Black Forest Trifle for Christmas Recipe
This Black Forest Trifle for Christmas is a festive, layered dessert featuring moist chocolate cake, creamy vanilla pudding, juicy cherries, and fluffy whipped cream. Finished with dark chocolate shavings and a touch of cocoa powder, it’s an elegant and easy-to-assemble treat perfect for holiday celebrations.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Cake Layer
- 1 box of chocolate cake mix (or 1 homemade chocolate cake)
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream (for whipping)
- 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 Layers
- 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 following package instructions or your homemade recipe. Allow it to cool completely, then cut into 1-inch cubes for easy layering.
- Whip the Cream: Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Prepare the Cherries: Drain canned cherries, reserving the juice, or pit and chop fresh cherries. Mix cherries with their juice or syrup to marinate.
- Assemble the Trifle: In a large trifle dish or individual glasses, layer chocolate cake cubes evenly at the bottom. Spread a layer of vanilla pudding on top, followed by a layer of marinated cherries with some juice. Top with a generous layer of whipped cream. Repeat the layers until the dish is full, finishing with whipped cream.
- Top and Garnish: Decorate the top with dark chocolate shavings and a few cherries. Dust with cocoa powder if desired.
- Chill the Trifle: Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to let flavors meld and layers set before serving.
Notes
- Use store-bought brownies or sponge cake if short on time instead of baking from scratch.
- Chilling overnight improves flavor melding and texture.
- To speed up chilling, use individual serving glasses.
- Fresh cherries can be substituted with frozen cherries if fresh are unavailable.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute heavy cream and pudding with coconut-based alternatives.
Keywords: Black Forest Trifle, Christmas dessert, layered trifle, chocolate trifle, holiday dessert, whipped cream dessert
