The Black Forest Cake

The story of the legendary German cake

A wellness holiday in the Black Forest sometimes means sinning! One look at this cake is enough to recognize its decadence: with every bite, layers of chocolatey delicacies are released. We are, of course, talking about the Black Forest cake from Germany, one of the most popular and well-known cakes in the world. A sumptuous dessert with a worldwide reputation.

The traditional version of this cake consists of several layers of chocolate sponge cake with whipped cream and cherries, with the side topped with whipped cream and chocolate chips and cherries. Traditionally, the recipe includes Kirschwasser, also known as “Kirsch,” a type of cherry liqueur similar to brandy.

Black Forest cake on site

The colleagues at “ Cafe Jats ” (about 2 minutes walk) and the “ Kaffeemanufaktur ” (about 5 minutes walk) offer you this delicious cake – homemade, of course! In the Kaffemanufaktur in Bad Wildbad in the Black Forest, there is even a “ Black Forest Cherry Cake Workshop ” at regular intervals.

Black Forest Gateau: The History

The classic cake was first officially mentioned in a cookbook in the 1930s and enjoyed great popularity after the Second World War. However, there are several stories that trace the origins of the Black Forest gateau.

Some historians believe that the delicious cake originated as early as 1500, when chocolate first became available in Europe. More specifically, the birthplace of Black Forest Cake was the Black Forest in Germany, which is known for its sour cherries and kirsch. Many would even name the mountainous Baden-Württemberg region, where there are many cherry trees planted by newlyweds.

Others argue that the cake is not called Black Forest because it was invented there, but because it resembles the Black Forest.

Where is the Black Forest?

We have already discussed why the Black Forest is called the Black Forest . The Black Forest is an area in the southwest of Germany that got its name many centuries ago from the dense forests of firs and pines. It is also famous for its cuckoo clocks, dark chocolate, morello cherries and kirsch, the double-distilled, clear alcohol that is made from the cherries.

When you think of the famous Bollenhut, the thought of the classic cake with chocolate sponge cake is not far off. However, one cannot say with absolute certainty that the ingredients were chosen to resemble the colors of the Bollenhut. Even if it is just a coincidence, it is still a nice coincidence.

The black dress is the dark chocolate cake, the white shirt with balloon puff sleeves is the light, real whipped cream, the 8-11 red pompoms are the cherries, and the black, wavy lace veil covering the young woman’s eyes is represented by the chocolate curls.

Another “coincidence” is that the hat happens to have the same weight as the Black Forest gateau. Legend has it that the huge wool pompoms also represent marital status: red stands for single, black for married.

If you look more closely at history, it becomes clear that there are two different claims about who made the first Black Forest cake.

Let’s start with Josef Keller in 1915

This report comes from the confectioner Claus Schäffer, the owner of the Café Schäffer in Triberg, in the Black Forest, whose father was an apprentice there under Josef Keller.

Josef Keller (1887-1981), it is said, is the inventor of the Black Forest gateau. Keller was a pastry chef in the Café “Ahrend” (now the “Agner”) in Bad Godesberg. In 1915 he created a so-called “Black Forest gateau” for the first time.

After his military service, Josef Keller opened his own café in Radolfzell. August Schäfer learned the trade as an apprentice with Josef Keller in Radolfzell from 1924 to 1927. After many years of working together, Josef Keller gave August Schäfer his recipe book, in which he found the original recipe. His son Claus Schäfer, the current master confectioner at Café Schäfer in Triberg, inherited the book and the original recipe. In this way, he was able to continue Josef Keller’s original.

The second version goes something like this:

The Tübingen city archivist Udo Rauch discovered a picture showing the confectioner Erwin Hildebrand from the Café Walz in Tübingen preparing a Black Forest gateau.

In 1934, the Black Forest gateau was first mentioned in writing in the book “250 cakes – specialties and how they are made” by JM Erich Weber, Dresden.

At that time, the cake was mainly known in Berlin and not far beyond. Today, however, the Black Forest cake is probably the most famous cake in Germany.

In the Black Forest there is a festival in honor of this cake. It takes place every year on June 13th.

Did you know…?
Even in America, there is a National Black Forest Cake Day, celebrated every year on March 28th.