White Forest Cake – three layers of fluffy vanilla cake with kirsch cherry and whipped white chocolate frosting. This white version of the popular Black Forest Cake will delight you – a perfect celebration cake!

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Most people are familiar with Black Forest Cake (or Black Forest Gateau). Black Forest Cake is a chocolate sponge cake with Kirsch-laced cherry and whipped cream filling and chocolate shavings.

This popular dessert hails from Germany where it is known as Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, which translates as “Black Forest Cake”.

What’s the difference between White Forest Cake and Black Forest Cake?

Simply put, we are swapping the chocolate sponge with a vanilla one and changing any chocolate/cocoa into white chocolate.

I think this White Forest Cake twist tastes even more delicious than the classic Black Forest version!

It is an impressive and delicious cake that makes for a beautiful festive dessert or birthday cake.

White forest cake decorated with fresh cherries and white chocolate frosting

White Forest Cake Grocery List

This cake combines three layers of classic vanilla sponge cake with cherry filling and whipped white chocolate frosting. This cake gets a bit of a kick from the cherry kirsch syrup which saturates the sponge cake layers.

For the Cake Layers

Flour – plain / all purpose
Cornstarch (a.k.a cornflour)
Sugar – ideally caster / superfine sugar
Large eggs
Milk + lemon juice
Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
A few drops almond extract

For the Cherry Filling

Buying black cherries in Kirsch syrup is the easiest and most authentic filling for this White Forest Gateau. Unfortunately they can be quite expensive (if you really want to splash out get this gorgeous Fabri Amarena Black Wild Cherries jar) so if the price is too scary you can use cherry pie filling with a splash of Kirsch liquor.

Kirsch (Kirschwasser) is a clear brandy made with a distillation of black cherries. If you have some it will definitely add an authentic touch to this cake (and any variations, such as this Black Forest Pavlova).

For the White Chocolate Frosting

White chocolate chips – it’s super important to use good quality white chocolate such as Ghirardelli Classic White Chocolate Premium Baking Chips. The frosting will simply not work if you use inferior white chocolate or candy melts.
Heavy cream (double cream)
Powdered / Icing sugar

Final touches

Fresh cherries
White chocolate shavings
Syrup from the Kirsch cherries

Essential Equipment & Tools

Six inch cake pans and cake release spray
Digital scales – I use a scale for all my bakes
Measuring spoons
Fine strainer (sieve)
Bench Scraper and Palette knife (offset spatula) for smoothing frosting
Cake turntable
Cake boards – useful when covering cakes with frosting
Cake lifter – for transferring cakes safely

How to Make White Forest Cake Recipe

Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!

PREP AHEAD

Keep in mind that the sponge layers need to be completely cold before frosting and that the frosting needs to be chilled for several hours or overnight before you whisk it. The cake layers can be baked up to a day in advance and kept wrapped at room temperature until you assemble the gateau.

Make the Cake Layers

Sift the flour, baking powder and cornstarch into a mixing bowl. Add room temperature eggs, softened butter or margarine, the milk, lemon juice and extracts.

Beat together until the batter is smooth, scraping the bowl as needed to ensure the ingredients are mixed well.

Collage showing the steps to making sponge cake

Divide the batter between three greased and lined cake tins and bake for 20-24 minutes or until the cakes are golden and pass the toothpick test.

Cool in the tins for five minutes. Run the blade of a knife around the edge of the pans to loosen the cakes and carefully invert onto a wire rack to cool.

Vanilla cake batter in cake tin before baking

Make the White Chocolate frosting

Put the white chocolate chips and half of the cream in a bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring frequently, until the chocolate chips have melted and the mixture is completely smooth.

Stir in the remaining cream and then cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or even overnight.

how to make white chocolate frosting collage

Whisk the frosting using a stand or hand mixer with the whisk attachment. Start beating on medium speed, gradually increasing until the frosting holds peaks. Sift the powdered sugar into the bowl and mix it in. Do not over-beat, it can cause the frosting to become grainy and greasy. Keep the frosting chilled until you use it.

Assemble the White Forest Cake

Brush the cakes with cherry syrup or Kirsch allowing it to soak into the sponge. Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a ring of frosting around the edge of the cake. Fill inside with the cherries and then pipe some frosting over the top and level.

Cover with the second cake layer, repeat and top with the third. Cover the entire cake with frosting, smoothing it with a palette knife and a scraper.

Pipe any remaining frosting on top of the cake. Add some cherries in syrup and decorate with a few fresh cherries as well. Sprinkle with white chocolate shavings.

spooning cherry syrup over white forest cake

Serve immediately or keep chilled for up to a day. This cake is very rich so I suggest you cut into think slices 🙂

White forest gateau on a plate with slice cut to show the layers

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White Forest Cake

What’s the difference between White Forest Cake and Black Forest Cake?