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Black Forest Trifle

A decadent Black Forest Trifle featuring layers of rich chocolate cake, luscious whipped cream, and sweet-tart cherries, perfect for holiday celebrations.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert, Holiday, Special Occasion
Cuisine: American, German
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cake
  • 1 box box of chocolate cake mix or 1 homemade chocolate cake
For the Whip
  • 1 cup heavy cream for whipping
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for enhanced flavor
For the Cherries
  • 2 cups canned or fresh cherries pitted, with juice or syrup
  • 1/4 cup cherry juice from the canned cherries or fresh
For the Layers
  • 2 cups vanilla pudding store-bought or homemade
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate shavings or grated chocolate for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder optional for garnish

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven according to package instructions or 350°F if making from scratch.
  2. Grease and flour your cake pans, bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.
  3. Cool the cakes completely, about an hour.
Whipping the Cream
  1. In a chilled bowl, add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat on medium until soft peaks form, approximately 3-5 minutes.
Preparing the Cherries
  1. If using fresh cherries, wash, pit, and slice them. For canned cherries, drain and reserve the juice.
  2. Combine cherries with 1/4 cup of reserved cherry juice and let them macerate for about 10 minutes.
Assembling the Trifle
  1. Select a large glass bowl or individual cups to highlight the layers.
  2. Layer chocolate cake cubes, followed by cherries, whipped cream, and vanilla pudding. Repeat layers and finish with whipped cream topped with chocolate shavings.
Chilling
  1. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Notes

Make-ahead convenience; tastes better as it chills. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.