Hardly any other cake is more closely associated with a region than Black Forest cake is with the Black Forest in Germany. And not just because of its name. Packed with cream, eggs, chocolate, cherries, and a hint of cherry brandy—this cake is rich, festive, and anything but subtle. But is it sustainable?
The Hotel SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA has shared its recipe with us. It’s everything you’d expect from this classic dish. And exactly how it has been baked for generations. However, the hotel wouldn’t be one of the pioneers of sustainable hospitality in Germany if it didn’t address issues of responsibility and sustainability in relation to this classic dish.
Germany’s most famous cake: classification and context
With its generous helping of cream and eggs, the classic Black Forest cake is certainly not the most sustainable option. However, enjoyment, tradition, and responsibility don’t have to be mutually exclusive. The quality of the ingredients and how they are used are the decisive factors. And, ultimately, this cake is not an everyday treat, but rather a special occasion dessert.
At the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA in Bad Herrenalb, for instance, Black Forest cake is baked using only organic ingredients. The hotel has received Bioland GOLD certification, the association’s highest honor. Whenever possible, the ingredients are sourced directly from the region. Otherwise, they are organic and fair trade, as is the case with chocolate.
Here, tourist expectations such as cuckoo clocks and Black Forest cake are not rejected, but rather embraced and elevated. The hotel uses good ingredients and focuses on regional products. The same applies to the rest of the hotel, which features recyclable rooms, a holistic wellness concept, and modern ways of experiencing the Black Forest, such as forest bathing. A piece of cake is the perfect addition to your Black Forest vacation.
Black Forest Cake - original recipe
Ingredients
For the sponge cake
- 6 Eggs Organic
- 200 g Sugar Organic
- 200 g Flour Organic
- 50 g Cornstarch Organic
- 50 g Cocoa powder Organic and Fair Trade
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 3 tbsp Hot water
Filling
- 1 glass Morello cherries Organic
- 2 tbsp Corn starch Organic
- 1 l Cream Organic
- 5 packs Cream stabilizer
- 1 tbsp Sugar Organic
- 9 tbsp Cherry brandy (From the Black Forest)
- 100 g Chocolate shavings Organic and Fair Trade
Instructions
Sponge cake
- Place the eggs, sugar, and water in a bowl and beat for 5 minutes (preferably in a figure-eight motion—the sugar should be completely dissolved by the end)
- Mix the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a bowl
- Add to the egg mixture using a sieve
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
- Grease and flour the bottom of the springform pan
- Pour in the sponge mixture and smooth it out
- Bake for 20 minutes, then let cool
Cherries
- Drain the morello cherries through a sieve, collecting the juice
- Mix the starch with 2 tablespoons of the juice
- Bring the cherry juice to a boil and stir in the cornstarch-cherry juice mixture
- Stir it in and bring it to a boil once
- Set aside 8 to 12 morello cherries for decoration
- Fold the remaining Morello cherries into the mixture of cornstarch and cherry brandy
Preparing the cake
- Cut the cake base twice to make three layers
- Drizzle the first three tablespoons of cherry brandy over the first
- Spread the cherry mixture evenly over the top and smooth it out
- Let cool
- Beat the cream with the cream stiffener and sugar until stiff peaks form
- Spread about three tablespoons of cream thinly over the cherry mixture using a spoon
- Place 4 tablespoons of cream in a piping bag
- Place the second base on top and press down lightly
- Drizzle another 3 tablespoons of cherry brandy onto the bottom
- Spread cream on the base
- Place the final sponge base on top and soak it with the remaining cherry brandy
- Use the remaining cream to cover the cake
- Use the piping bag to pipe the cream filling onto the cake
- Put the cherries on top
- Sprinkle the grated chocolate over the surface and edges
- Put it in the fridge
P.S. I recently tried out the recipe myself. My minor changes: I didn’t use cherry brandy; instead, I added almond flavoring to the egg mixture. I also added a few fresh strawberries to the cherries and used raspberries because they are in season. It was delicious, looked beautiful, and everyone loved it!
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