Autumnal Dessert Recipe: Black Forest Tray Bake

Simple recipe for baking a black forest cherry tray bake sponge. Easy recipe for beginners, perfect for winter and Christmas party desserts

I haven't shared a recipe for ages, so seeing as I'm in full-on winter carb eating mode I thought it was high-time I shared one of my most recent bakes - a Black Forest tray bake sponge. This came about from wanting to make a cake version of the classic gateau, however not being able to find my second cake tin, so in a baking tray it was. But this turned out so much better than I thought it would, and is a real crowd-pleaser. Or it has been in my house anyway!

Ingredients

For the sponge

300g butter
300g soft brown sugar
300g self-raising flour
4 eggs
100g dark chocolate chips
75g cocoa powder
200g glace cherries

For the topping

200g icing sugar
100g margarine
Punnet of fresh cherries
A bar of dark chocolate from which to make chocolate curls

Method

Start by whisking together the butter and sugar. I always leave my whisk running for at least five minutes, as the longer you whisk for, the more fluffier your sponge will be.

With the whisk still running, add the eggs, two at a time, and then add the flour, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips and again, keep whisking.

Finally add the glace cherries to the mixture.

After one final whisk to make sure all the ingredients are combined, pour the mixture into a greased, lined baking tray.

Bake for 45-50 minutes at 190 degrees (glass mark 5). Don't open the oven door for the first 45 minutes to help with the sponge rising, and keep a close eye on your cake to ensure it doesn't burn.

While the sponge is cooling you can make a start on the topping. I've gone with a simple buttercream, however you could use whipped cream or even glace icing.

Mix together the icing sugar and butter, and again leave to whisk for as long as you can. Once your sponge has cooled spread the buttercream over the cake and top with fresh cherries.

Finally I've added some chocolate curls which I've made by simply scraping a sharp knife over the back of a bar of dark chocolate - its much easier to do this if the chocolate has been in the fridge beforehand.

And there you have it - a really simple but fun twist on a usual tray bake cake. Perfect with a mug of hot chocolate on a cold Autumnal evening.