German Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake

By Mary

This recipe is an authentic German Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake (Black Forest).

It is to die for!! It's a very large cake so will satisfy many appetites. You gotta try it sometime!! And don't let the sauerkraut scare you off...it just makes the cake moist, there's no sauerkraut taste!! This sounds like a complicated recipe, but it really isn't and well worth the effort. It has become a traditional birthday cake for my parents!!!!

Ingredients

Cake — makes two layers

2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1 tsp. bkg. soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Combine above.

2/3 c. soft butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. water (or coffee)
2/3 c. sauerkraut (drained and chopped)

Butter Cream Filling

1/2 c. butter softened
3 1/2 c. icing sugar ( I use less...about 2 1/2 c.)
1/8 tsp. salt
1 egg yolk
2-3 oz. bitter chocolate melted in 2 T. water

Putting it all together

2 chocolate layer cakes
1/4 c. kirsh or to taste (optional)
1 recipe chocolate butter cream
2 c. pitted halved black cherries, canned or fresh
2 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. sugar, 3/4 c. grated semi-sweet chocolate

Directions

Cake — makes two layers

Cream butter, add sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add liquid and dry ingredients alternately,beginning and ending with dry. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min. or until done.

Butter Cream Filling

Cream butter until fluffy. Beat in sugar, salt and egg yolk until thick and creamy. Add milk if needed for consistency. Add melted chocolate. Makes about 2 1/2 c.

Putting it all together

Slice off crown of cakes to level layers and sprinkle each layer with 1 tsp. kirsh. Spread top of bottom layer with chocolate butter cream. Place 1 1/2 c. cherries on butter cream and press lightly into cream. Top with second layer.

Whip cream, sweetening it with sugar and adding remaining lirsh to taste. Spread whipped cream over top and around sides of cake. Decorate with chocolate curls or grated chocolate and remaining cherries.
Chill for several hours before serving.

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