Shirley Temple

Black Forest Cake Recipe:

• Sponge
•  3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Filling
• 1 cup cherries (canned and drained OR frozen, thawed, and drained), coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons Bevonda Shirley Temple soda
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (can substitute lime juice)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Syrup
• 1 cup Bevonda Shirley Temple soda
• Frosting
• 1 cup cream cheese, cold
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
• Pinch salt
• Garnishes (optional)
• 1 dark chocolate bar
• Maraschino cherries

For the sponge:

Preheat the convection oven to 320 degrees (or 350 if your oven does not have a fan setting). Grease only the bottom of (3) 9" round cake pans, do not grease the sides. Combine the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, coffee powder, and salt in a small bowl. In a separate smaller bowl, combine the oil, butter, and vanilla. In a small saucepan, bring about 1" of water to a simmer. In a mixing bowl, add the eggs and sugar; whisk to combine. Place the mixing bowl over the saucepan, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk the egg and sugar mixture constantly until the sugar dissolves, or the mixture reaches approximately 110 degrees F. Immediately remove the bowl from the simmering water. Using a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the mixture on medium-high speed until it has tripled in volume and is thick enough to form ribbons when lifted with a spatula (5-10 minutes). Once it is at this consistency, turn the mixer down to the lowest speed for 2 minutes. This helps get rid of any large air bubbles. Sift half of the dry mixture into the egg mixture; fold until almost combined. Sift the remaining dry mixture in; fold until just combined. Add the oil, butter, and vanilla mixture; fold until just combined. Distribute the batter evenly into the 3 cake tins. Tap the tins lightly on the countertop to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the tops are set. Allow to cool upside down for 30 minutes, then remove from the pans and allow the cakes to finish cooling completely.

For the filling:

In a small saucepan, combine the Bevonda Shirley Temple soda, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to bubble. Add the chopped, drained cherries and cook for an addition 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture becomes thick. Cool completely.

For the syrup:

Pour the Bevonda Shirley Temple soda into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the liquid has reduced to about 2/3 of a cup. Cool completely.

For the frosting (wait to prepare until the cake, filling, and syrup are cool and you're ready to assemble the cake):

In a mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix until smooth and combined well. Add the vanilla, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. Starting on medium low speed, begin to mix the cream and cheese mixture. As it combines and thickens, increase the speed to medium high and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Set aside. 

To assemble:

Place one cake layer on your cake stand/plate. Gently brush or pour about 1/3 of the syrup on the cake. Next, add a layer of frosting approximately 1/2" thick, creating a border along the edge of the cake as a dam for the filling. Add 1/2 of the cherry filling within the borders of the frosting dam. Repeat with the second layer. Top with the final layer of cake. Brush with the remaining syrup. Frost the top of the cake. Garnish by adding maraschino cherries and shavings of dark chocolate, if using. To create chocolate shavings, use a vegetable peeler along the shorter side of the bar, or use a knife to chop the bar finely. Allow the cake to set in the fridge for 4 hours before serving.