Black Forest Cake history and Easy To Make Cake Recipe

Black Forest Cake is normally made up of 4 or more layers of chocolate sponge cake, cherries and whipped cream. The cake is frosted with whipped cream and covered with chocolate shavings and a few cherries for decoration. Black Forest Cherry Torte or as it is called in Germany Schwarzalder Kirshtorte is a sponge cake or Gateau style chocolate cake soaked with cherry schnapps and filled with whipped cream, cherries and chocolate shavings. It is frosted with the same.

Historians believe that the black forest cake was first created in the late 16th century. Germany Black Forest Region was most likely the setting of the first cake. The black forest or Schwarzwald is very dark and mysterious area. Chocolate and cherries were loves of the German people.

Another thought is that Josef Keller invented the Black FOrest Cherry cake. Keller was the pastry chef near Agner in Bad Godesberg. In the year 1915 Keller is thought to have created the "Schwarzwelder Kirsch" or "Black forest Cherry"

1 box dark chocolate or devil's food cake mix (your favorite brand)
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups heavy cream or whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
1/4 cup Kirshwasser (Cherry Brandy), divided
1 container whipped icing (cream cheese or vanilla)
1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling, divided
Maraschino cherries (for garnish)
1 to 2 ounces shaved semisweet chocolate*

* How To Make Chocolate Shavings - For best results, the chocolate used should be cold, straight out of the refrigerator.  If it is room temperature, then the slices won't turn out paper thin; instead, they will be thick, broken chunks.  To make chocolate shavings, you first need a good quality of chocolate in block form.  Using a vegetable or potato peeler, hold the chocolate with a paper towel and pass the vegetable peeler over the narrowest side of the chocolate block.  The chocolate will curl up like wood shavings.

Make chocolate cake according to package directions, adding 1 teaspoon red food coloring and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.  Bake cake, as directed, in two 9-inch layer cake pans.  When done baking, remove from oven and cool the cake completely on a wire rack.  When the cake is cooled, wrap each layer in plastic wrap.  Place layers in the refrigerator for approximately 1 hour. In a large bowl of the electric mixer, whip together the heavy cream and powdered sugar.  Refrigerate until ready to use. Using a sharp knife, slice each cooled cake round horizontally to make four layers. 

First Layer:  Place one layer on a flat plate and brush with 2 tablespoons cherry brandy.  Fill a plastic bag with whipped vanilla or cream cheese icing (your choice) and pipe a generous ring (at least one (1) cherry high!) around the edge of first cake layer.  Fill the exposed ring of the cake with some of the cherry pie filling.

Second Layer:  Place the second layer on top of the first layer.  Repeat first layer process with the second layer.

Third Layer:  Place third layer on top of the second layer.  Repeat process with the second layer.

Fourth Layer:  Place fourth layer on top of the third layer.  Frost the entire cake with freshly whipped cream.

Garnish the top of the cake with (cherries picked from the pie filling) or maraschino cherries.  Sprinkle the top chocolate shavings.  Gently press chocolate shavings onto sides of cake.

Refrigerate for at least two hours prior to serving.  Slice while well chilled for best results.

Makes one (1) four-layer cake.