Titisee · Black Forest · Germany · No. 04 of 05 · 8 min read
Black Forest cake in actual Black Forest
The cake was named for the Black Forest region of Baden-Württemberg, and the signature ingredient — Kirschwasser, the clear cherry brandy distilled in these valleys — comes from here. Not cherry flavouring. Not extract. Kirschwasser.
By Friedrich Bauer · Titisee, Black Forest, Germany · Issue 47, Feature 04
I. The geography
Schwarzwald — forested hills in southwestern Germany. The lower elevations are cherry country. Morello cherries are tart, dark, high in acidity. They taste like what you want cherry flavour to taste like in a pastry context. Harvested in summer, fermented with stones, distilled twice in pot stills, 40–43% alcohol.
II. The layers
Chocolate Biskuit sponge, brushed with Kirschwasser syrup. Whipped cream. Morello cherries between layers. Three sponge layers, two cream-cherry layers, cream on the exterior, chocolate shavings covering entirely, rosettes with whole cherries on top. If you cannot taste the Kirschwasser, there was not enough.
III. What is acceptable and what is not
Cherry jam: not acceptable. Maraschino cherries: not acceptable. Cherry flavouring in the cream: not acceptable. Heavily sweetened cream: borderline. Cherry-flavoured vodka substituted for Kirschwasser: not acceptable. A genuine clear cherry eau-de-vie: acceptable.
IV. Where to buy it
Honest position: this is one of the few pastries where the regional professional version surpasses the home version. The precision of the sponge, the application of the cream, the quality of the Kirschwasser — these come together most reliably in a Konditorei in Triberg, Offenburg, Freiburg, or Titisee. Make it at home if you enjoy the process. Buy it in the Black Forest if you can.
Recipe — Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte
Friedrich Bauer · Black Forest · serves 10–12 · 2 hours active · 2 hours chill
- 10–12 serves
- 22 cm pan
- 180°C oven
- 80 ml Kirsch
Sponge
- 6 eggs, separated
- 150 g sugar, divided
- 100 g dark chocolate, melted
- 80 g flour
- 30 g cocoa
Syrup
- 100 ml water
- 80 g sugar
- 80 ml Schwarzwälder Kirschwasser
Assembly
- 600 ml whipping cream, soft peaks
- 400 g Morello cherries pitted and drained
- 150 g dark chocolate for shavings
- 12 whole cherries for decoration
The method
- Beat yolks with 100 g sugar until ribbony. Fold in melted chocolate.
- Beat whites with remaining 50 g sugar to stiff peaks. Fold into yolks, alternating with sifted flour and cocoa.
- Pour into two 22 cm pans. Bake 180°C (350°F) for 18–22 min. Cool.
- Make syrup: dissolve sugar in water, cool, add Kirschwasser.
- Split each sponge horizontally (4 layers). Brush each generously with syrup.
- Layer: sponge, cream, cherries. Sponge, cream, cherries. Sponge, cream, cherries. Top sponge.
- Cover exterior with cream. Press chocolate shavings onto all surfaces. Pipe 12 rosettes on top. Cherry in each.
- Refrigerate 2 hours minimum before serving.
About the contributor
Friedrich Bauer
Friedrich Bauer writes about Black Forest pastry traditions and Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte from Titisee, Black Forest, Germany. He has opinions about jam between the layers.
Editor’s notes — the longer view
A note on the Kirschwasser. Real Schwarzwälder Kirschwasser is hard to find outside Germany. Anything labelled cherry-flavoured vodka is not acceptable. A genuine clear cherry eau-de-vie from Alsace or Switzerland is acceptable.
A note on the shavings. Chocolate shavings are produced by dragging a block across a peeler. The thickness determines the texture. Medium thickness covering the exterior entirely.
A note on the law. In Germany, a cake labelled Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte must contain Kirschwasser by food regulation. Alcohol-free versions cannot use the name.
A note on the slice. Cut tall, not wide. The layers in vertical cross-section are part of what the cake is.
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