How the Black Forest cake reached MuffinTaffin

In Budva, MuffinTaffin takes November orders for Black Forest cake, a German dessert of chocolate, cherries and cream known as Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte.

The name points to the Black Forest in south-west Germany, where cherry brandy and dark chocolate were long pantry staples. Pastry cook Josef Keller of Bad Godesberg said he built the first version in 1915; by the 1930s the layered cake was a familiar sight in German cafés.

How the layers are built

A traditional round starts with chocolate sponge, a tart cherry filling and whipped cream, then more sponge and cream. The sides are pressed with chocolate shavings, and a few cherries sit on top. Kirsch is the classic soak; the taste should carry cherry and cocoa, not sugar alone.

November in Montenegro is cool enough for cream cakes. MuffinTaffin stacks chocolate sponge, cherry filling and cream, coats the sides with chocolate shavings, and finishes the cake on pickup day, using preserved cherries instead of summer fruit.

Sales of whole cakes follow orders placed ahead, next to other chocolate cakes in the case. Guests in Budva can choose this German classic when they want a dessert with a long café history.