2 days ago
The history and enduring popularity of German Black Forest cake
There are few desserts that conjure as much magic and mysticism as Black Forest cake. Named after Germany's famed Black Forest, which was a source of inspiration for the Brothers Grimm's famed tales like Hansel & Gretel and Sleeping Beauty , the forest itself – with its thick, dense foliage and old-world castles – seems plucked straight out of a fairytale.
So it is only natural that the cake named after it – has been the source of so much fascination. In fact, in a 2024 article, The New York Times called it 'the world's most popular cake'.
So how did the ubiquitous Black Forest cake come into fruition (see what we did there?). While its exact origins are debated, the cake is thought to have evolved from a traditional German dessert called Schwarzwalder Kirschwasser Torte, which roughly means 'Black Forest cherry brandy torte'.
Black Forest cake rose to prominence in 1915 when German chef Josef Keller is said to have made the first Black Forest Cake in his tearoom in Bad Godesberg in Germany. The black, red and white colours that are significant in the cake are said to represent the garments worn by the traditional inhabitants of the Black Forest.
Sour cherries are a key component of Black Forest cake. — PIXABAY/Pexels
While the cake grew in significance in Berlin and other major German cities as well as border countries like Switzerland, it wasn't popular throughout Germany until the latter half of the 20th century.
Since those fledgling years, the cake's popularity has swelled and it has grown to become an iconic national dessert and a point of pride for Germans. Every year, there is even a Black Forest Cake Festival held in the town of Todtnauberg in Germany to commemorate the cake's special place in German hearts.
'I think the German Schwarzwälder Kirsch is a very traditional cake which everybody somehow has adopted. There are different versions of it, but everybody knows this. I would say it is one of the top three desserts in Germany – so it's very popular,' says celebrated German chef Uwe Opocensky, who helms the Michelin-starred Restaurant Petrus in Hong Kong.
Opocensky is an acclaimed chef who worked with celebrated chef Anton Mossiman in London for nearly a decade and consequently has cooked for everyone from the Rolling Stones to the former Queen of England.
Opocensky is the Michelin-starred chef behind Restaurant Petrus in Hong Kong.
He was in Kuala Lumpur recently for the Malaysian-German Chamber of Commerce's inaugural Golden Gala, which celebrated Germany's best wines and harvests. Despite having spent decades honing his craft and refining his culinary skills in Asia, Opocensky still chose to serve a traditional German Black Forest cake for dessert at the event.
'This is my grandmother's recipe. She used to make Black Forest cake when I was growing up. In fact, my mother and my grandmother were always cooking and baking and I used to sit under the table and try and eat the dough!' says Opocensky, laughing.
So what's in a traditional Black Forest cake? The cake features layers of chocolate sponge made with cocoa powder. This is interspersed with a cherry filling fashioned out of sour cherries, often infused in Kirsch (a clear, colourless brandy made from the double distillation of morello cherries).
This cherry liqueur is often also liberally poured over the whipped cream which crowns the cake. The whipped cream is then accentuated by chocolate shavings and whole maraschino cherries. It's an indulgent, boozy cake that is rich, luscious and entirely tantalising.
UWE OPOCENSKY'S BLACK FOREST CAKE
For cherry jelly
400g fresh cherries
200g granulated sugar
200ml water
1 tbsp lemon juice
about 1 tsp powdered fruit pectin (optional, for thicker jelly)
Prepare the fresh cherries, wash, stem, and pit them.
In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, water, and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally to help dissolve the sugar.
Once boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes. If you want a thicker jelly, you can add the powdered fruit pectin during this stage.
For the cake
125g all-purpose flour
200g granulated sugar
45g unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
120ml buttermilk
120ml vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
120ml boiling water
480ml heavy whipping cream with Kirsh
30g powder sugar
Fresh cherries and chocolate shavings for garnish
Pre-heat the oven to 175°C. Grease and flour two 20cm round cake pans.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Stir in the buttermilk, vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
Gradually add the boiling water and mix until the batter is smooth and thin.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Then add the Kirsh.
Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread half of the cherry jelly on top, followed by a layer of whipped cream. Place the second cake layer on top and spread the remaining cherry jelly. Cover the entire cake with the whipped cream.
Decorate with fresh cherries and chocolate shavings. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before serving to allow it to set.
