Black Forest Mirror Glaze Cake

🍒🍫 Black Forest Mirror Glaze Cake ✨🌲

A stunning twist on the classic — rich chocolate layers, cherries, and a glossy dark chocolate mirror glaze that’s almost too pretty to eat!

Ingredients:

**Chocolate Cake Layers:**

* 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

* ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

* 1 ½ tsp baking powder

* 1 ½ tsp baking soda

* ½ tsp salt

* 1 cup granulated sugar

* ½ cup brown sugar

* 2 large eggs

* ½ cup vegetable oil

* 1 cup buttermilk

* 1 tsp vanilla extract

* ½ cup hot water or coffee

**Cherry Filling:**

* 2 cups fresh or frozen cherries (pitted)

* ¼ cup sugar

* 1 tbsp cornstarch

* 2 tbsp water

* 1 tbsp Kirsch (optional)

**Chocolate Ganache Frosting:**

* 1 cup heavy cream

* 8 oz dark chocolate, chopped

**Mirror Glaze:**

* 1 tbsp powdered gelatin

* ½ cup water (divided)

* 1 cup sugar

* ⅔ cup sweetened condensed milk

* 5 oz dark chocolate, chopped

**Decoration:**

* Whole cherries with stems

* Mint leaves

* Chocolate shards or curls

Instructions:

1. **Make the cake:** Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch pans. In a bowl, mix dry ingredients. In another, beat eggs, sugars, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. Combine, then stir in hot water. Divide into pans and bake 30–35 mins. Cool completely.

2. **Make the cherry filling:** Simmer cherries with sugar. Mix cornstarch and water, add to cherries, and cook until thick. Add Kirsch if using. Cool.

3. **Ganache frosting:** Heat cream to a simmer, pour over chocolate, let sit 1 min, then stir smooth. Chill to thicken slightly.

4. **Assemble the cake:** Slice cakes in half to make 4 layers. Layer cake with cherry filling and ganache frosting between. Chill at least 1 hour.

5. **Mirror glaze:** Bloom gelatin in ¼ cup water. In a pot, heat sugar, ¼ cup water, and condensed milk to a simmer. Remove from heat, stir in bloomed gelatin and chopped chocolate. Blend until smooth, strain, and cool to 90°F (32°C).

6. **Glaze & decorate:** Place chilled cake on a wire rack over a tray. Pour glaze evenly over top, letting it drip down the sides. Decorate with fresh cherries, mint, and chocolate shards. Chill to set before slicing.

Pro Tip:

For ultra-smooth glaze, use an immersion blender and strain twice — it's all about that glossy finish!