Ingredients:

Cake:

-50 g butter

-1 1/4 cup (180 g) all purpose flour

-1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp (20 g) cocoa powder

-1 tsp baking powder

-1 tsp baking soda

-pinch of salt

-1 cup (225 g) granulated sugar

-1 large egg

-2/3 cup sour cream

-1/3 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp hot water

Cherries:

-250 g whole cherries (weight with pits)

-1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

-1/4 cup kirsch liqueur

-1/4 cup granulated sugar

Whipped Cream:

-500 ml whipping cream

-1 Tbsp granulated sugar

Method:

Cake:
Heat oven at 350F

Butter a 12 inch cake pan.

Melt the butter and let it cool.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl.

Mix all other ingredients; salt, sugar, egg, sour cream, melted butter and hot water.

Add to the previous mixture and stir until completely smooth.

Bake for 22 minutes (check with a toothpick), then let the cake cool completely onto a cooling rack. 

Cut in half using a cake leveler.

Cherries:

Pit the cherries and add to a saucepan with lemon juice, kirsch and sugar. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring carefully every now and then, until the cherries are soft but not mushy.

Pour the mixture through a strainer, with a bowl underneath to reserve the liquids. Put the cherries in another bowl to cool.

Put the remaining liquid back in the sauce pan and let simmer for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Pour into a bowl and let cool completely.

When cool, mix back with the cherries.

Whipped Cream:

Add your sugar to your cream into a cold bowl and whip a little less than you normally would. 

Mount the cake:

Place the first cake layer onto your stand.

Level the cherry mixture on top.

Level about 1/4 of an inch of whipped cream on top.

Add the second cake layer.

Pour the rest of the whipped cream on top and push to the sides with an icing knife.

Decorate.

Voila! Black forest cake.