Black Forest gateau

Black Forest gateau, sometimes spelledgâteau(German:Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte(pronounced[ˈʃvaʁt͡svɛldɐˈkɪʁʃˌtɔʁtə]), literally "Black Forest cherrytorte") and calledBlack Forest cakein the United States, is layer cake consisting of chocolate sponge cake, whipped cream andcherryfillings and toppings. While it is most likely based on aBlack Forestdessert tradition, the cake's specific origin in Germany is contested.
Typically, Black Forest gateau consists of several layers of chocolatesponge cakesandwiched withwhipped creamand cherries. It isdecoratedwith additional whipped cream,maraschino cherries, and chocolate shavings. TraditionallyKirschwasser, a clear alcoholicspiritmade from sour cherries, is added to the cake.Other spirits are sometimes used, such asrum, which is common in Austrian recipes. German law mandates that any dessert labelledSchwarzwälder Kirschtortemust have Kirschwasser.
The origin of the cake's name is unclear. The confectionerJosef Keller[de](1887–1981) claimed to have inventedSchwarzwälder Kirschtortein its present form in 1915 at the prominent Café Agner inBad Godesberg, now a suburb of Bonn and actually some 300 km (190 mi) north of the Black Forest. The claim, however, has never been substantiated.Centuries ago, cherries, cream, and Kirschwasser were combined in the form of a dessert in which cooked cherries were served with cream and Kirschwasser. This tradition originated in the Black Forest region of southwestern Germany, known for its many cherry groves.
The Tübingen city archivist Udo Rauch names theTübingenmaster confectioner Erwin Hildenbrand of Tubingen's Café Walz as the dessert's "inventor", dating its creation to spring 1930.The city, not usually associated with the Black Forest, nonetheless belonged to the Black Forest district from 1818 to 1924. Given that Keller's initial recipe was not identical to the most popular interpretations of the cake, being instead a simpler version, it could be speculated that both confectioners influenced its creation.
Schwarzwälder Kirschtortewas first mentioned in writing in 1934.At the time, it was particularly associated withBerlinbut was also available from higher-end confectioners in other German, Austrian, and Swiss cities. In 1949, Black Forest gateau took 13th place in a comprehensive list of well-known German cakes.The 2007 video gamePortalreferences a Black Forest cake,inspiring an internet meme.
The record for the world's largest authentic Black Forest gateau was set atEuropa Park, Germany, on 16 July 2006, by K&U Bakery.Measuring nearly 80 m(860 sq ft) and weighing 3,000 kg (6,600 lb), the cake, which was 10 m (33 ft) in diameter, used up 700 L (180 US gal; 150 imp gal) of cream, 5,600 eggs, 800 kg (1,800 lb) of cherries, 40 kg (88 lb) of chocolate shavings, and 120 L (32 US gal; 26 imp gal) ofkirsch.On 9 December 2012, a team led by chefs Jörg Mink and Julien Bompard made Asia's biggest Black Forest cake at the S-One Expoin Singapore. The 500 kg (1,100 lb) cake was made from 165 L (44 US gal; 36 imp gal) of cream, 1,500 eggs, 68 kg (150 lb), 60 kg (130 lb) of chocolate shavings, and 10 L (21 US pt; 18 imp pt) of kirsch.
The recipe was exported from Germany through cultural exchange and emigration prior to (and following)World War II. The alcohol in the kirsch helped the cake keep better in warmer climates, and its ingredients could be easily adapted by different cultures—swapping the cherries for a local fruit or omitting the alcohol in Muslim countries, for example. The cake's popularity in some parts of the world has occasionally led chefs and bakers to believe that the dessert is of local origin.A Swedish cake calledSchwarzwaldtårtais related to the traditional Black Forest gateau only by name; it contains no cherries at all  but consists ofmeringuelayers and hazelnuts covered by whipped cream and decorated with thin dark chocolate and cocoa powder.