Selva Negra! (That's Black Forest Cake ya'll)

I made this cake for my hubby's birthday this past week (he's the one who calls it Selva Negra). Since I had to work until 7pm (I know!) After I went to the store to buy ingredients and everything, I was a tired little baker and didn't take very many pictures. But never fear! The cake turned out AMAZING! I googled a ton of recipes and made one up. The only thing you might want to add when making this is putting cherries in the layers. They were out of canned bing cherries so I just left that part out.

Ingredients:
Cake
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray pan with flour spray two 7 or 8 inch round pans.
3. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
4. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
5. Beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until combined. Pour evenly into pans.
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
7. Cool completely and turn out of pans.
8. Cut each layer in half, horizontally, making 4 layers total.
9. Sprinkle layers with the 1/2 cup kirshwasser.

Ingredients:
Filling and Frosting
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoon kirschwasser
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

1. In mixer (trust me, use a mixer!), whip the cream to stiff peaks.
2. Beat in sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 2 teaspoons of kirshwasser.
3. Frost each layer and top and sides of cake. Be sure the middle layers are thick because the weight of the cake will thin them out. You might even want to half the recipe and whip it stiffer (or add cherries!).
4. Sprinkle with chocolate curls made by using a potato peeler or cheese grate on semisweet baking chocolate.

I bought a little piping kit but you could use a ziploc and piping tips to decorate.

Refrigerate!

Cake Balls

Today's baking adventure was inspired by Bakerella. I have been completely seduced by Bakerella's luscious little cake balls so I decided to try them for myself. How does she do it? Is it really as easy as it seems?

5 Easy Steps
1. Bake a regular 2-3 layer cake
2. Let cool completely and crumble in a big bowl
3. Mix in a tub of cream cheese frosting
4. Roll into balls(about 1 ¼ inches in diameter)and refrigerate - you may want to use gloves
5. Dip in Chocolate and let set and you're done!

Here is how easy it is. I used the recipe for my brother's red velvet birthday cake because it's the best red velvet cake I've ever tasted. Mine turned out a little pink because I didn't have enough red food coloring, but no worries! Pink is also delicious!



1. Bake a cake. Here's my famous and delicious Red Velvet Cake recipe:

2 1/2 cups Self-rising flour
1 tsp White vinegar
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 tsp Soda
1 cup Buttermilk
2 lg Eggs
1 tsp Unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 cup Cooking oil
1/4 cup Red food coloring; 2 bottles

Mix all cake ingredients together at medium speed in a mixer until well blended. Pour into 3 prepared 9" cake pans. Bake at 350~F for approximately 20 minutes.

2. Let cool completely and crumble in a big bowl
3. Mix in a tub of cream cheese frosting
4. Roll into balls(about 1 ¼ inches in diameter)and refrigerate - you may want to use gloves



5. Dip in Chocolate and let set

Heat chocolate chips until smooth and dip cake balls. I used a spoon and a toothpick to help with dipping.

How to heat chocolate: Place coarsely chopped chocolate (or chips) in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water. Melt the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove the top part of the double boiler from the bottom


I used dark chocolate chips for the shell. I had to add a little bit of canola oil to thin down the dipping sauce, but I think my heat was too high. The oil does soften the shell slightly.



They turn out delicious and definitely worth it!