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Delicious Black Forest Trifle featured image showcasing layers of chocolate cake, whipped cream, cherries, and chocolate shavings.

Best Black Forest Trifle Ever

This Black Forest Trifle is a show-stopping dessert with layers of chocolate cake soaked in cherry liqueur, whipped cream, and cherry pie filling. It's an easy and elegant centerpiece perfect for any special occasion or holiday gathering.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: German
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Ingredients called for on the cake mix box e.g., eggs, oil, water
  • 1/2 cup cherry liqueur such as Kirsch
  • 4 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, shaved

Equipment

  • 9x13 inch baking pan
  • Mixing bowls
  • Electric mixer
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Large trifle bowl or individual serving dishes
  • Spatula
  • Plastic wrap
  • Grater or vegetable peeler

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to the temperature indicated on the cake mix box. Prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan by greasing and flouring it.
  2. Prepare the cake batter according to the box instructions. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for the time indicated on the box, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  3. Let the cake cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, crumble the cake into bite-sized pieces.
  4. In a large trifle bowl or individual serving dishes, begin layering the crumbled chocolate cake.
  5. Drizzle the cherry liqueur (or cherry juice) evenly over the cake layer.
  6. Spoon a layer of cherry pie filling over the soaked cake.
  7. In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
  8. Spread a layer of whipped cream over the cherry filling.
  9. Repeat layers of cake, cherry soak, cherry filling, and whipped cream until the bowl is full, ending with a layer of whipped cream.
  10. Garnish the top with chocolate shavings.
  11. Cover the trifle with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.

Notes

For a non-alcoholic version, use cherry juice instead of cherry liqueur. You can use homemade or store-bought chocolate cake. To prevent the whipped cream from weeping, consider using a stabilized whipped cream recipe. Fresh cherries can be used instead of canned cherry pie filling; pit and halve them, then simmer them with a little sugar and cherry liqueur to make your own cherry filling. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.