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Easy Black Forest Cake Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Easy Black Forest Cake Recipe

I've made my fair share of layered desserts, but this easy black forest cake recipe is the one I reach for when I want something that looks fancy without the fuss. I use a boxed cake mix, a can of cherry pie filling, and a few pantry staples, and somehow it still tastes like I spent all afternoon in the kitchen.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Devil's food cake mix 15.25 ounces – this is the chocolate base, and I love that it skips the need to measure out cocoa powder and flour separately
  • Eggs 3 large – these bind the batter together and give the cake its soft, tender crumb
  • Cherry pie filling 21 ounces, canned – the classic fruit layer in any black forest cake recipe, and it keeps the crumb incredibly moist
  • Almond extract 1 teaspoon – just a touch deepens the flavor and gives it that bakery-style aroma
  • Whipped topping or heavy cream 8-ounce container, or 1 cup heavy cream whipped fresh – this is the fluffy, cool finish that balances the rich chocolate

Method
 

  1. I always start by preheating my oven to 350°F so it's fully heated by the time my batter is ready. While it warms up, I grease a 9x13-inch pan generously with butter so nothing sticks once it's baked. This step only takes a minute, but skipping it is one of the easiest ways to end up with a cake that tears when you try to serve it.
  2. In a large bowl, I combine the devil's food cake mix, eggs, cherry pie filling, and almond extract. I stir everything together until it's just combined, making sure there are no dry streaks of cake mix left. The batter will look thicker and chunkier than a typical cake batter because of the cherries, and that's exactly how it should be.
  3. I scoop the batter into my prepared pan and spread it out evenly with a spatula. Then it goes into the oven for 26 to 30 minutes. I start checking around the 26-minute mark by inserting a toothpick into the center. It should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter, but not totally dry either.
  4. Once it's out of the oven, I let the cake cool completely on the counter before doing anything else to it. This usually takes about an hour for me. I know it's tempting to rush this part, but adding whipped cream to a warm cake will melt it instantly and ruin the presentation.
  5. When the cake is fully cooled, I spread whipped topping or freshly whipped heavy cream generously over the entire top. I like to swirl it a bit with the back of a spoon so it looks a little rustic and homemade. At this point, the cake is ready to slice and serve.

Notes

  • I always make sure my cake is completely cool before adding the whipped topping, or it slides right off
  • I like using full-fat whipped cream because it holds its shape longer than light versions
  • When I want a little extra richness, I drizzle some of the cherry juice from the can over the cake before topping it
  • I've found that chilling the cake for 30 minutes before serving makes slicing much cleaner
  • I sometimes swap in a yellow cake mix when I'm craving a lighter, less chocolatey version