Black Forest Trifle for Christmas Recipe
A festive and indulgent Black Forest Trifle perfect for Christmas celebrations, featuring layers of moist chocolate cake, creamy vanilla pudding, marinated cherries, and fluffy whipped cream, all topped with rich chocolate shavings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking, Assembling, Chilling
- Cuisine: Western
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 box of chocolate cake mix (or 1 homemade chocolate cake)
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cherries
- 2 cups canned or fresh cherries (pitted, with juice or syrup)
- 1/4 cup cherry juice (from the canned cherries or fresh)
Other
- 2 cups vanilla pudding (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate shavings (or grated chocolate)
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake: Bake the chocolate cake according to the instructions on the box or your homemade recipe. Allow the cake to cool completely, then cut into 1-inch bite-sized cubes for layering.
- Whip the Cream: In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form, using a hand or stand mixer. Set aside.
- Prepare the Cherries: If using canned cherries, drain them but reserve the juice. If fresh, pit and chop them. Mix the cherries with their juice or syrup and let them marinate briefly.
- Assemble the Trifle: Start layering in a trifle dish or individual glasses: first, place a layer of chocolate cake cubes, pressing gently for evenness. Spread a layer of vanilla pudding over the cake. Add a layer of marinated cherries with some juice. Then top with a generous layer of whipped cream, smoothing it out carefully.
- Repeat Layers: Continue layering with cake, pudding, cherries, and whipped cream until the dish is full, finishing with a final whipped cream layer on top.
- Garnish: Sprinkle dark chocolate shavings and a few whole cherries on top, adding cocoa powder if desired for extra decoration.
- Chill the Trifle: Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend and layers to set firmly before serving.
Notes
- For a quicker version, substitute the chocolate cake with store-bought brownies or sponge cake.
- Marinating cherries in their juice helps infuse extra flavor into the trifle.
- For homemade vanilla pudding, use a classic custard recipe or instant pudding mix as preferred.
- Adjust sugar in whipped cream to taste, especially if using sweetened cherries or pudding.
- Allowing the trifle to chill overnight enhances texture and flavor melding.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: Black Forest Trifle, Christmas dessert, layered dessert, chocolate and cherries, holiday trifle
