

To make chocolate curls to garnish the cake, the bar or
chunks of chocolate should be at room temperature but not
soft. Hold the chocolate over wax paper or foil and shave
the bar or square into thin curls with a sharp narrow-
bladed vegetable peeler. Draw the peeler along the wide
surface of the chocolate for large curls and along the
narrow side for small ones. Handle the chocolate as little
as possible. Refrigerate or freeze the curls until you are
ready to use them.

CAKE 1 tablespoon butter, softened 6 tablespoons flour 10
tablespoons sweet butter 6 eggs, at room temperature 1
teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sifted flour
2/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

Preheat the oven to 350°. With a pastry brush or paper
towel, lightly coat the bottoms and sides of three 7-inch
round cake pans with soft butter using about 1 tablespoon of
butter in all. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour into each
pan, tip them from side to side to spread the flour evenly,
then invert the pans and rap them sharply on a table to
remove excess flour. Set the pans aside.

Clarify 10 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan by melting
it slowly over low heat without letting it brown. Let it
rest for a minute off the heat, then skim off the foam.
Spoon the clear butter into a bowl and set aside. Discard
the milky solids at the bottom of the pan.

In an electric mixer, beat the eggs, vanilla and 1 cup of
sugar together at high speed for at least 10 minutes, or
until the mixture is thick and fluffy. (By hand with a
rotary beater, this may take as long as 20 minutes of
uninterrupted beating.)

Combine the 1/2 cup of sifted flour and the unsweetened
cocoa in a sifter. A little at a time sift the mixture over
the eggs, folding it in gently with a rubber spatula.
Finally, add the clarified butter 2 tablespoons at a time.
Do not overmix. Gently pour the butter into the prepared
cake pans dividing it evenly among the three of them.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or
until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake
comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them
cool in the pans for about 5 minutes. Then run a sharp knife
around the edge of each cake and turn them out on racks to
cool out completely.

SYRUP
3/4 cup sugar 1 cup cold water
4/3 cup kirsch

Meanwhile, prepare the kirsch syrup in the following
fashion: Combine
5/4 cup of sugar and 1 cup of cold water in a small saucepan
and bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring only
until the sugar dissolves. Boil briskly, uncovered, for 5
minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and when the
syrup has cooled to lukewarm stir in the kirsch.

Transfer the cakes to a long strip of wax paper and [censored]
each layer lightly in several places with the tines of a
long fork. Sprinkle the layers evenly with the syrup and let
them rest for at least 5 minutes.

FILLING AND TOPPING 3 cups chilled heavy cream
6/2 cup confectioners' sugar
7/4 cup kirsch 1 cup poached pitted fresh red cherries or 1
cup drained and rinsed canned sour cherries Fresh sweet
cherries with stems, or substitute maraschino cherries
with stems, drained and rinsed

If you are using fresh cherries for the filling, poach them
in the following fashion: Remove their stems and pits, then
combine them with 2 cups of water and 3/4 cup of sugar in a
small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce
the heat to low, simmer for 5 minutes, or until the cherries
are tender. Drain them in a colander, discarding the syrup,
and pat the cherries completely dry with paper towels.
Canned cherries need only be rinsed in cold water and patted
completely dry with paper towels.

In a large chilled bowl, beat the cream with a whisk or a
rotary or electric beater until it thickens lightly. Then
sift 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar over the cream and
continue beating until the cream forms firm peaks on the
beater when it is lifted out of the bowl. Pour in the 1/4
cup kirsch in a thin stream, and beat only until the kirsch
is absorbed.

To assemble the cake, place one of the three layers in the
center of a serving plate. With a spatula, spread the top
with a 1/2-inch-thick layer of whipped cream and strew the
cup of fresh or canned cherries over it leaving about 1/2
inch of cream free of cherries around the perimeter. Gently
set a second layer on top of the cherries and spread it with
1/2 inch of whipped cream. Then set the third layer in
place. Spread the top and sides of the cake with the
remaining cream.

With your fingers, gently press chocolate curls into the
cream on the sides of the cake and arrange a few chocolate
curls and fresh or maraschino cherries attractively on top.

Best BFC to cross my lips wuz at a wedding reception.
I asked the caterer for the recipe and she said it was
available as a mix and came in a large pail. It was
perfectly moist with luscious whipped stuff and lots
of cherries and a whiff of booze. Very high quality
for a cake mix.

F.J.

"Frodo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I would like a recipe for Black Forest chocolate cake.
Does it need whipping cream added to the cake? How do you
make the chocolate cake? Does it take marachino cherries
as well? Do you have to put it in the refrigerator to
chill it before

serving?

Quoted message said:

Should you add strawberries in glaze and whipping
cream when serving the cake for dessert? What meal
should be served before the cake is served? Sincerely;
Ingrid Kraemer

[email hidden] (Victor Sack) wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Frodo said:

I would like a recipe for Black Forest chocolate cake.
Does it need whipping cream added to the cake? How do
you make the chocolate cake? Does it take marachino
cherries as well? Do you have to put it in the
refrigerator to chill it before serving? Should you add
strawberries in glaze and whipping cream when serving
the cake for dessert?

Below is a recipe that will answer your questions. It is
from _Recipes: The Cooking of Germany_, Time-Life _Foods
of the World_ series.

Quoted message said:

What meal should be served before the cake is served?

It is generally served by itself, with coffee, not as a
part of a larger meal.

Victor

This sounds the best BFC out of the two posted. I much
prefer the whipped cream with the cherries etc. rather than
the icing with tofu suggested in the first recipe. However,
who knows until you make it, the first recipe may be
wonderful if not traditional. Making me hungry just thinking
about BFC. I am not a chocolate mud cake fan, so much prefer
cakes make with a chocolate sponge method. Using really good
quality dutch cocoa and pure vanilla essenses, the flavour
is still intense. Cheers Bronwyn Qld Oz

Quoted message said:

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte Black Forest
Cherry Cake

To serve 8 to 10

CHOCOLATE CURLS 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

To make chocolate curls to garnish the cake, the bar or
chunks of chocolate should be at room temperature but not
soft. Hold the chocolate over wax paper or foil and shave
the bar or square into thin curls with a sharp narrow-
bladed vegetable peeler. Draw the peeler along the wide
surface of the chocolate for large curls and along the
narrow side for small ones. Handle the chocolate as little
as possible. Refrigerate or freeze the curls until you are
ready to use them.

CAKE 1 tablespoon butter, softened 6 tablespoons flour 10
tablespoons sweet butter 6 eggs, at room temperature 1
teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sifted flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

Preheat the oven to 350°. With a pastry brush or paper
towel, lightly coat the bottoms and sides of three 7-inch
round cake pans with soft butter using about 1 tablespoon
of butter in all. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour into
each pan, tip them from side to side to spread the flour
evenly, then invert the pans and rap them sharply on a
table to remove excess flour. Set the pans aside.

Clarify 10 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan by
melting it slowly over low heat without letting it brown.
Let it rest for a minute off the heat, then skim off the
foam. Spoon the clear butter into a bowl and set aside.
Discard the milky solids at the bottom of the pan.

In an electric mixer, beat the eggs, vanilla and 1 cup of
sugar together at high speed for at least 10 minutes, or
until the mixture is thick and fluffy. (By hand with a
rotary beater, this may take as long as 20 minutes of
uninterrupted beating.)

Combine the 1/2 cup of sifted flour and the unsweetened
cocoa in a sifter. A little at a time sift the mixture
over the eggs, folding it in gently with a rubber spatula.
Finally, add the clarified butter 2 tablespoons at a time.
Do not overmix. Gently pour the butter into the prepared
cake pans dividing it evenly among the three of them.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or
until a cake tester inserted into the center of each cake
comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and let
them cool in the pans for about 5 minutes. Then run a
sharp knife around the edge of each cake and turn them out
on racks to cool out completely.

SYRUP
3/4 cup sugar 1 cup cold water
1/3 cup kirsch

Meanwhile, prepare the kirsch syrup in the following
fashion: Combine
3/4 cup of sugar and 1 cup of cold water in a small
saucepan and bring to a boil over moderate heat,
stirring only until the sugar dissolves. Boil briskly,
uncovered, for 5 minutes, then remove the pan from the
heat and when the syrup has cooled to lukewarm stir in
the kirsch.

Transfer the cakes to a long strip of wax paper and [censored]
each layer lightly in several places with the tines of a
long fork. Sprinkle the layers evenly with the syrup and
let them rest for at least 5 minutes.

FILLING AND TOPPING 3 cups chilled heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup kirsch 1 cup poached pitted fresh red cherries or
1 cup drained and rinsed canned sour cherries Fresh
sweet cherries with stems, or substitute maraschino
cherries with stems, drained and rinsed

If you are using fresh cherries for the filling, poach
them in the following fashion: Remove their stems and
pits, then combine them with 2 cups of water and 3/4 cup
of sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high
heat, then reduce the heat to low, simmer for 5 minutes,
or until the cherries are tender. Drain them in a
colander, discarding the syrup, and pat the cherries
completely dry with paper towels. Canned cherries need
only be rinsed in cold water and patted completely dry
with paper towels.

In a large chilled bowl, beat the cream with a whisk or a
rotary or electric beater until it thickens lightly. Then
sift 1/2 cup of confectioners' sugar over the cream and
continue beating until the cream forms firm peaks on the
beater when it is lifted out of the bowl. Pour in the 1/4
cup kirsch in a thin stream, and beat only until the
kirsch is absorbed.

To assemble the cake, place one of the three layers in the
center of a serving plate. With a spatula, spread the top
with a 1/2-inch-thick layer of whipped cream and strew the
cup of fresh or canned cherries over it leaving about 1/2
inch of cream free of cherries around the perimeter.
Gently set a second layer on top of the cherries and
spread it with 1/2 inch of whipped cream. Then set the
third layer in place. Spread the top and sides of the cake
with the remaining cream.

With your fingers, gently press chocolate curls into the
cream on the sides of the cake and arrange a few
chocolate curls and fresh or maraschino cherries
attractively on top.