National Black Forest Cake Day

National Black Forest Cake Day, observed March 28th, celebrates the layered German dessert combining chocolate cake, whipped cream, cherries, and a cherry-based liqueur called kirschwasser. The cake takes its name, "Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte" in German, from the Black Forest region of southwestern Germany, an area historically known for producing kirschwasser, a clear brandy distilled from tart Morello cherries, which is both incorporated into the cake's flavoring and traditionally used to describe the region's culinary identity connected to the dessert, even though the exact history linking the cake's invention specifically to the region remains somewhat debated among food historians. The cake's construction typically involves alternating layers of chocolate sponge cake soaked in kirschwasser, whipped cream, and a cherry filling, finished with a generous coating of whipped cream on the exterior and decorated with chocolate shavings and whole cherries. The modern version of the cake is generally dated to the early 20th century, with several German pastry chefs credited with variations of the recipe during that period, though, as with many classic desserts, no single inventor has been definitively established. Black Forest cake became internationally popular through the mid-20th century, appearing on dessert menus and in home baking well beyond Germany. On National Black Forest Cake Day, people celebrate by baking or ordering the layered classic.