Layers of chocolate sponge, whipped cream and morello cherries soaked in Kirschwasser — Germany's most famous cake.
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte — Black Forest cake — is Germany's most beloved dessert, named after the Black Forest region (Schwarzwald) of Baden-Württemberg, famous for its morello cherries and cherry schnapps (Kirschwasser). The cake layers are light chocolate Génoise sponge, soaked in Kirschwasser, layered with unsweetened whipped cream and tart morello cherries, and decorated with chocolate shavings and whole cherries. The balance of flavours is the key to the perfect Black Forest cake: the bittersweet chocolate sponge, the sharp boozy cherries, and the cloud-like unsweetened cream must be in harmony — none should overpower the others. The Kirschwasser is not optional: it provides the distinctive alcoholic fragrance and prevents the cream from tasting cloying. German law actually specifies that a cake must contain Kirschwasser to legally be called Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. This is a showstopper cake that rewards patience. It must be assembled and refrigerated for at least four hours (ideally overnight) for the sponge to absorb the cream and cherries and the flavours to meld into something greater than the sum of their parts.
Serves 12
Preheat oven to 180°C. Whisk eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for 8–10 minutes until tripled in volume and ribbon-stage. Sift flour and cocoa together, fold in gently in three additions. Divide between two greased 23cm tins. Bake 25–30 minutes. Cool completely.
Mix the reserved cherry syrup with 60ml Kirschwasser.
Whip cold cream with icing sugar to soft peaks. Do not over-whip.
Split each sponge in half horizontally (4 layers total). Place the first layer on a plate, brush generously with syrup, spread with cream, scatter cherries. Repeat for all layers.
Reserve a third of the cream for the outside of the cake.
Coat the outside of the cake with remaining cream. Use a vegetable peeler to make chocolate curls. Press curls onto the sides, arrange whole cherries on top. Refrigerate overnight.
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Ensure bowl and whisk are cold before whipping cream — it whips faster and holds better.
The sponge must be completely cold before slicing and assembling.
Use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to split the sponge cleanly.
Individual Black Forest trifles: layer in glasses for an easier serve
White chocolate version: replace cocoa with vanilla and use white chocolate shavings
Non-alcoholic: substitute Kirschwasser with cherry juice or cordial
Refrigerate for up to 3 days. The cream and cherries soften the sponge beautifully over time.
Black Forest cake was first documented in 1934, when confectioner Josef Keller published a recipe in Bad Godesberg. The cake takes its name from the Schwarzwälder Kirschwasser schnapps, itself named after the Black Forest region. By the 1950s it was Germany's most exported cake and had become iconic internationally.
Yes — pit and halve 400g fresh sour cherries, cook briefly with 2 tbsp sugar and 2 tbsp Kirschwasser until slightly softened. They give a fresher flavour but the jarred version is the traditional and more convenient choice.
Whipped cream without stabiliser naturally softens over a day or two as it releases a little liquid, especially once it's soaked up moisture from the sponge and cherries. Whipping it only to soft-to-medium peaks (not stiff) and keeping the cake well chilled helps, but for a cake that needs to hold overnight, a small amount of mascarpone folded into the cream adds stability.
Yes — it's actually better made the day before, since the sponge needs several hours to absorb the syrup and cream properly. Assemble it fully, refrigerate overnight, and add the chocolate shavings and any final garnish just before serving so they stay crisp rather than softening in the fridge.
Per serving (350g / 12.3 oz) · 12 servings total
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