This Black Forest Poke Cake is the perfect combination of tart black cherries, rich chocolate cake, sweet condensed milk and mascarpone whipped cream. Poke cakes are a fun take on a simple sheet cake. If you haven't tried making one yet, now is the time!
Start by turning the oven to 180c fan | 350f and putting a kettle of water onto boil. Line a 28cm (11”) brownie tin.
Open and drain 425g Tinned Black Cherries. Keep the juice to the side. Reserve 12 nicely shaped cherries for the garnish and set the rest to the side.
Melt 150g Dark Chocolate in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the hob. Set aside to cool.
Cream together 125g Salted Butter and 200g Light Brown Sugar in a large mixing bowl. You can use a hand whisk or stand mixer. Whisk until light and fluffy.
Add 1 Egg and whisk to combine.
Beat in the slightly cooled melted chocolate along with 2 tbsp Cocoa Powder and 50ml reserved cherry juice.
Beat in 100g Plain (All Purpose) Flour along with 75ml Boiling Water and ¼ tsp Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda). The mixture will be relatively thin.
Gently fold in the remainder of the tinned black cherries.
Pour the batter into the lined brownie pan and smooth it out. Make sure to push it into the edges.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Make the Filling
After the cake has been in the oven for around 15 minutes, add 1 tbsp Cornflour to a small saucepan. Add enough cold water to make a thick paste.
Add 150ml reserved cherry juice and stir to thoroughly combine before slowly heating. Keep stirring until the juice thickens.
Take the juice off the heat and stir in 397g Condensed Milk.
Poke & Fill the Cake
Once the cake has baked and before it cools, use the end of a thin wooden spoon or other utensil to poke holes all over the cake. Stop just short of going all the way through the cake to the bottom.
Pour the condensed milk filling over the cake. Make sure it goes into all the holes. Leave the cake to fully cool.
Make the Topping
Add 200g Double (Heavy) Cream to a bowl with 150g Mascarpone. Whisk together until soft peaks. Be careful not to over whip or it will go grainy. Under whisk rather than over whisk.
Top & Finish the Cake
Take the cooled cake out of the tin and remove all the linings.
Dollop the topping over the now cooled cake. Use a spatula to spread it nearly to the edges of the cake. Use the spatula to make a pleasing swirly pattern.
Grate 20g Dark Chocolate over the top of the cream (I forgot this step – don’t judge me). Add the 12 cherries for the garnish in a 4x3 grid pattern.