Eggless Black Forest Cake

I have been working in night shift for the past couple of months. Two of my colleagues Janaki and Deepika would always come to work with one or the other delicious snacks or savouries and share with us during their night shifts. I have always eaten from their tiffin boxes but never took anything to share with them. Deepika is going to get married on 10th of this month and last Friday was her last working day here. I thought it was the last chance for me to make up for all those nights when I relished the snacks she brought. She is a vegetarian, and I wanted to make something special for her to bid her a memorable farewell. What could be better than a Cake? I had seen this Eggless Black Forest Cake recipe in Divya's blog which was a perfect fit for this occasion. The cake was easy to prepare. For the frosting, I couldn't find fresh cream in the nearby shops. Hence I used BlueBird's Instant Whipped cream powder. Unfortunately I added a little more water than called for. Hence the cream had become a bit thinner than required. After assembling the cake I had to immediately get ready and leave for office. And that too in HOT CHENNAI SUN at around 3pm. I felt as if I would melt sooner than the frosting due to my cold feet. After reaching office, I immediately requested the fruit juice stall Bhaiyya to keep it refrigerated for some time and that really saved me.

Well, the cake was very moist and simply melted in mouth. Deepika's comment was "It was chanceless". Everybody enjoyed eating the cake. I enjoyed all the compliments more than the cake itself! He he :-D

I have used Blue font to reflect minor changes that I made to the recipe.

Ingredients

Condensed milk-Milkmaid – 400 grams(1 can)
Butter – 125 grams
Maida/Flour – 225 grams
Cocoa powder – 3-4 tablespoons
Baking powder – 1 teaspoon
Baking soda – 1 teaspoon
Aerated cola – 200ml(I used Pepsi)

Method

1. Grease and line an 8’ round baking tin
2. Preheat oven to 150C.
3. Melt butter-Microwave for 1 minute on high.Let it cool.
4. Add milkmaid and beat well.
5. Sift together maida,cocoa powder,baking powder and baking soda.
6. Add maida mix to the milkmaid-butter mixture alternating with cola till maida and cola are finished.
7. Pour into the greased baking tin and bake for 30-40 minutes or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Cool on a wire rack.

Ingredients –For the Sugar syrup
Sugar – ½ cup
Water – ½ cup
Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp

In a thick bottom pan,mix the sugar and water and boil till the sugar melts.Keep aside to cool.


Ingredients –For the cream (I used BlueBird's Insant Whipped Cream powder)
Fresh cream – 300 ml
Powdered sugar – 4-5 tablespoons
Vanilla essence – 1 teaspoon

Keep cream and the beater blades in the freezer for about half an hour.
Add sugar and essence to the chilled cream.
Beat well till the cream is thick and forms soft peaks.
Keep refrigerated till use.

Ingredients for filling and garnish
A cup of cherries chopped fine-I used glazed cherries-reserve a few for garnishing on top.
A bar of milk chocolate – Make chocolate shavings out of the bar and keep refrigerated till use. (I had very less time on hand. So I used store bought Chocolate strands)
Few edible silver beads

For assembling the cake
Cut the cake into 3-4 layers horizontally[I cut it into 3 layers].
Keep one layer of the cake on the serving plate.
Sprinkle 3-4 tablespoons of sugar syrup on it.
Now spread 2-3 tablespoons of whipped cream on top of the cake.
Add the chopped cherries on top.
Repeat with other layers.
Cover the cake completely with whipped cream on all sides and the top.
Level the top and sides with a broad spatula dipped in chilled water.
Decorate the top with chocolate shavings,halved cherries and silver beads.
Keep chilled in the fridge till use.

Before going into the oven.

After baking

                                                  After assembling.