Black Forest Cake

(Schwarzwälderkirschtorte)

March 28: National Black Forest Cake Day

We were inspired to bake a Black Forest cake after our generous German-American friend, Lisa L., sent us a chocolate disc encased in a round tin decorated with a photo of fräuleins wearing a traditional folk dress and distinctive hat (bollenhut). The trademark topper with woolen pom-pons signifies their marital status: red for single ladies and black for those who are married.

This decadent dessert from Deutschland is as rich as its historical analogy to the apparel. Compare the women’s costume with the quintessential confection from the Black Forest:  the dark dress represents the chocolate decorations, the puffy-sleeved white blouse is the cream filling and frosting and the bollenhut has the cherry topping (bright red maraschinos or sour and black cherries).

While it does take time to make this cake (even with a simplified recipe), it is certainly a showstopping centerpiece and well worth the effort to celebrate National Black Forest Cake Day!

Recipe

(Adapted from What’s Cooking America)

For the cake

• 1 box (18 ounces) chocolate cake mix (we used Duncan Hines brand Swiss chocolate flavor)
• ½ teaspoon cherry extract
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 ¼ cup water
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup Kirschwasser (cherry brandy)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, blend the chocolate cake mix with the cherry and vanilla extracts, eggs, water and oil. When the batter is smooth, pour into two greased 8- or 9-inch round cake pans. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes, testing for doneness. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Refrigerate the cakes for at least an hour.

When fully chilled, slice each in half horizontally to make four layers. Slice off any mounds for leveled layers. Brush each layer with Kirshwasser. Refrigerate again to allow the cherry brandy to soak into the cake. Prepare the filling and decorations.

For the filling and decoration

• 4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon Kirschwasser (cherry brandy)
• 2 (21 ounces each) cans cherry pie filling, drained (we used a combination of Lucky Leaf brand premium cherry and dark sweet cherry pie fillings)
• 1 jar maraschino cherries, drained and dried on paper towels
• 1 semi-sweet chocolate bar, shaved

Directions

In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the cream with the sugar. Add the Kirshwasser and mix well. Divide part of this cream filling for piping between the layers and the rest for frosting the cake. Fill a pastry bag with a large round tip and pipe a ring around the edge of first (bottom) cake layer. Spread the drained cherry pie filling evenly in the middle of the whipped cream rings. Place another cake layer on top of the filling.

Repeat two more times, ending with the undecorated cake layer for the top. Refrigerate to set.

Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining whipped cream. Fill a pastry or plastic bag with more whipped cream and use a large star tip to pipe in a decorative top border (we used tip 1M to make swirls).

Add the maraschino cherries on top of the piped borders. Refrigerate while making the chocolate garnish. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the edge of the chocolate, allowing the shavings to fall into a bowl. Sprinkle the chocolate in the middle of the cake.

Add a chocolate border on the bottom of the cake by sprinkling extra shavings on the bottom. We chose to decorate our Black Forest cake with chocolate leaves by melting semi-sweet chocolate squares in the microwave and cooling them in a specialized plastic leaf mold. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.

Notes

• Thanks to Lisa L. for sending us the coolest culinary curiosities from around the world, such as the Black Forest chocolate from Germany! Danke schön!
• Fresh, pitted cherries with stems may be used in place of the maraschino cherries.
• Dark decorations on the cake may include dipping the cherries in melted chocolate or sprinkling the chocolate curls or shavings on the entire surface of the cream frosting.
• Black Forest cake is also known as Black Forest gateau.

Cherry Blossom Cake

March 27: National Cherry Blossom Festival

“Haru ga kita…now it is spring time!” Islander would practice singing the bilingual version of the traditional Japanese children’s song (music by Teiichi Okano and lyrics by Tatsuyuki Takano, written in 1918) with fellow kindergarten classmates for her elementary school’s annual May Day Festival. Her Daddy still fondly remembers his little girl warbling “…flowers are blooming…” at home (our house was right across the street from her school in Hawaii).

Those flowers most likely refer to sakura (Japanese cherry blossoms), which signify that spring has come. Not only is the season celebrated in Japan but also nationally in Washington, D.C., and internationally in Macon, Georgia. Festivals begin around late March. At the capital, where we have visited numerous times, March 27, 1912, is the date commemorating the gift of cherry trees that Japan gave to the United States as a growing gesture of friendship.

We made a cherry blossom cake to share with friends at a prayer group and to remember and support the victims of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. Please pray for Japan and all the nations affected by the natural disasters.

Recipe

(Adapted from FoxNews 11)

For the cherry cola cake

• ¾ cup cherry cola
• 6 eggs, separated
• ½ cup oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cherry extract
• 2 tablespoons grenadine (see Notes)
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 ½ cups sugar, divided use
• 2 ¼ cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cherry cola, egg yolks, oil, vanilla and cherry extracts and grenadine until frothy. Add ¾ cup sugar and mix well. Set aside. In another bowl, mix the flour with the baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet mixture until a smooth batter is formed. Set aside.

Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until peaks form. Add the remaining ¾ cup sugar and whip until glossy. Fold the meringue into the cherry cola batter.

Pour the batter into two, greased 8×3-inch round cake pans. There will be enough batter to fill two 6×2-inch round cake pans as well. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, testing for doneness with a toothpick. The cake tops will be dry but soft. Remove from the oven and cool the cakes completely.

For the cherry-flavored whipped cream frosting

(Adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor Returns by Anne Byrn)

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cherry extract

Directions

In a chilled mixing bowl, beat the cream until peaks form. Whisk in the sugar. Mix in the cherry extract.  Use to frost the cake.

Assemble the cake by smearing a bit of the frosting on a cake board to act as an adhesive. Place one layer of the cake on top of the cake board. Generously spread frosting on top, allowing it to overflow on the sides. Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting. Spread more frosting on top and even out the sides with a spatula. Repeat for the smaller cake. With the leftover frosting, pipe shell borders to finish the edges (optional).

For the cherry blossom decorations

• Fondant
• Pink food coloring
• Chocolate, melted
• White tube gel
• Silver nonpareils

Directions

Take a small portion of fondant from the package. Re-seal tightly and store the rest of the fondant for future use. Knead the fondant until pliable. Tint it pink, incorporating the food coloring until it is well blended into a solid color.

Make a ball, flatten into a disc and roll out to 1/8-inch thick. Cut out little cherry blossom flowers. Re-roll the fondant as necessary to make more flowers. With each flower, place on a sponge pad. Use the ball tool to make an indentation in the middle. Set aside to dry.

Make the branches out of melted chocolate. Place waxed paper over branch patterns (hand-drawn or clip art).

Pipe out melted chocolate by tracing the branch pattern. Remove the pattern from underneath the waxed paper. Let the chocolate cool until solid, refrigerating as necessary. Carefully peel off the chocolate branches and position them on the side and top of the cake.

Decorate randomly with fondant flowers. Dab a little gel in the center of a flower. Put a silver nonpareil in the middle, using a toothpick to guide it in place. Refrigerate the cake in a covered container to set. Bring to room temperature before slicing and serving.

Notes

• Listen to the tune of “Haru Ga Kita” as well as see the lyrics, translations and more about the traditional Japanese children’s song about the spring season here.
• The Japanese are very proud of their beautiful cherry blossoms that a traditional folk song bears its name in the title twice. It is called “Sakura Sakura.”
• Grenadine is a red syrup used to sweeten and add flavor to beverages. Look for it in the liquor aisle of the supermarket.
• Like the cherry blossoms, the cake has a delicate pastel shade from the cherry cola, grenadine and cherry extract. Feel free to add a few drops of pink or red food coloring to batter for a more vibrant hue. For a stronger cherry flavoring, add another teaspoon of cherry extract to the batter and/or frosting.

Lobster Newberg

March 25: National Lobster Newberg Day

Lobster for Lent? Eating it may seem a bit fancy for fasting on Fridays, but we admit that the main appeal, besides the taste of the now costly crustacean, was the simplicity in cooking it Newberg style. Long before lobsters became a luxury, the bottom-dwellers of the ocean were consider poor people’s food. So there is no need to feel guilty for this gastronomy—cook lobsters in a rich Newberg sauce for Lent and National Lobster Newberg Day!

Recipe

(Adapted from Southern Food on About.com)

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked lobster meat (fresh is ideal but we used frozen, thawed according to packaged directions)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• dash of cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons sherry
• 3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• ½ cup cream
• ½ cup milk
• 6 puff pastry shells, baked (we used Pepperidge Farms brand)

Directions

Bake the puff pastry shells as directed on the package. While they are baking, prepare the lobster. In a saucepan over low heat, mix the lobster with butter for about 3 minutes. Season with salt and cayenne pepper. Stir in the sherry.

Mix together the beaten egg yolks, cream and milk, then pour into the saucepan, stirring constantly until thickened but not boiling. Remove from the stovetop. Spoon over hot, hollowed-out baked puff pastry shells. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Read more about the recipe origins of Lobster Newberg from the Steak Perfection website. The original 1894 recipe is scanned from an old cookbook on the Feeding America website.
• Learn how to cook fresh lobster from our post on June 15, which is National Lobster Day.