Black forest cake

It has layers of chocolate sponge, cherries and whipped cream, usually flavoured with kirsch, a clear cherry spirit. Chocolate shavings or curls are the classic decoration.

A traditional version is brushed with kirsch, so it contains alcohol; it is usually added after baking rather than cooked away. Recipes and shop-bought cakes may leave it out, so ask or check the ingredients if you need an alcohol-free cake.

Black Forest gateau has layers of chocolate sponge with cherries and whipped cream, often with kirsch. A standard chocolate cake is usually made without the cherry-and-cream filling.

Keep it covered in the fridge at 5°C or below, and eat leftovers within 2 days. Follow any shorter use-by date on a shop-bought cake.

For the best texture, freeze the chocolate sponge layers before filling them. Wrap them well, thaw fully, then add the cherries and whipped cream; cream can become grainy if a finished gateau is frozen and thawed.

Drain the cherries well and brush the sponge lightly with kirsch or cherry syrup rather than soaking it. Assemble close to serving time so the cream and fruit don’t sit against the sponge for too long.

Most recipes contain wheat (gluten), egg and milk; some also include nuts. For a shop-bought cake, use its allergen information, as ingredients and cross-contact risks vary.