Black Forest Trifle for Christmas Recipe
A festive and indulgent Black Forest Trifle perfect for Christmas celebrations, layered with rich chocolate cake, whipped cream, cherries, vanilla pudding, and dark chocolate shavings for a delightful holiday dessert.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Cake Layer
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (or 1 homemade chocolate cake)
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cherry Layer
- 2 cups canned or fresh cherries (pitted, with juice or syrup)
- 1/4 cup cherry juice (from the canned cherries or fresh)
Vanilla Pudding Layer
- 2 cups vanilla pudding (store-bought or homemade)
Garnish
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate shavings (or grated chocolate)
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake: Bake the chocolate cake as per package instructions or your homemade recipe. Allow it to cool completely before assembling the trifle.
- Make Whipped Cream: In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
- Assemble Cherry Mixture: Combine cherries with cherry juice to keep them moist and flavorful.
- Layer the Trifle: In a large trifle bowl or individual glasses, start by adding a layer of chocolate cake cubes. Next, spoon a layer of vanilla pudding over the cake.
- Add Cherry Layer: Spread a layer of the cherry mixture over the pudding.
- Add Whipped Cream: Top the cherries with a generous layer of whipped cream.
- Repeat Layers: Repeat the layering process (cake, pudding, cherries, whipped cream) until all ingredients are used, finishing with whipped cream on top.
- Garnish: Sprinkle dark chocolate shavings and cocoa powder on the top layer for decoration and extra flavor.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the trifle for at least 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to meld together and the dessert to set.
Notes
- For a more intense cherry flavor, you can soak the cake cubes in cherry juice before layering.
- Use fresh cherries in season for a brighter taste or opt for high-quality canned cherries if fresh are unavailable.
- Whip the cream until stiff peaks form to ensure it holds well as a layer.
- This dessert can be made a day ahead and keeps well refrigerated.
- To make it more decadent, add a splash of Kirsch (cherry brandy) to the cherry mixture.
Keywords: Black Forest Trifle, Christmas dessert, holiday trifle, chocolate cherry dessert, layered dessert
