My cherry and chocolate-loving heart is at peace. With cherry pie filling, sweetened whipped cream, and chocolate curls on top, this Black Forest Cheesecake is a decadently creamy, dark chocolate cheesecake.
Check out our Chocolate layer cake with cocoa, No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake, and S’mores Pancakes if you enjoy cheesecake!
Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or any other occasion throughout the year is the ideal time to serve this gorgeous black forest cheesecake!
I baked this cheesecake while my parents were here for a visit. When we have visits or guests, I adore creating something special like a cheesecake, and because I am aware that both my parents enjoy chocolate and fruit sweets, a black forest cheesecake was a win-win!
I have always like the flavor combination of cherries and chocolate. On Christmas morning, I used to find boxes of cherry cordials in my stocking. Black forest cake is the cake I usually eat on my birthday. The seduction of rich chocolate and tangy, sweet cherries combined is too much for me to resist.
There is no exception with this black forest cheesecake.
To die for is the luscious, silky chocolate cheesecake cooked on top of a chocolate cookie crust. And making it is much simpler than you may imagine.
I used to be terrified of cheesecakes. a pie crust? No issue. Macarons? I could carry it out. But for some reason, cheesecake made me doubt my ability to bake!
What if the top cracked? Do I have to take a bath in water? (I’ve repeatedly failed poorly at using water baths, resulting in cheesecake with a mushy crust, so I’m usually a little hesitant to use that approach.) Although I’ve read that overmixing has drawbacks, how else would cream cheese be smooth?
I’m here to inform you that a water bath is not necessary to produce a cheesecake with a flawlessly excellent texture, an exquisitely smooth top, and a top that does not break. Additionally, until you start adding the eggs, overmixing is not a problem.
Even if you are still concerned about your cheesecake breaking, the good news is that you can conceal any cracks with a black forest cheesecake’s stunning, ruby red cherry pie filling. No one will know, I assure you.
Causes of Cheesecake Cracking
These are the primary reasons why cheesecakes crack, according to my study and personal experience.
- Overmixing
- Undermixing
- Overbaking
- Cooling too quickly
How to Avoid Cheesecake Cracks
- Start with components that are room temperature. You’ll be pounding a lot of cream cheese, and it will be quite challenging to make it smooth if it’s cold. When baking, cracks on the top are considerably more likely to appear in a lumpy, improperly combined cheesecake mixture. For easier mixing, the eggs should also be at room temperature.
- After adding the eggs, don’t overmix the batter. The cream cheese and sugar should be well combined until the batter is smooth and uniform, but after the eggs are added, overmixing will introduce air into the batter, increasing the probability of cracks.
- Put a springform pan to use. It will be quite difficult to remove your cheesecake to serve if you bake it on a typical cake pan without it shattering. A springform pan is ideal for cheesecake since the edges release and make it simple to remove the cheesecake after it has completely cooled. Cheesecake is significantly denser than other forms of cake. For this cheesecake recipe, a 9-inch springform pan is used.
- While the cheesecake is baking, avoid peeking! Since cheesecakes are sensitive to temperature changes while baking, it might be tempting to open the oven door to check on the cheesecake while it bakes. However, doing so can cause cracks in your cheesecake, especially if the temperature in your home is chilly.
- Slowly cool the cheesecake. After my cheesecake has finished baking, I like to shut off the oven and leave the door slightly ajar for at least 10 and maybe up to an hour without taking the cheesecake out. This prevents the cheesecake from being abruptly shocked by a sharp temperature change and allows it to cool gently and adapt to the room’s temperature.
- Before the cheesecake has cooled, carefully run a knife along the pan’s rim. As the cheesecake cools, it will eventually begin to collapse in on itself a little. If the edges are still adhered to the pan, there is a strong risk that a crack may develop. While the cheesecake is still warm from the oven, just take a paring knife and run it around the inside ring of the springform pan. Additionally, this makes it simpler to subsequently release the cheesecake from the pan.
- After the cheesecake has reached room temperature, wrap it in plastic and place it in the refrigerator to chill for 4-6 hours or overnight.
How to Make Black Forest Cheesecake
Making your cookie crust comes first. Simply pulse several chocolate sandwich cookies, complete with creme filling, in a food processor (affiliate link) or, for a more traditional method, bash them with a rolling pin in a plastic bag. After that, combine the cookies with a little sugar and butter, and press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. To simply set the cookie crusts, I always bake them for 5 minutes.
As you smooth out the cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder, set the melted chocolate aside to cool a little. Afterward, add each egg one at a time. Keep in mind that now is the time to be cautious not to overmix the batter.
Then, using a rubber spatula, add the melted chocolate to the cheesecake mixture and stir just until incorporated. While we salivate over this sight of melted chocolate being poured into cheesecake batter, let’s pause for a second.
After the cookie crust has cooled, evenly distribute the cheesecake mixture over it. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes.
Even though I have PTSD from previous incidents with soggy cheesecakes after a water bath infiltrated through my meticulously wrapped foil layers, you could use a water bath if you really wanted to. However, if you feel comfortable using a water bath and want to, go for it!
Top the cheesecake with cherry pie filling and add a border of sweetened whipped cream once it has cooked, cooled fully, and chilled in the refrigerator. Add chocolate curls or shavings as a garnish since they are both beautiful and add additional chocolate.