Black Forest Pound Cake

Black Forest Pound Cake

This gluten free black forest pound cake combines the flavors of chocolate and cherries in a cake with a lighter feel.  Instead of the whipped cream used to frost a classic black forest cake I opted for a lighter cherry cream glaze that dries to a crunchy glazed doughnut consistency.  And the cake itself is a classic buttery pound cake that’s been given a more festive feel by adding sweet cherries and shards of dark chocolate.  But to keep this on the lighter side I’ve also replaced half the butter in the original recipe, with low fat Greek yogurt.  But if you are one of those people that aren’t concerned about the extra calories there’s always ice cream to take this cake to a whole new level of decadence.      

Black Forest Pound Cake

Prep time: 15 min

Bake time: 70 min

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 ¾ cups sugar
• 5 eggs at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup low fat Greek yogurt or light sour cream
• 3 cups gluten free Bisquick
• 1 can pitted cherries in heavy syrup drained well, with the syrup reserved
• 3.5 oz dark chocolate
• FOR THE GLAZE:
• 2 tbsp of the reserved cherry syrup
• 1 tbsp heavy cream or Bailey’s Irish cream
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar

Video Tutorial

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (or 175 °C) and line a 10 inch spring form pan with parchment paper sprayed with nonstick spray.
2. Cut 10 of the drained cherries in half and set them aside to top the cake and quarter the rest of the cherries to be added to the batter.
3. Chop the chocolate into thin shards and set aside ¼ of the chopped chocolate to top the cake. The rest will be added to the batter.
4. To make the batter, using the paddle attachment of your mixer beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Scrape down the bowl and add the vanilla then beat in the eggs one at a time making sure that each is well incorporated before adding the next then add the yogurt and beat until smooth. 
5. Add about half of the gluten free Bisquick and beat until well combined then scrape down the sides of the bowl again and beat in the other half of the Bisquick until very well combined. 
6. Add the cherries and chocolate and beat for 10 seconds or just until the chocolate and cherries are evenly dispersed throughout the batter. 
7. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out with the rubber spatula then scatter the reserved chocolate over the top and evenly place the cherry halves over the cake and bake it for between 60 -70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the cake has reached the depth of color you want.  I baked mine for 70 minutes. 
8. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool to room temperature before glazing.
9. To make the glaze, stir together the cherry syrup, heavy cream or Baileys Irish cream, vanilla, and confectioner’s sugar until smooth.
10. When the cake is cooled to room temperature, drizzle the glaze over the cake until you have as much coverage as you want then refrigerate for 4 or 5 hours before serving so the glaze will dry and cake will chill and be easy to slice.  

Notes:  If you are not following a gluten free diet replace the gluten free Bisquick in the recipe with 3 cups flour and 2 tsp baking powder.