Black Forest sheet cake is a moist homemade chocolate cake is topped with a flavorful cherry topping and fluffy homemade whipped cream. It’s an easy, crowd-friendly twist on the classic dessert that feels fancy without the fuss.
This Black Forest sheet cake delivers all the flavors of the classic Black Forest cake with its from-scratch chocolate cake, sweet cherries, and light whipped cream all without the extra steps. The cake is baked in a single layer, so it’s simpler to make, easier to slice and serve, and perfect for feeding a crowd.
The chocolate cake is rich and moist and is similar to the base in my popular chocolate mousse cake recipe. The cherry topping adds bright flavor, and the homemade whipped cream brings everything together in a light, elegant finish. It’s an ideal dessert for Valentine’s Day, birthdays, or special occasions, but it’s also simple enough for casual gatherings and potlucks.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Cocoa powder: I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe. I’ve also used Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder. However, I haven’t tried Dutch-processed cocoa powder with this cake.
- Salt: If you don’t have kosher salt, use 1/2 teaspoon table salt instead.
- Buttermilk: Regular or low-fat will work. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute with this homemade buttermilk substitute recipe.
- Oil: Feel free to use another type of neutral oil like canola oil or olive oil.
- Water: I use hot tap water about (150F). There’s no need to boil it, hot tap water is sufficient.
- Semisweet baking chocolate: If you’d like a sweeter mousse, you can use milk baking chocolate.
- Milk: Any milk from skim to whole milk will work.
How to make black forest sheet cake
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk and oil.
Step 4: Whisk in eggs, one at a time.
Step 5: Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined.
Step 6: Add hot water and vanilla. Whisk until mixture is just combined.
Step 7: Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Step 8: Bake 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
Step 9: While the cake is baking, prepare the cherry topping. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer, while constantly stirring, and simmer over low heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until cherries have softened and liquid has thickened. Break cherries into smaller pieces with a spoon or potato masher.
Step 10: Remove cherry topping from heat. Let cool completely. You can add a bit more water if it thickens too much once cooled.
Step 11: Just before serving, make the whipped cream topping. Add heavy cream, powdered sugar, cream of tartar (if using), and vanilla to your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk for about 4-7 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.
Step 12: Assemble cake by removing the cake from the baking pan and placing it on a serving platter.
Step 13: Top with cherry topping over the top of the cake. Then add whipped cream on top. Decorate with chocolate shavings, fresh cherries, maraschino cherries, or cherry topping.
Recipe Tips!
- Whipped cream: If you would like more tips on how to make whipped cream, you can check out my homemade whipped cream post.
- Serving: If you would prefer to top and serve the cake out of the pan, line the pan with parchment paper for easier removal.
Storage
Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for about 3 days when properly stored in the fridge.
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Black Forest Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- ½ cup oil
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup hot water not boiling
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cherry topping
- 1 pound frozen pitted dark sweet cherries 16 ounces
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup cherry liqueur
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Whipped cream and toppings
- 2 cups cold heavy cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar optional (for stiffer whipped cream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Chocolate shavings for decorating
- Fresh cherries or other cherry toppings for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.1 ¾ cups all purpose flour, 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar, ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk and oil.1 cup buttermilk, ½ cup oil
- Whisk in eggs, one at a time.2 large eggs
- Stir in dry ingredients until just combined.
- Add hot water and vanilla. Whisk until just combined.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 cup hot water
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the cherry topping. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer, while constantly stirring, and simmer over low heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until cherries have softened and liquid has thickened. Break cherries into smaller pieces with a spoon or potato masher.1 pound frozen pitted dark sweet cherries, ½ cup water, ¼ cup cherry liqueur, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Remove cherry topping from heat. Let cool completely. You can add a bit more water if it thickens too much once cooled.
- Just before serving, make the whipped cream topping. Add heavy cream, powdered sugar, cream of tartar (if using), and vanilla to your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk for about 4-7 minutes, or until stiff peaks form.2 cups cold heavy cream, ⅓ cup powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Assemble cake by removing the cake from the baking pan and placing it on a serving platter.
- Top with cherry topping.
- Then add whipped cream on top. Decorate with chocolate shavings, fresh cherries, maraschino cherries, or cherry topping.
Notes
- Cocoa powder: I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe. I’ve also used Hershey’s special dark cocoa powder. However, I haven’t tried Dutch-processed cocoa powder with this cake.
- Salt: If you don’t have kosher salt, use 1/2 teaspoon table salt instead.
- Buttermilk: Regular or low-fat will work. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a quick substitute with this homemade buttermilk substitute.
- Oil: Feel free to use another type of neutral oil like canola oil or olive oil.
- Water: I use hot tap water about (150F).
- Semisweet baking chocolate: If you’d like a sweeter mousse, you can use milk baking chocolate.
- Milk: Any milk from skim to whole milk will work.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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