Black Forest Cake {Hei Sen Lin Da Bao 黑森林蛋糕}

Instructions

Make the Chocolate Sponge Cake - make in advance

• Separate egg whites and yolks using an egg separator. Add egg whites to the stand mixer along with 3 tsp white vinegar. Add the egg yolks to a large glass mixing bowl, along with 80 g avocado oil, 4 tsp vanilla extract. Add 80 g cane sugar to a small bowl.
• Measure and add organic homemade cake flour to a bowl. Sift the cake flour and set it aside.
• Measure and sift 35 g cacao powder in a bowl.
• Combine 80 g whole milk and previouly sifted 35 g cacao powder in a 2-cup glass measuring cup using the whisk. Be patient about this process, it takes time for cacao powder dissolve in the milk. Use a silicone spatula to help the blending after the cacao powder is dissolved into the milk if needed.
• Add about 4 cups of water to a deep frying pan or wok and bring it to a boil and then place the glass measuring cup into the pot/wok, turn the heat to low to heat the chocolate mixture until warm and smooth. Do not overheat. Using a silicon spatula to fold. Once it is smooth and shinning looking, remove from the hot water and set it a side.
• Attach the Stand Mixer whipping attachement, turn on the power and set to "6". Set a 5 minutes timer. Gradually add the sugar to the bow in a circular motion until all sugar is in. Around 5 minutes mark, the fluffy meringue peak forms. Change the speed to "2" and let it continue to whip for about 2-3 minutes.
• Use a hand held mixer to combine avocado oil, egg yolks and vanilla extract until smooth. Fold the chocolate mixture in multiple batches into the oil/egg mixture until smooth. Do a small portion at a time.
• Turn the oven to "bake" mode and preheat to 350 F.
• Fold in sifted flour, a small portion at a time, using a fold motion to combine until smooth.
• Line two 10-inch cake pans with unbleached parchment paper, and pour the cake batter into the two baking pans. Try to evenly distribute the batter into two pans.
• Add the baking pans to the oven in the middle rack and bake for 25 minutes.
• Turn off the oven and remove the cake from the oven and cool on a wired rack.

Make the Candied Cherries - make in advance

• Turn the heat to medium, and combine frozen pitted cherry and sugar in a frying pan.
• Cover the pan with a lid and cook for bout 7 minutes, or till it reaches a boil and the whole thing is bubbling.
• Turn the heat to medium-low and let it continue to cook for about 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle the gelatin powder or apple pectin powder on the top and then fold evenly into the mixture using the silicone spatula.
• Continue to cook and fold, until the mixture thiciens.
• Turn the heat and set aside.

Make the Chocolate Bark - make in advance

• Add everything to a 2-cup glass mesasruing cup and place it in boiling water. I usually use my cast iron wok with a steaming rack.
• Continue to stir until everything melt.
• Layer a large unbleached parchment paper on a stainless steel baking pan. Pour the chocolate liquid mixture onto it and immediately use a offset spatula to spread into an even thin layer.
• Roll up from the short side of the parchment paper. Place the baking pan into refrigerator until firm.
• Unroll to create the chocolate bark. Just let it naturally break into about 1-2inch wide.

Make the Whipped Cream

• Turn the heat to medium, and combine frozen pitted cherry and sugar in a frying pan.
• Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 7 minutes, or till it reaches a boil and the whole thing is bubbling.
  Turn off the heat. Remove the lid, use a silicone spatula to scrape the cherry juice off the edge of the pan and add it to the middle of the cherry mixture.
• Let it cool down a little bit and then pick up only the cherries and add them to a mini food processor. Use the pulsing mode to coarsely chop the cherries. I like my cherry jam to have bits of cherries.
  If you like smooth cherry jam, add the cherries along with the juice into a blender. Blend on high speed and turn the mixture into a smooth cherry smoothie.
• Add the cherry back to the pan and sprinkle the gelatin powder on the top and then fold evenly into the mixture using the silicone spatula.
• Turn the heat to medium and cook for additional 7 minutes, or till the whole thing is bubbling, rising and the color becomes darker as the sugar starts to burn.
• Turn off the heat. Wait for the Cherry Jam to cool to room temperature and then store it in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

Assemble the Cake:

• Place one cake on a cake stand and spread with the candied cherries.
• Top with a layer of whipped cream, spread evenly, and top with the candied cherries again.
• Place the other cake on the top. Gently press down and spread a layer of whipped cream evenly on the top and around the wall.
• Add some the whipped cream into a pipe and squeeze into 12 flowers.
• Decorate the chocolate bark along the cake wall. If you have some extra chocolate bark, shave into small chips and sprinkle on top of the cake.
• Place one fresh cherry with stem on top of each whipped cream flower.