What happens when you cross a black forest gateau with a trifle? You get this insanely delicious Black Forest Trifle: rich chocolate cake, kirsch soaked cherries and a luxurious chocolate custard, topped off with whipped cream and fresh cherries. Better still it’s surprisingly easy to make and takes just 30 minutes hands on time!
This blog post contains affiliate links, this means if you click on a link and go on to buy the product I recommend, I will get a small commission, but you will not be charged a penny more – thanks in advance!
A twist on two classics
What happens when you cross a black forest gateau with a trifle? You get this insanely delicious Black Forest Trifle!
This Black Forest Trifle is loosely based on my ever-popular Classic Sherry Trifle, but I’ve adapted each element to give you the flavours of a Classic Black Forest Gateau.
Instead of Vanilla Sponge Cake, I’ve used Chocolate Sponge Cake.
Instead of raspberries, I’ve used kirsch soaked cherries.
Instead of sherry, I’ve used brandy (or you could use more kirsch).
Instead of vanilla custard, I’ve used chocolate custard – but to aid setting, and make the custard taste even more delicious, I’ve added some dark chocolate.
And for decoration, I’ve used fresh cherries and dark chocolate curls to give you a wow factor that’s secretly ridiculously easy to do.
The result is a stunning showstopper of a dessert, that’s actually incredibly easy to make and takes just 30 minutes hands on time!
Perfect for parties, dinner parties, potlucks, buffets… or any time you want to bring the wow factor, without having to actually do all that much work 😂
How to make Black Forest Trifle
This Black Forest Trifle recipe is so easy to make…
First, get yourself a pretty trifle dish – go for an old-fashioned one like THIS ONE, which cost me just £10, but looks way more expensive!
Then, put chocolate sponge cake in the base (ideally homemade chocolate cake, but you can use shop-bought if you want).
Top the sponge cake with kirsch soaked cherries (see below) and then pour brandy or kirsch evenly over the sponge cake / cherries layer, and set aside to soak in.
Pour over chocolate custard (see below), then place the trifle in the fridge for at least 3 hours – but ideally overnight. Top with whipped cream, chocolate curls (see below) and fresh cherries – or see below for alternative decoration options.
(Full recipe given in the recipe card below.)
Does Black Forest Trifle have jelly in it?
You may be wondering why there is no jelly in my Black Forest Trifle.
Well, two reasons…
The first is that I have NEVER put jelly in trifle – mainly because it was not part of the trifle I was brought up on. But also, because I am just not really a fan of jelly!
But secondly, this is a very “grown up”, rather decadent trifle. Jelly just doesn’t fit with the vibe…
To me jelly in trifle always gives “kids birthday party” vibes, and that’s just not the vibe we’re going for here!
Why use cherries soaked in kirsch AND brandy?
I strongly recommend using cherries soaked in kirsch for the best flavour.
However, when you buy kirsch soaked cherries there is not enough liquid in the jar for a trifle, additionally the actual alcohol content tends to be pretty low!
For these two reasons I recommend you add 50ml of either brandy or kirsch to the trifle. This will give you a much better flavour and texture.
If you prefer, you can use fresh, tinned or frozen cherries in this trifle. If you use any of these alternatives, I recommend you increase the brandy / kirsch from 50ml to 75ml.
You can soak your own cherries in the 75ml brandy/kirsch for a few hours (or even overnight) before making this recipe, if you have the time.
How do you make the chocolate custard for Black Forest Trifle?
I strongly recommend using 500g Ambrosia Chocolate Custard mixed with 100g 70% dark chocolate.
Adding the dark chocolate will give you a richer more chocolatey custard (honestly, it tastes like something from a fancy patisserie!) but crucially it also helps the custard set – something tinned custard won’t do on its own.
If you prefer a less chocolatey custard, use regular yellow custard with the dark chocolate instead.
How to decorate a Black Forest Trifle
My personal preference is to decorate a Black Forest Trifle, is with chocolate curls and fresh cherries (as per my photos).
This looks incredibly elegant and impressive, but it’s actually very easy to do. (See below for how to make chocolate curls – they are a lot easier to make than they look!)
However, there are lots of alternative options for how to decorate a this trifle.
For example:
- Glacé cherries
- Flaked almonds
- A mix of fresh cherries and berries (e.g. strawberries, blueberries and raspberries)
- A crumbled flake or grated chocolate
- Hundreds and thousands
- Chocolate vermicelli
- Chopped nuts
- Or any combination of the above!
How do you make chocolate curls for decorating a trifle?
Chocolate curls are a lot simpler than they look and make such an impressive decoration for a trifle!
You make chocolate curls by scraping a sharp knife over the top of your fridge-cold dark chocolate.
Use a sharp knife held at a 45-degree angle against the edge of the chocolate. Firmly and slowly pull the blade toward you along the surface of the chocolate to make curls.
(See THIS VIDEO for a demonstration of how to do that.)
How to ensure the cake doesn’t get too soggy
Part of the ‘magic’ of a really good trifle is getting the cake ‘moist’ but not soggy. This comes down to 3 important factors – the sponge, the brandy and time!
The best sponge cake to use is Homemade Chocolate Sponge Cake – this will have just the right texture so that, when you pour over the brandy (or kirsch), it will hold its shape and won’t go ‘mushy’.
The other important factor is the amount of brandy you use – I recommend 50ml. For me, this gets the balance ‘just right’. Every part of the sponge is soaked with brandy – no dry bits – but it doesn’t get too wet.
The final trick is time – if you leave your trifle overnight in the fridge, the flavours will have mixed and mingled, and the cake will just be the perfect level of ‘moist but not soggy’.
Homemade Chocolate Sponge Cake
Can you make Black Forest Trifle ahead of time?
Yes! Black Forest Trifle trifle is a great ‘make ahead’ dessert. In fact, it’s best made a day ahead of time. This will allow the flavours to mix and mingle better, and for the kirsch soaked cherry juices and brandy to flavour the sponge cake.
However, for the most attractive trifle, I recommend you add the cream layer and decorations just before serving.
(The cream layer and decorations can look a little less ‘fresh’ if it’s been done a long time before serving.)
How to store Black Forest Trifle
Once made, you need to cover the trifle (with a lid or clingfilm) and store it in the fridge.
How long does Black Forest Trifle keep once made?
Once made, the trifle will keep around 3 days in the fridge.
(Assuming the ‘use by’ date on your cream is at least 3 days after the date you open the cream to put it on top of the trifle.)
The limiting factor really is the cream, so if you want to ensure your trifle lasts as long as possible, put the cream on at the last minute. Then you’ll have 72 hours from the moment you put the cream on. (The rest will last a little longer – 4 days or so.)
Can you freeze Black Forest Trifle?
No – trifle does not fare well in the freezer.
If you like this recipe…
…you might also like:
Easy Sherry Trifle
Easy Black Forest Trifle
Ingredients
For the trifle
- 500 g chocolate sponge cake (Homemade or shop-bought – See Note 1)
- 390 g cherries in kirsch (I recommend Opies Black Cherries & Kirsch - See Note 2)
- 50 ml brandy or kirsch (See Note 3)
- 500 ml chocolate custard (I recommend Ambrosia Chocolate Custard - See Note 4)
- 100 g dark chocolate minimum 70% cocoa
- 600 ml double cream (See Note 5)
For the decoration
- 100 g dark chocolate refrigerated (optional – See Note 6)
- 100 g fresh cherries (optional – See Note 6)
Instructions
- If using homemade chocolate sponge cake, first make the sponge cake and allow to fully cool. (Approx. 1h after you remove it from the tin.)
- Cut the sponge cake into squares and line the base of a large glass bowl / trifle bowl (e.g. THIS ONE)
- Pour the kirsch soaked cherries and all of the liquid on top of the sponge cake in an even layer. (See Note 2.)
- Pour the brandy (or kirsch) evenly over the sponge cake / cherries layer, and set aside to soak in while you make the custard.
- Place the 500ml chocolate custard and 100g dark chocolate in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring regularly, until the chocolate has just melted. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then pour the chocolate custard evenly over the sponge cake / cherries layer.
- Place the trifle in the fridge for at least 3 hours – but ideally overnight. (See Note 7.)
- Whip the double cream, using an electric hand whisk, to the ‘soft peaks’ stage. (See Note 8.) Gently spoon the cream over the custard layer in big dollops.
- Make chocolate curls by scraping a sharp knife over the top of your fridge-cold dark chocolate. Use a sharp knife held at a 45-degree angle against the edge of the chocolate. Firmly and slowly pull the blade toward you along the surface of the chocolate to curls. (See THIS VIDEO for a demonstration of how to do that.)
- Alternatively, you can grate the fridge-cold dark chocolate on the large holes of a box grater, if you prefer.
- Decorate the trifle using chocolate curls and the fresh cherries. Refrigerate until needed.
Notes
- For the best flavour, I recommend making homemade chocolate sponge cake – it will taste much better than shop-bought, and only requires 15 minutes hands on time. However, if you’d prefer not to, feel free to use shop bought chocolate sponge cake!
- I strongly recommend using kirsch soaked cherries for the best flavour. But you can use fresh, tinned or frozen cherries if you prefer. If you use any of these alternatives, I recommend you increase the brandy / kirsch from 50ml to 75ml. You can soak your own cherries in the 75ml brandy/kirsch for a few hours (or even overnight) before making this recipe, if you have the time.
- When you buy kirsch soaked cherries there is not enough liquid in the jar for a trifle, additionally the actual alcohol content tends to be pretty low! For these two reasons I recommend you add 50ml of either brandy or kirsch to the trifle. This will give you a much better flavour and texture.
- I strongly recommend using 500g Ambrosia Chocolate Custard mixed with 100g 70% dark chocolate. Adding the dark chocolate will give you a richer more chocolatey custard (honestly, it tastes like something from a fancy patisserie!) but crucially it also helps the custard set – something tinned custard won’t do on its own. If you prefer a less chocolatey custard, use regular yellow custard with the dark chocolate instead.
- You can also use whipping cream, if you prefer. Many recipes call for sugar and vanilla to be added to the cream before whisking. Personally, I prefer not to add sugar and vanilla because I think the slight touch of ‘savoury-ness’ of the plain double cream really balances out the other sweeter flavours in this trifle beautifully. In my opinion adding sugar and vanilla to the whipped cream makes this whole dessert too sweet and ‘cloying’ – but if your tastes are different and you want to add sugar and vanilla to the cream – don’t let me stop you! 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 30g sugar should be about right (either icing sugar or caster sugar will work).
- You can use any decorations you like here. Personally, I use fresh cherries and chocolate curls, but you can use flaked almonds, a crumbled up flake, grated dark chocolate, hundreds and thousands, glacé cherries, chopped almonds, other types of fresh fruit – whatever you like!
- I strongly recommend making this trifle - up to the custard layer - the day before and leaving it overnight in the fridge – this is partly to allow the flavours to meld and mingle and partly to allow the custard to set properly – if you don’t allow the custard to set properly it won’t be able to support the cream layer, and the cream will ‘sink’.
- For best results, take the cream layer to the ‘soft peak’ stage where you can easily spoon it over the custard layer – if you whip it too long, it will get too thick and be really hard to spread over the custard layer and it won’t look as attractive either.
- This trifle takes 30 minutes to assemble. You will also need to allow time to make the cake (if making homemade cake) and at least 3 hours for the custard to set in the fridge.
- Not suitable for freezing.
- Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
Pin Black Forest Trifle for later
FREE 4 Week Easy Dinners Meal Plan
Have you got your hands on a copy of my meal plan yet? If not CLICK HERE to download a copy of my FREE 4 Week Easy Dinners Meal Plan today!
Don’t want to miss a thing?
Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get delicious, stress free recipes straight to your inbox every week?
Disclosure
This blog post contains affiliate links, this means if you click on a link and go on to buy the product I recommend, I will get a small commission, but you will not be charged a penny more – thanks in advance!
Leave a Reply