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Black Forest Cake, a German dessert made with cherry liqueur-soaked chocolate cake, whipped cream, and cherries, has been around since at least the 16th century. The recipe was not invented by the Nazis, as some rumors suggest. American versions often omit the liqueur, and recipes vary in terms of the type of cherries used and the number of layers. Despite its high calorie count, Black Forest Cake remains a popular treat worldwide.
Long before Ben & Jerry’s created the Cherry Garcia ice cream flavor, a combination of cherry ice cream, cherries and little chocolate chips, German bakers, and then bakers around the world, were making Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, better known in the US as Black Forest Cake. The German name comes from the Schwarzwälde or Black Forest, an area of dense forest, beautiful highlands, and a popular tourist area for visitors to Germany. Cherry trees are said to thrive in the Black Forest and it may or was in the past something of a tradition for wedding couples in the region to plant a cherry tree.
The Black Forest Cake was most likely not invented by the Nazis, nor was the common rumor. Chef Josef Keller claims he invented the recipe in 1915, but the recipe is known not to first appear in print until the early 1930s. It is suggested that this cake may have been made as far back as the 16th century.
It’s important to note that the German version of the cake is a little different than the American versions. In early printed recipe versions of the cake, pitted tart cherries are used between layers of chocolate cake, often a light sponge cake. Layers may receive a cherry brandy or kirsch (cherry liqueur) soak. The cake is topped with sweet whipped cream, which can also be added to each layer and often gets a finishing touch of shaved chocolate on the sides and top. Sometimes chocolate cake crumbs are used instead.
American versions of Black Forest Cake tend to omit Kirsch, making the cake suitable for everyone. Some tourist reports from people visiting Germany state that when you add the liquor, the cake becomes quite intoxicating and you can end up feeling like you’ve had more than one dessert if you eat a couple of pieces. Others object to the calorie content, which can vary in recipes. However it’s pretty obvious that whipped cream, chocolate cake and cherries don’t exactly make a diet dish.
Putting calories aside for a moment, it should be said that many people are fans of Black Forest cake, and we all need a treat from time to time. In the recipes for the cake, there is some notable controversy. For example, some recipes suggest using cherry pie filling for a more tangy taste, while other recipes suggest maraschino cherries for layers. Unless you like your pie very sweet, using cherry pie filling or pitting your cherries and dipping them in sugar and a little lemon juice for a few hours to allow them to steep tends to produce a of the Upper Black Forest.
Likewise, you will find some differences regarding the number of levels. You can make this cake as a simple two layer round cake. Alternatively, you can bake two layers and then cut each layer in half to have three layers with cherry filling. Each layer should be spread thin enough, and using whipped cream under the cherry layer can help the Black Forest cake get soggy.
A number of bakeries make Black Forest cake throughout the year, and you may find it featured in February for Washington’s birthday or President’s Day. The reference to cherries could be a mention of the oft-told story of George Washington chopping down the cherry tree.
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