Black Forest Pound Cake with Cherry Sauce

I dearly love pound cakes. And what better dessert for an Oktoberfest meal than a Black Forest Pound Cake with Cherry Sauce? As is the norm for pound cakes, this one is dense and a tad dry so be sure you make the whipped cream and cherry sauce to go on top.  

2/3 cup butter, softened 

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar 

2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

4 large eggs 

1 ¼ t. vanilla extract, divided

1 ½ cups cake flour

½ cup unsweetened cocoa

½ t. salt

¼ t. baking soda

3/4 cup sour cream 

3 (1-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking squares, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 325°. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar and 2/3 cup brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Beat in 1 tsp. vanilla.

Whisk together flour and next 3 ingredients. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in chopped chocolate.

Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch round cake pan (with sides that are 3 inches high).

Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely (about 1 hour).

Meanwhile, prepare Cherry Sauce. Place cake on a serving plate or cake stand.

Slowly pour Cherry Sauce over cake. Beat 1 ¼ cup heavy cream, 1 T. granulated sugar, and 1/4 t. vanilla at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Dollop whipped cream onto cake, and sprinkle with shaved chocolate.

Cherry Sauce

2 (12-oz.) packages frozen cherries

1/3 cup sugar 

1/3 cup cold water 

2 t. cornstarch

2 T. brandy

½ t. vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Preparation

Stir together cherries, sugar, cold water, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, 12 to 15 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in Kirsch or brandy, vanilla, and salt. Cool completely (about 1 hour).

From Southern Living October 2012