Gluten free black forest cake

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Serves 12
The cake base in this recipe is also dairy free if you use dairy-free dark chocolate. Check the ingredient label before use. A 70 per cent cocoa chocolate is usually dairy free.

100g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa chocolate)
125g Nuttelex spread
1 cup (250ml) hot water
11/4 cups (250g) brown sugar
1 cup (120g) gluten-free self-raising flour
1/4 cup (35g) rice flour
1/4 cup (25g) gluten-free cocoa powder
1/2 cup (60g) almond meal
1/4 cup (16g) baby rice cereal (such as Farex)
3 eggs
680g jar pitted morello cherries
1/4 cup (60ml) kirsch*
600ml thickened cream, whipped
40g dark chocolate, extra, grated

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base of a round 22cm springform pan.
2. Combine the chocolate, Nuttelex spread and hot water in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until chocolate and Nuttelex melt. Remove from heat. Add sugar and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add the self-raising and rice flours, cocoa powder, almond meal and rice cereal, and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.
3. Use an electric mixer to beat the eggs in a large bowl for 5 minutes or until thick and pale. Fold eggs through chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until cake is cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow cake to cool in the pan.
4. Drain cherries, reserving 2/3 cup (160ml) of syrup. Add kirsch to syrup and set aside.
5. Use a large, serrated knife to split the cake into 3 layers. Place one layer on a serving plate and brush with a little liqueur mixture. Spread with one-third of the cream and top with one-third of the cherries. Continue layering with remaining cake, liqueur mixture, cream and cherries. Sprinkle with grated chocolate. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

*Also known as kirshwasser, meaning cherry water in German, kirsch is a clear or white brandy made from distilled morello cherries.

Photography: Chris Chen   Styling: David Morgan