The first thing I had in mind, when I read Ellie's invitation, was Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cake). I remember I was always asking for a Black Forest Cake for my birthday. A good friend of my mom made the best Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, she always prepared one for me. I assume it was without Kirsch.

I'm the girl on the left with the striped sweater.

Last and this year I made a Black Forest Cake for my birthday. Delicious nostalgia!

Black Forest Cake
makes a cake of 20 cm

Cake
4 eggs
100 g sugar
100 g dark chocolate, melted
1 pinch of salt
2 tb sugar
100 g flour
2 tb Maizena

1,25 dl Kirsch

Filling
150 g sour cherries; canned, drain
4 dl whipped cream
1 tb vanilla sugar
2 tb icing sugar
100 g dark chocolate shavings

Making the cake:

In a bowl, combine the flour, Maizena and salt.

Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks with the sugar (100 g) until light and pale. Add the melted chocolate. Mix for 1 minute.

Gently fold the dry ingredients until well blended.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form, add 2 tb sugar and mix another minute; fold them gently into the batter.

Pour the batter into 20 cm cake pan that has been well greased and floured.

Bake in a preheated 180 C oven for about 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 5 minutes; turn out on racks to cool completely.

Cut it into three layers (I did only 2). Put together the cake layer and sprinkle with Kirch. Refrigerate for 1-2 days (the longer the better!).

Whip the cream. Mix in the sugar and vanilla.

Place a cake layer on a platter; cover the top with whipped cream and top with a layer of drained cherries.

Cover with a second cake layer; top with whipped cream and cherries as for layer 1.

Place on the third layer. Frost the whole cake with whipped cream.

Decorate the whole surface with dark chocolate shavings.

Decorate with whipped cream rosettes, each topped with a cherry for garnish. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.