Tender, flaky chocolate biscuits, layered with chocolate whipped cream, and a simple homemade cherry sauce! This Black Forest Shortcake Recipe is perfect for Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, or just any ol’ time you are craving a fabulous dessert!
What else can you do with the chocolate shortcakes from this Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake recipe? Lots and lots of things, I’d think. They’re sort of like big cakey brownies crossed with biscuits. They’d be fabulous for lots of recipes!
But for today, I made you a Black Forest Shortcake recipe! I know it’s Valentine’s Day Eve, and I should’ve shared this eons ago, but a Black Forest Shortcake recipe can be useful year-round. This is definitely an ‘anytime’ kind of dessert.
As I explained in the post for these Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes, the biscuits are a breeze. Simple to throw the ingredients together, and they bake up quickly. They’re a bit flatter than a standard shortcake, but no less tender, soft, and flaky.
Sandwich the chocolate shortcakes between layers of homemade chocolate whipped cream and a simple homemade cherry sauce.
Don’t skimp on the whipped cream. Make it from scratch – it’s the only way. Since this Black Forest Shortcake Recipe only has a few components, and they’re all well-represented, you want them to be top-notch quality. Homemade whipped cream is just better. Added cocoa powder gives it a tinge of chocolate! So decadent.
And the cherry sauce is just a big bag of frozen sweet cherries (you could certainly substitute with fresh!) macerated with sugar and vanilla. Suuuuper easy. It’s barely even a step in the instructions.
I added a few chocolate curls for garnish, and you could even take this a step further by drizzling some chocolate sauce on top. That’s your call, but could it possibly hurt??
Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, or you’re just happy to be alive, this Black Forest Shortcake Recipe will deliver.
I have a few other wonderful Black Forest recipes. Check out this Chocolate Espresso Black Forest Pavlova (I adore it – it’s amazing), these Black Forest Crepes (brunch!!), this Black Forest Brownie Cheesecake (it’s very simple, but unbelievable), and this super easy & insanely rich Black Forest Tart!
Black Forest Shortcake Recipe
Ingredients
For cherry sauce:
- 16 oz. fresh or frozen sweet cherries if using frozen, thawed
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For chocolate shortcakes:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 large egg
For chocolate whipped cream:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp. cocoa powder
- chocolate curls for garnish
Instructions
For cherry sauce:
- In a medium bowl, combine cherries, sugar, and vanilla.
- Using a potato masher or fork, lightly crush the cherries until some are still mostly intact, and about half are smooshed.
- Set aside to macerate, about 20 minutes.
For chocolate shortcakes:
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Using a cheese grater, grate the butter into the flour mixture, and stir to distribute.
- In a small bowl, whisk together heavy cream, vanilla, and egg.
- Add the heavy cream mixture to the flour mixture, and stir with a wooden spoon until mixture just comes together - do not overmix!
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead about five times.
- Pat dough into disk about 3/4-inch thick.
- Using a 3-inch cookie cutter or biscuit cutter, cut as many rounds as possible.
- Arrange two inches apart on a parchment paper or silicone mat-lined baking sheet.
- Reform scraps of dough, and cut out as many rounds as possible. Arrange on baking sheet.
- Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until shortcakes appear set.
- Remove shortcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
For chocolate whipped cream:
- In a large mixing bowl fitted with a whisk attachment, beat heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar just until stiff peaks form.
- Add cocoa powder, and beat until just combined.
To assemble:
- Cut each shortcake in half horizontally.
- Place bottom halves on a serving plate.
- Spoon about 1/4 cup whipped cream onto it, and cover with several tablespoons of cherry sauce.
- Set the top of the shortcake over the cherries, and add additional whipped cream and cherry sauce.
- Sprinkle with chocolate curls for garnish, if desired. Serve immediately.
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