Germanys Pfalzgraf Konditorei is joining forces with officials of the state of Baden-Württemberg and another producer of frozen baked goods, Coppenrath & Wiese, in an effort to protect a recipe for Black Forest Cherry Cake.
Pfalzgraf, based in the Black Forest at Pfalzgrafenweiler, has been producing the popular cake for 45 years and sells 400,000 of them a year. Their organization wants the European Union to forbid use of the name Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte on a product unless it meets certain criteria.
The cream should be at least 30% fat, the cake at least 3% cocoa and the taste of the cherry brandy, which should come from the Black Forest, should be "discernible." Some other bakers are opposed to the measure, especially the brandy rule, holding that the Black Forest Kirschwasser is no different from Kirschwasser made elsewhere. Even if the rules are enacted there would be no requirement that the cake be made in the Black Forest. Coppenrath & Wiese is located in far off in Osnabrück.
