Black Forest gateau
Black Forest gateau, or Black Forest cake, is a layer cake made out of cocoa powder, cherries, Kirsch, and whipped cream, with dark chocolate as a decoration. The origins of the cake and its name are disputed. However, the cake's recipe from 1927 is kept at an archive in Radolfzell, Germany. Black Forest gateau became popular in the second half of the 20th century and is now featured internationally in cafés and restaurants. A festival dedicated to the cake is organised in Todtnauberg.
History
The origin of Black Forest gateau is disputed. The earliest known publication of the term Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte was in February 1915 in Brandenburg an der Havel. The confectioner claimed in 1975 to have made Black Forest gateau while working at a café in Bad Godesberg. His son asserted about 1982 that Keller had invented the cake in 1915, though it is known that he could not have come to Bad Godesberg until after April 1915. He made the cake by mixing Kirsch schnapps, a cherry brandy, whipped cream, and cherries. Keller continued to serve the cake at his café after relocating to Radolfzell. Udo Rauch, the city archivist of Tübingen, cited the pastry chef Erwin Hildenbrand as having invented the cake in 1930. Although the origin of the cake's name is similarly disputed, the food writer Ursula Heinzelmann claims that it comes from the cake's resemblance to the Black Forest region's black, white, and red costume. According to a different theory, the cherries on the cake are supposed to resemble bollenhut headwear.The first written recipe of Black Forest gateau appeared in 1927, where it is kept at an archive in Radolfzell. Dr. Oetker featured a Black Forest gateau recipe for the first time in their 1951 cookbook. The recipe for the cake was protected by the European Commission in 2013, thus for it to be referred as Black Forest gateau in the European Union, the Kirsch in the cake must be produced from cherries cultivated in the Black Forest region.
Internationally, the cake was spread by German immigrants during the period of Nazi Germany. However, it only became popular in the second half of the 20th century. In the United States, where the cake is known as Black Forest cake, the cake was introduced by German immigrants. In popular culture, the cake is featured in the Portal game developed by Valve, which inspired an Internet meme.