Black Forest Cake with Fresh Strawberries, Creamy Chocolate-Hazelnut & Almond Glaze
I don't know who first drizzled glaze over a frosted cake, but I'd like to thank them for refusing to stop when things were already looking good.
There is something wonderful about a layer cake sitting on the kitchen counter. Before anyone asks what kind it is or how many layers it has, people gather around it. Someone peeks under the cake dome. Someone else asks if it's for a special occasion. Another person reaches for a plate before you've even found the cake server.
This Black Forest Cake with fresh strawberries, creamy chocolate-hazelnut filling, and an almond glaze has that effect.
For generations, a homemade layer cake marked life's happiest moments. Birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, Sunday dinners, and family reunions often ended with someone proudly carrying a tall cake to the table. It wasn't unusual to see one traveling across town in a covered aluminum cake carrier or sitting on a glass pedestal stand surrounded by cups of coffee after supper. A homemade layer cake told everyone that somebody had planned ahead. Butter had been left on the counter to soften. Mixing bowls had been dirtied. The good cake plate had been brought out from the cabinet.
Black Forest cake began in Germany as Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, a chocolate sponge cake layered with cherries, whipped cream, and kirsch, a cherry brandy traditionally produced in the Black Forest region. As the dessert made its way into American kitchens during the twentieth century, home bakers naturally adapted it to local ingredients and family tastes. Fresh cherries were sometimes replaced with canned pie filling, frozen fruit, or strawberries when they were plentiful. Whipped cream occasionally gave way to chocolate frosting. The goal was never to copy the original exactly. It was to create a beautiful cake that fit the American table.
By the 1950s and 1960s, boxed cake mixes from companies like Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker helped make impressive layer cakes part of everyday home baking. Homemakers added their own touches with homemade frostings, toasted nuts, extra vanilla, fresh fruit, and family tricks passed from one recipe card to the next. Those small additions turned a convenient cake mix into something guests remembered long after dessert.
This recipe carries on that tradition.
Tender chocolate cake layers are filled with fresh strawberries that have been lightly sweetened until they release their natural juices. Creamy chocolate-hazelnut spread brings another layer of richness that pairs beautifully with the berries, while a smooth almond glaze drips over the top and down the sides in the sort of generous way that always catches people's attention before the first slice is served.
If you grew up visiting a neighborhood bakery, you probably remember cakes displayed behind glass with shiny glazes, chocolate curls, piped borders, and bright fruit decorating the top. Those bakery windows made celebrations feel exciting long before the candles were lit. This cake brings a little of that feeling home.
Then come the toasted almonds.
Slivered almonds add just enough crunch to balance the soft cake and juicy berries. They also have a long history in American baking. During the 1960s and 1970s, almonds became a favorite finishing touch for coffee cakes, tortes, holiday desserts, and ladies' luncheon recipes. They added elegance without requiring complicated decorating skills, which made them especially popular with home bakers.
One simple step makes a noticeable difference in the finished cake. After the strawberries are sprinkled with sugar, let them stand long enough to release their juices, then drain them before assembling the layers. That extra liquid is delicious spooned over ice cream or stirred into lemonade, but leaving it out of the cake helps every slice stay tender and hold its shape after refrigeration.
This is the kind of dessert that turns heads the moment it reaches the table. The glossy almond glaze catches the light, the strawberries peek through each chocolate layer, and every slice reveals exactly why homemade cakes have remained part of American celebrations for generations.
Serve it well chilled after a backyard cookout, a Sunday family supper, or the first visit to the farmers market when strawberries are piled high in wooden baskets. Set out fresh coffee, invite everyone to linger a little longer around the table, and don't be surprised if someone asks whether there's enough left for one more slice.
Some recipes feed a crowd.
The best ones become part of the family's story.
Black Forest Cake - With Fresh Strawberries, Creamy Chocolate-Hazelnut & Almond Glaze
PREP TIME: 25 Minutes
COOK TIME: 25-30 Minutes
COOL + CHILL TIME: 10-30 MINUTES
SERVES: 8 TO 10 to
BY: Stasia Wimmer Boschetti
Ingredients
For the Cake
1 box Devil’s Food cake mix
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional, but deepens the chocolate flavor)
For the Strawberry Filling
4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
For the Chocolate Layer
1 cup Nutella or 1 cup prepared chocolate fudge frosting
For the Almond Glaze
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Pinch of kosher salt
For the Topping
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Extra strawberries for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or coat with baking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and espresso powder if using. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 45 seconds, then medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Tap the pans lightly on the counter to release trapped air bubbles.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them onto wire racks. Allow the cakes to cool completely before assembling.
Prepare the Strawberries
- Place the sliced strawberries in a bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Stir gently and allow the berries to sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Transfer the strawberries to a strainer and let excess juice drain away. Reserve a few berries for decorating the top of the cake if desired.
Make the Almond Glaze
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, almond extract, and salt until smooth and glossy. If needed, add another teaspoon of milk for a thinner drizzle.
Assemble the Cake
- Place one cake layer onto a cake stand or serving plate.
- Spread half of the Nutella or chocolate frosting evenly over the cake layer. Spoon half of the drained strawberries over the frosting. Drizzle lightly with almond glaze.
- Place the second cake layer on top.
- Spread the remaining Nutella or frosting over the top layer. Top with the remaining strawberries and drizzle generously with almond glaze, allowing it to drip naturally down the sides.
- Sprinkle toasted slivered almonds over the top and garnish with extra strawberries if desired.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes before slicing for cleaner layers.
Notes
- The espresso powder does not make the cake taste like coffee. It simply deepens the chocolate flavor.
- Whole milk and butter give the cake a richer texture than using water or oil alone.
- Draining the strawberries is important. Skipping this step can leave the cake soggy after refrigeration.
- This cake is even better after chilling for several hours, making it an excellent make-ahead dessert for gatherings and holidays.
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about the AUTHOr
Stasia Wimmer Boschetti is an American culinary writer and the founder of American Country Living, where she writes about recipes, home, and the traditions that shape everyday American life. With more than thirty years of experience in the kitchen and a background in catering, she explores the history behind the foods we keep making and the customs that keep them in use. She is also the founder of the American Country Living General Store, offering homewares, baking goods, and provisions for everyday life at home. She lives in Texas with her husband, family, and five rescued animals, where she continues to cook, write, and keep a well-loved home.
