Black Forest gateau

This card was sent to me by Melanie from Rastatt, a city and baroque residence in the District of Rastatt, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on the Murg river, 6 km (3.7 mi) above its junction with the Rhine and has a population of around 50'000 (2011). Rastatt was an important place of the War of the Spanish Succession (Treaty of Rastatt) and the Revolutions of 1848 in the German states. This town is in Southern Germany but, North of the famous Black Forest.

Maybe, you know of the Black Forest gateau? You see the two pretty women in this picture on the card. The ones in the traditional costumes! They are in the colours of the cake. The red hat for the lovely cherries, the white shirts represent whipped cream and the dark dresses for the chocolate cake itself. Delicious (the cake of course J). 

Black Forest gâteau and Black Forest cake are the English names for the German dessert Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, literally "Black Forest cherry torte". Black Forest cake originated in Germany.

What exactly is this cake? Typically, Black Forest cake consists of several layers of chocolate cake, with whipped cream and cherries between each layer. Then the cake is decorated with additional whipped cream, maraschino cherries, and chocolate shavings. In some European traditions sour cherries are used both between the layers and for decorating the top. Traditionally, Kirschwasser (a clear liquor distilled from tart cherries) is added to the cake, although other liquors are also used (such as rum, which is common in Austrian recipes). In the United States, Black Forest cake is most often prepared without alcohol. German statutory interpretation states Kirschwasser as a mandatory ingredient, otherwise the cake is legally not allowed to be marketed as Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte. True Black Forest cakes are decorated with black cherries. A small tip: if black cherries are not available, use glacee cherries dipped in melted chocolate.