Easy Black Forest Cake {With Cake Mix}
Quick and easy black forest cake recipe, made with cake mix and simple ingredients. Soft, moist chocolate cake with cherry filling and whipped cream.
This decadent classic cake has German roots. It’s also called a Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte and consists of several layers of chocolate sponge cake, cherry syrup, fresh cherries, whipped cream and decorated with chocolate shavings.
However, the modern version many of us enjoy in the United States now has changed. It includes a soft and moist chocolate cake (not necessarily a chocolate sponge cake any more), cherry pie filling instead of fresh cherries and. Also, the alcoholic cherry syrup (kirsch) is usually omitted to keep it kid-friendly.
Other Classic Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Bundt Cake From Scratch
- Sour Cream Pound Cake
- Angel Food Cake
- Depression Cake (Wacky Cake)
- Homemade Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Moist Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Moist Red Velvet Cake
Does German black forest cake have nuts and alcohol?
There are no nuts.
The traditional recipe has alcohol because it is typically brushed with cherry syrup or cherry liqueur (kirsch). However, you can omit this or use a non-alcoholic cherry syrup, if you like.
Does homemade black forest cake need to be refrigerated?
Yes, it needs to be refrigerated because it’s frosted in whipped cream and has a fruity cherry pie filling and both can go bad, if they sit out too long at room temperature.
What is the difference between black forest cake and chocolate cake?
Black forest cherry cake is a layer cake, composed of dark chocolate cake, whipped cream and cherry filling between layers. The chocolate and cherry flavors are very prominent.
Chocolate cake, on the other hand, can be filled and frosted with any icing or glaze of your choice and does not have a fruity component.
How to make black forest cake at home?
- Bake the chocolate cakes.
- Let them cool down.
- Assemble on a cake stand and enjoy.
Variations
Black forest dump cake- Add a can of cherry pie filling in your favorite chocolate dump cake recipe. The results will be very ooey gooey.
Black forest poke cake– Bake a chocolate cake in a rectangle pan. Poke holes with a bubble tea straw. Pour cherry pie filling. Spread whipped cream on top. Decorated with chocolate.
Tips and Techniques
- Brand of cake mixes– I have used these brands of cake mixes successfully: Pillsbury, Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker. I have not tried any other generic brands to know how it would affect this recipe.
- Pudding in cake mix- This adds a lot of moisture to the cake. Don’t use the powder but instead, use the small pre-made snack cups.
- Butter vs. Oil– Although oil can be used, I feel butter adds a rich buttery flavor the cake.
- Use unsalted butter- This prevents the cake from becoming too salty.
- Chocolate shavings- These can be made at home by running a vegetable peeler along a big baking chocolate bar or you can buy them too.
- Whipped cream– You can use Cool Whip or make it at home by whipping together heavy cream and some sugar until fluffy. Add some gelatin to the homemade version to make it more stable.
- Refrigerate this cake– Due to the use of whipped cream and cherry pie filling, this cake must be stored in the fridge until you are ready to serve to prevent it from going bad.
- All ingredients should be at room temperature– That’s because they blend together smoothly and evenly.
- Add more layers– Double the recipe and make a taller 4 layer cake.
- Decoration– Keep it simple with just chocolate shavings and let all the wonderful layers shine through.
- Temperature is key– Do not start assembling and layering your cakes until they have fully cooled down or else whipped cream will melt all over the cake and make a sticky mess.
Other Doctored Cake Mix Recipes
- Red Velvet Cookies With Cake Mix
- Oreo Cupcakes With Cake Mix
- Chocolate Molten Lava Cake With Cake Mix
- Snowball Cake (Cheesecake Stuffed Devil’s Food Cake)
- Red Velvet Truffles
- Chocolate Banana Bread With Cake Mix
- Cake Mix Pumpkin Donuts
- Easy Pumpkin Cake With Cake Mix
- Easy Apple Cake With Cake Mix
- Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
- Cake Mix Chocolate M&M Cookies
- Easy Cake Mix Brownies
- Cake Mix Champagne Cupcakes
- Coconut Cranberry Cake With Cake Mix
- Eggnog Cookies
- Easy Gingerbread Cookies With Cake Mix
- Pistachio Cake
- How to Make Box Cake Better (Taste Homemade)
Classic Easy Black Forest Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Butter, Unsalted, Melted
- 4 Eggs, Large
- 1 cup Milk, Whole
- 1 container Snack pack chocolate pudding, Not the powder but use pre-made pudding, 3.25 oz.
- 1 box Devil’s food cake mix, Or chocolate cake mix
- 1.5 cups Cherry pie filling
- 2 cups Whipped cream, Homemade or store-bought
- 2.5 tbsp Chocolate shavings
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add butter, eggs milk, chocolate pudding and mix until smooth.
- Add cake mix and mix until just combined.
- Pour this batter into 2 greased/floured 8×2 round cake pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool down completely.
- Then, trim the sides and cut the domes on the cakes.
- Place one cake on a cake stand.
- Spread whipped cream on top.
- Then, spoon cherry pie filling on top of the whipped cream and spread it out.
- Place the other cake on top of the pie filling.
- Then, spread whipped cream on top again.
- Spoon cherry pie filling on top of the whipped cream again and spread it out.
- Sprinkle chocolate shavings on top and enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Until next time, tata my lovelies!
Lovely! I need a huge slice of this! It would be perfect for a special occasion!
How much chocolate pudding do you use?
It’s in the recipe card: 1 container Snack pack chocolate pudding, Not the powder but use pre-made pudding, 3.25 oz.
I actually do use the powder (small box) and it still comes out super moist.
Hiw do you get it smooth when mixing with butter just at room temperature. I have lumps of buttet