I’ve had black forest cake that I like, but usually they are far too sweet. This recipe doesn’t have any liquor and uses raspberries instead of cherries.

6 eggs
scant 1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup flour
½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup margarine or unsalted butter

Filling/Topping

2 ½ cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
½ tsp vanilla

1 to 1 ½ pounds of fresh blackberries or raspberries or mix of both

To decorate:
Grated chocolate (take a high quality milk chocolate bar–such as Lindt Milk Chocolate-and grate little frills. Sprinkle frills on the cake).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two round 9 inch cake pans. Mix eggs, sugar, vanilla and beat with electric mixer until very thick. Sift flour and cocoa and fold in lightly. Gently stir in melted butter. Divide the mixture between the two cake pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cakes are springy. Cool for five minutes and turn onto wire racks and cool completely.

Using a hand held mixer, whip the cream until it starts to thicken and then gradually beat in the confectioners sugar and vanilla until the cream holds it shape.

Assemble

Spread whipped cream on bottom layer of chocolate cake. Spread a thick row of berries across the cream. Add second cake layer and spread with sweetened cream. Spread the sides with cream as well. Lightly decorate the top of the cake with berries. Sprinkle the side of the cake with the grated chocolate. Add a few berries around the plate and you have a masterpiece!

Time Saving Note: You can make a boxed chocolate cake instead of making chocolate cake from scratch. Another good chocolate cake that can be used in this recipe is: Buttermilk Chocolate Cake. Simply make the cake in two pans instead of one, and substitute the whipped cream and raspberries for icing.

Note: For the more traditional Black Forest Cake, after they have cooled, prick the tops of the cakes with fork and drizzle with 1/8th cup of Kirsch. Use fresh pitted cherries instead of raspberries or blackberries.