National Black Forest Cake Day is on Sunday, March 28, 2027, and it falls on March 28 every year. It celebrates the German cake of chocolate sponge, whipped cream and cherries. In Germany, it’s known as Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, or Black Forest cherry torte.
When Is National Black Forest Cake Day?
It’s always March 28. It’s an unofficial food day, not a federal holiday.
Who Started National Black Forest Cake Day?
No founder or start year has been documented.
Background: who invented Black Forest cake?
Confectioner Josef Keller usually gets the credit. He’s said to have first made it in 1915 at a café in Bad Godesberg, near Bonn. The Black Forest’s official tourism site says this “cannot be disproven.”
Keller later passed his recipe to August Schäfer, who brought it to Triberg in the Black Forest in 1929. Long before that, farm women in the southern Black Forest combined cherries, cream and kirsch in a dessert.
What Makes a Black Forest Cake Authentic?
Kirsch is the key ingredient. “Schwarzwälder Kirschwasser” is a legally protected name, used only for brandy made in the Black Forest from local cherries.
A classic version has three thin chocolate sponge layers, each brushed with kirsch syrup. Sour morello cherries and whipped cream fill the layers, with chocolate shavings and cherries on top.
Why it’s called Black Forest cake
There are three common theories. The dark chocolate shavings may suggest the dark forest itself. The name may come from kirsch, the region’s cherry brandy.
Or it may point to the Bollenhut, a traditional costume whose black dress, white blouse and red pompoms match the cake’s colors.
How to Celebrate National Black Forest Cake Day
- Bake a classic: soak the sponge layers with kirsch syrup so the cake stays moist.
- Go alcohol-free: swap the kirsch for cherry juice from the jar of morello cherries.
- Make it in a jar: layer cake cubes, cherries and whipped cream in small glasses.
- Try cupcakes: fill chocolate cupcakes with cherry filling and top with whipped cream.
- Shave your own chocolate: run a vegetable peeler along a room-temperature dark chocolate bar.
- Use sour cherries: jarred morello cherries give the tart contrast sweet cherries can’t.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Black Forest cake contain alcohol?
The traditional German version does, since kirsch soaks the cake layers and cherries. The alcohol isn’t cooked off, so make an alcohol-free version for kids.
Why does my whipped cream deflate on the cake?
Warm cake or warm cream is the usual cause. Cool the layers completely, whip cold cream, and chill the finished cake before slicing.
Where can I try it in Germany?
Triberg, in the Black Forest, is known for its links to the cake, the town’s tourism office notes.