German White Forest Gateau (Weißwälder-Kirschtorte)

This brighter twist on the traditional Black Forest Gateau combines layers of walnut sponge, white chocolate mousse and sour cherries.

The Black Forest Gateau, or ‘Schwarzwälder-kirschtorte’, has a disputed origin story, but all roads lead to the Black Forest in Southern Germany. The traditional layering of chocolate sponge, cream, cherries and cherry liqueur has been one of Germany’s most notorious culinary exports, and controversial too. A lot of people nowadays have an aversion to chocolate and fruit, but I’ve found this variation on a Black Forest Gateau appeals to a very different group of cake-eaters. The ‘White Forest Gateau’ replaces the usual dark chocolate with white chocolate, which buffers the tang of the cherries arguably better. Even if you’re not a fan of white chocolate’s amiable sweetness, in this recipe I build the white chocolate into a divine, mousse-like frosting. As for the sponge - any light sponge will do - but a walnut sponge adds just the right bittersweet reflex against the cherries and cream. What’s more, it’s a flourless sponge cake, and also it contains no fat. Before you drop to the floor, this cake makes up for that with lots of cream! Let’s go!