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German

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte

Contains egg (no meat or fish)

Layers of chocolate sponge soaked in kirsch, filled with sour cherries and whipped cream and covered in chocolate shavings.

Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte is a German cake from Germany, ready in about 4 hours 25 minutes and made with cherries, kirsch (cherry brandy) and heavy cream. It serves 12 and is rated advanced to cook.

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Close-up of a slice of Black Forest cake with cream, cherry, and chocolate on a woven background.
Photo: Quang Nguyen Vinh / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
50 min
Cook
35 min
Rest
3 h
Total
4 h 25 min
Serves
12
Level
Advanced
Calories
422

Ingredients

12 slices

For the sponge

For the filling

For the cream

To decorate

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven (opens in a new tab) to 180 °C and line a 26 cm springform tin. Whisk the eggs (opens in a new tab) and sugar (opens in a new tab) for 8–10 minutes until pale, thick and tripled in volume.

    Eggs being whisked in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Kampus Production on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Sift the flour, cornstarch (opens in a new tab), cocoa and baking powder (opens in a new tab) over the eggs (opens in a new tab) and fold in gently. Pour into the tin and bake until the top springs back when pressed and a skewer comes out clean.

  3. Step 3

    Cool the sponge completely (ideally overnight), then cut it horizontally into three layers.

    • Step 4

      Bring the cherry juice and sugar (opens in a new tab) to a boil, thicken with the cornstarch (opens in a new tab) mixed with a little cold water, then stir in the cherries (opens in a new tab). Cool.

    • Step 5

      Whip the cream with the powdered sugar (opens in a new tab) and vanilla (opens in a new tab) to firm peaks.

      Cream being whipped to soft peaks
      How it looks · Photo: Katerina Holmes on Pexels

    • Step 6

      Drizzle each layer with kirsch (opens in a new tab). Spread the bottom layer with cherries (opens in a new tab) and cream, top with the second layer and cream, then the third. Cover the whole cake with cream.

      • 20 min

    • Step 7

      Press chocolate (opens in a new tab) shavings around the sides, pipe rosettes of the remaining cream on top and finish each with a cherry (opens in a new tab). Chill for at least 1 hour before slicing.

    About this dish

    Origin
    Baden-Württemberg, Germany · Commonly attributedThe name refers to kirsch from the Black Forest; where the cake was first assembled is debated.Also popular in Austria, SwitzerlandMore food from Germany
    Dish
    Dessert · Snack · Cakes · Desserts
    Cooking method
    Oven-baked, Whipped
    Taste
    sweet, creamy, fruity
    Diet
    Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)
    All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-sodium
    Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    Festive & celebration · Make-ahead
    Cook more with
    Cherries · Heavy cream · Egg · Sugar · All-purpose flour · Cornstarch
    Techniques
    Baking · Emulsification

    Allergens

    • Contains: Milkfrom heavy cream, dark chocolate (70–85%)
    • Contains: Eggsfrom egg
    • May contain: Peanutsfrom dark chocolate (70–85%)
    • May contain: Tree nutsfrom dark chocolate (70–85%)
    • Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour, baking powder
    • Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour, baking powder
    • May contain: Soyfrom dark chocolate (70–85%)

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    422 kcal per serving

    Estimated

    1 serving ≈ 179 g · recipe makes 12

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 6%
    • Carbohydrate 39%
    • Fat 55%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy422 kcal236 kcal
    Protein6.8 g3.8 g
    Carbohydrate40.9 g22.9 g
    Net carbohydrate38.7 g21.6 g
    Sugars26.5 g14.8 g
    Added sugars——
    Fibre2.3 g1.3 g
    Fat25.7 g14.4 g
    Saturated fat15.5 g8.6 g
    Trans fat——
    Cholesterol159 mg89 mg
    Sodium93 mg52 mg
    Salt equivalent0.2 g0.1 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    233 mg
    Calcium
    88 mg
    Iron
    1.9 mg
    Magnesium
    35 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    281 µg
    Vitamin C
    2 mg
    Vitamin D
    1.4 µg
    Vitamin B12
    0.3 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    40 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
    • Optional ingredients are not included: cherries.
    • Kirsch (cherry brandy): Generic 80-proof distilled spirit used for kirschwasser (about 40% ABV, unsweetened).
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Tips

    • A day-old sponge cuts into layers much more cleanly than a fresh one.

    Common mistakes

    • Under-whisking the eggs – the sponge relies on that air and has very little raising agent.

    Storage

    • Keep refrigerated and eat within 2 days.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    The body of the dish

    For the cream

    Used in step 5

    Baker’s notes

    Customise in Bread & Bakery

    Timeline and readiness cues

    1. Mix and knead · about 50 min

      Whisk eggs and sugar until pale and thick enough to leave a ribbon trail for 3 seconds.

    2. Bake · about 30 min at 180 °C

      Springs back when lightly pressed and is just shrinking from the tin sides.

    3. Cool · about 3 h

      Cool on a rack before slicing — the crumb is still setting; cutting hot bread makes it gummy.

    4. Start to finish: about 4 h 20 min. Times are a guide — warmth changes everything; follow the cues.

    If something goes wrong

    • Gummy or wet crumb

      Likely causes

      • Under-baked
      • Sliced while hot
      • Hydration too high for the flour

      What to do

      • Bake to 93–96 °C inside (cakes: clean skewer)
      • Cool completely on a rack before slicing
      • Reduce water by 3–5% or use a stronger flour
    • Collapsed or sunken middle

      Likely causes

      • Oven door opened too early
      • Too much leavening or sugar
      • Under-baked centre
      • Over-proofed yeast dough

      What to do

      • Don't open the oven for the first two-thirds of baking
      • Measure leaveners exactly with spoons, levelled
      • Test the centre before removing
      • Proof less
    • Pale crust

      Likely causes

      • Oven too cool
      • Too little sugar or no milk/egg for browning
      • Over-fermented (yeast ate the sugars)

      What to do

      • Check the oven with a thermometer
      • Brush with egg wash or milk
      • Shorten the fermentation
    • Burnt bottom

      Likely causes

      • Tray too close to the heat
      • Dark tray absorbs more heat
      • Too much sugar in the dough

      What to do

      • Bake on the middle shelf
      • Double up trays or use a light-coloured one
      • Lower the temperature 10–15 °C and bake a little longer
    • Cracked or domed top

      Likely causes

      • Oven too hot (crust sets before the centre rises)
      • Too much leavening
      • Overmixed batter

      What to do

      • Lower the oven 10–15 °C
      • Use the exact leavening amount
      • Fold just until combined
    • Big holes or tunnels

      Likely causes

      • Overmixed batter (cakes, muffins)
      • Air trapped while shaping bread
      • Uneven proof

      What to do

      • Mix quick breads only until no dry flour shows
      • Degas gently and shape tightly
      • Proof covered in an even, warm place
    • Dry or crumbly

      Likely causes

      • Too much flour (scooped, not weighed)
      • Over-baked
      • Too little fat or sugar

      What to do

      • Weigh flour, or spoon it into the cup and level
      • Check 5 minutes early
      • Don't cut fat or sugar by more than a quarter without another moisture source

    Reviews & corrections

    Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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