Let's Talk with Lois Winston

Every amateur sleuth needs a trusty sidekick to help in the sleuthing, and Anastasia Pollack of my eponymous Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, is no exception. Her sidekick is Cloris McWerther, food editor at American Woman, the magazine where Anastasia works as crafts editor. Cloris often acts as a sounding board for Anastasia. Her quick thinking even once saved Anastasia’s life. But Cloris also provides another valuable service—she keeps my meal-skipping, sweets-addicted sleuth supplied with baked goods.

As her slightly overweight, pear-shaped figure will attest, Anastasia has never met a cupcake, muffin, or pastry she could resist. Except for anything containing peanut butter. Like her author, Anastasia detests the stuff. Even the smell of it triggers her gag reflexes. And mine. Before our sons were old enough to make their own lunches, this required us to hold our breath for extended periods while slapping together PB&J sandwiches.

Along with producing crafts and recipes for their monthly magazine, Anastasia and Cloris, along with decorating editor Jeanie Sims, are working on American Woman Through the Decades, a series of books that update crafts, decorating ideas, and recipes featured in each of the decades since the magazine’s inception in the 1960s. In Embroidered Lies and Alibis, the latest Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery (now available for preorder and releasing Feb. 10th), the editors are finishing up the 1960s and beginning work on the 1970s. Black Forest Cake was very popular in the 70s, and it’s also Anastasia’s favorite cake.

At the same time, with two baffling crimes, no clear suspects, scant evidence, and every possible motive unraveling, both the FBI and local law enforcement are once again picking Anastasia’s brain to help them solve a growing number of murders.

With holiday gatherings and parties fast approaching, today I’m sharing Cloris’s recipe for Black Forest Cake. Bon Appetit!

Black Forest Cake

For the Cake
1-3/4 cup AP flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
1-3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. espresso powder
1/2 cup canola oil
2 large eggs, room temp
3/4 cup sour cream, room temp
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water
24 oz. jar morello cherries

For the Cherry Filling
24 oz. jar morello cherries
5 T. cornstarch
2 T. sugar
3 T. Kirsch (optional)
12 maraschino cherries

For the Whipped Cream
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For Garnish
12 maraschino cherries
4 oz. coarsely grated bittersweet baking chocolate

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line bottom of two 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Spray with baking spray.

Whisk dry ingredients in large bowl. Set aside.

Beat oil, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients, then hot water. Beat until well combined.

Divide batter evenly into pans. Bake 20-25 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Set pans on wire racks to cool for 30 min. Remove cakes from pans and place on wire racks to continue cooling. When completely cool, level tops of cakes with large serrated knife.

Drain the cherries, reserving the liquid. Slice cherries in half and set aside.

Over low heat, simmer 3/4 cup the cherry juice and optional Kirsch in saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup. Brush syrup over top of cake layers.

Whisk the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract 3 min. until soft peaks form. Set aside 3/4 cup of whipped cream in the refrigerator for garnishing the top of cake.

To assemble cake, place one layer on plate or cake stand. Spread a cup of whipped cream evenly over the layer. Add half the cherries evenly over the whipped cream. Add second cake layer, then another cup of whipped cream and remaining cherries. Cover the sides and top of the cake with remaining whipped cream.

Add grated chocolate to the sides of the cake.

Using the 3/4 cup of set aside whipped cream, pipe a dozen swirls around the top of the cake. Garnish the middle of the cake with remaining grated chocolate. Place a maraschino cherry in the center of each whipped cream swirl.

Refrigerate cake at least 30 minutes before serving.

What’s your favorite holiday dessert? Post a comment for a chance to win a promo code for a free audiobook download of any of the available Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries or the first book of the Empty Nest Mysteries.

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