Black Forest cake in the air fryer
Classic Black Forest cake baked in the air fryer: a light cocoa sponge brushed with kirsch, layered with fresh cherries and airy whipped cream. The top is finished with grated dark chocolate and whole cherries.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Springform, 18 cm
- 1 Bagepapir (til airfryer)
- 2 Mixing bowl
- 1 Electric mixer
- 1 Bread knife For slicing the sponge horizontally
- 1 Grater For the chocolate
- 1 Grillrist For cooling
Ingredients
Cocoa sponge
3 pcs eggs Room temperature
150 g sugar
100 g plain flour
30 g cocoa powder Dark and unsweetened
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt
75 g butter Melted
50 ml whole milk
Cherries and kirsch
- 350 g fresh cherries Pitted
- 2 tbsp sugar For the cherries
- 3 tbsp kirsch Cherry brandy
Whipped cream and garnish
400 ml double cream Well chilled
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla sugar
50 g dark chocolate For grating
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the air fryer to 160°C on the hot air setting.
- Line the bottom of an 18 cm springform tin with baking paper, and lightly grease the sides. The tin needs to stand freely in the basket with air all the way round so the heat can circulate.
- Rinse the 350 g fresh cherries, pit them and halve about two-thirds of them. Toss the halved cherries with the 2 tbsp sugar, and leave them to macerate while you make the batter. Keep the rest of the cherries whole for garnish.
- Melt the 75 g butter, and let it cool until just lukewarm.
Cocoa sponge
- Whisk the 3 eggs and 150 g sugar with an electric whisk for 4-5 minutes until pale and fluffy. The mixture is ready when it forms a thick ribbon that slowly sinks back in.
- Sift the 100 g plain flour, 30 g cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 pinch salt over the egg mixture, and fold in gently to keep the air in.
- Add the lukewarm butter and 50 ml whole milk, and fold in just until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the tin, and smooth out the surface.
Cooking in the air fryer
- Place the tin in the air fryer basket, and bake the cake at 160°C for 28-30 minutes. Loosely lay a piece of baking paper over the top after 15 minutes if the surface is browning too much.
- Check the cake with a toothpick in the centre: it should come out clean. If the batter is still wet, bake for another 3-5 minutes at 160°C.
- Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then loosen the sides, and turn the sponge out onto a wire rack. Let it cool completely for at least 45 minutes before slicing.
Assembling and serving
- Slice the completely cooled cocoa sponge horizontally into two layers with a bread knife. If the sponge is tall enough, you can cut three thin layers instead.
- Brush both layers with the 3 tbsp kirsch so the sponge becomes nice and moist, and leave it to soak for 5 minutes.
- Whip the 400 ml double cream to soft peaks together with the 2 tbsp icing sugar and 1 tsp vanilla sugar. Stop while the cream is still light, as it will firm up further once you spread it.
- Fill the bottom layer with a thick layer of whipped cream, and spread the sugared cherries on top. Place the top layer on, and press down lightly so the cake settles.
- Cover the top with the rest of the whipped cream. Grate the 50 g dark chocolate over the cake, and garnish with the whole cherries.
- Chill the cake for at least 15 minutes so the layers settle, and serve it cold.
Notes
Tips for the perfect result:
Use a springform tin that can stand freely in the basket with at least one and a half centimetres of air all the way round, otherwise the base will bake unevenly. Open the air fryer as little as possible during the first 15 minutes, so the airy cocoa sponge doesn't sink. Bake two layers instead:
If you have two identical tins, you can split the batter and bake two thin layers at 160°C for 15-18 minutes each. That way you avoid having to slice the sponge in half. Variation:
Without alcohol, brush the layers with cherry juice mixed with a drop of almond essence. If cherries aren't in season, you can use thawed frozen cherries, but drain them thoroughly first so the whipped cream doesn't turn watery. Serving:
Serve the cake cold straight from the fridge with a cup of black coffee. The cake serves 6-8 smaller slices, even though it's designed as 4 servings. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two batches.
Use a springform tin that can stand freely in the basket with at least one and a half centimetres of air all the way round, otherwise the base will bake unevenly. Open the air fryer as little as possible during the first 15 minutes, so the airy cocoa sponge doesn't sink. Bake two layers instead:
If you have two identical tins, you can split the batter and bake two thin layers at 160°C for 15-18 minutes each. That way you avoid having to slice the sponge in half. Variation:
Without alcohol, brush the layers with cherry juice mixed with a drop of almond essence. If cherries aren't in season, you can use thawed frozen cherries, but drain them thoroughly first so the whipped cream doesn't turn watery. Serving:
Serve the cake cold straight from the fridge with a cup of black coffee. The cake serves 6-8 smaller slices, even though it's designed as 4 servings. Portion size:
If your air fryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two batches.
Nutrition
Calories: 1010kcalCarbohydrates: 95gProtein: 13gFat: 63gSaturated fat: 38gPolyunsaturated fat: 2.5gMonounsaturated fat: 17gTrans fat: 1gCholesterol: 290mgSodium: 190mgPotassium: 555mgFiber: 6gSugar: 65gVitamin A: 1780IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 3.9mgNet carbohydrates: 89g
