Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte
Layers of chocolate sponge, cherries and Kirsch-soaked whipped cream, finished with chocolate shavings. The Black Forest's famous export.
- prep
- 1 h
- cook
- 30 min
- total
- 1 h 30 min
- serves
- 10
- level
- hard
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte takes its name from the Black Forest, and the Kirsch, a clear cherry brandy distilled in the region, is genuinely not optional if you want the real thing rather than a chocolate-cherry cake that happens to share the name.
This is a real layering project: chocolate sponge, a cherry filling, Kirsch-soaked cream, repeated a few times, then chilled before it is cut. Give yourself the time rather than rushing the chill at the end.
Part of our 20 best German recipes list.
method
Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F) and line two or three 23cm round cake tins, or bake in batches if you only have one.
Whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale, thick and tripled in volume, about 5 to 7 minutes with an electric mixer.
Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder over the egg mixture and fold in gently, in batches, until just combined.
Divide the batter among the tins and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely on a rack, then slice each layer horizontally if needed to get at least 3 thin layers total.
For the cherry filling, simmer the reserved cherry juice with the cornstarch and sugar until thickened, then stir in the drained cherries and half the Kirsch. Let it cool.
Whip the cream with the powdered sugar and the remaining Kirsch until it holds firm peaks.
Brush each sponge layer generously with a little extra Kirsch or reserved cherry juice. Layer sponge, a spoonful of whipped cream, and a layer of the cherry filling, repeating until all layers are used, finishing with a sponge layer on top.
Cover the whole cake with the remaining whipped cream, smoothing the sides and top. Press chocolate shavings over the top and sides, and finish with whole cherries on top. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
chef's tips
- Real Kirschwasser, a clear cherry brandy, is not optional if you want the authentic flavor. A generic cherry syrup or extract gives you a different, flatter dessert.
- Jarred or canned sour cherries, often labeled Morello, are traditional and preferred over fresh sweet cherries, which taste different and lack the right tartness against the cream.
- Brushing the sponge layers with Kirsch or cherry juice before assembly keeps the cake moist and is a step worth not skipping, even though it adds time.
- This cake needs real chilling time before it is cut cleanly. Make it a half-day ahead if you can, rather than serving it straight after assembly.