Black Forest gateau

1. For the sponge, whisk the eggs with the sugar for 8-10 minutes until thick and pale; sift the flour, starch, cocoa and baking powder together and gently fold them in.

2. Spread into a 26 cm lined cake tin and bake in an oven preheated to 180 °C for 30-35 minutes; let cool and slice horizontally into three layers.

3. Bring the pitted sour cherries to the boil with half the cherry juice, the granulated sugar and the cinnamon stick; mix the remaining juice with the starch and use it to thicken the cherries; let cool and remove the cinnamon.

4. Soak the gelatine in cold water, squeeze it out and dissolve it in 2 tablespoons of warm cream; whip the cold whipping cream with the icing sugar and vanilla sugar until stiff and stir in the gelatine.

5. Drizzle the bottom layer with half the kirsch, spread with the cherries, then a thin layer of cream; add the second layer, drizzle, spread with cream and top with the third layer; cover the whole cake with cream.

6. Decorate the top with cream rosettes and cherries, press chocolate shavings onto the sides and chill for at least 3 hours before serving.

Tip: The original uses Kirschwasser (cherry brandy) - for children, simply drizzle the layers with cherry juice instead of the kirsch.