Black Forest Trifle!

Chocolate, cherry, kirsch, swiss roll, chocolate custard delicious goodness all make one perfect festive dessert – black forest trifle! 

Christmas baking

When I think of Christmas, my mind instantly turns to the comforting flavours that define the season: chocolate orange, candy canes, gingerbread, cinnamon, and, of course, Black Forest. These are the kinds of treats that make the dark evenings feel cosy, and I’m not ashamed to admit… I absolutely adore them.

There’s something magical about festive baking. The warm scent of cinnamon wafting through the kitchen, the satisfying snap of a homemade gingerbread biscuit, or the zing of orange paired perfectly with rich chocolate, it’s pure Christmas joy. For me, nothing beats the nostalgic taste of Black Forest. The combination of velvety chocolate sponge, luscious cherries, and whipped cream is just heavenly. It’s indulgent, slightly retro, and totally festive.

I still remember a family holiday to Switzerland years ago, where I had my first proper Black Forest gâteau. It was utterly insane, in the best way. Layers of rich cake, soaked cherries, and clouds of cream – it was the real deal, and I’ve been hooked ever since. Now, every Christmas, I try to recreate that feeling with a festive twist on the classic, whether it’s a yule log inspired by those flavours or even Black Forest brownies.

Christmas baking isn’t just about the food; it’s about the memories, the traditions, and the shared moments in the kitchen. It’s messy, joyful, and full of love. And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Black forest bakes

When it comes to festive baking, few flavour combinations are as timeless and indulgent as Black Forest. Rich chocolate, tangy cherries, and a generous swirl of cream create that unmistakable nostalgic taste that feels just right at Christmas. While the classic Black Forest gâteau will always have its place, this year it’s all about reimagining those beloved flavours in new and delicious ways – starting with the ultimate crowd-pleaser: the Black Forest trifle.

A Black Forest trifle is the perfect showstopper for your Christmas table. With layers of chocolate sponge or brownies, cherry compote, whipped cream, and chocolate curls, it’s everything you love about the traditional dessert, but with a modern twist. Whether you go all-out with kirsch-soaked cherries and homemade custard, or keep it simple with shop-bought ingredients, this dessert delivers rich, fruity flavour in every spoonful. It’s easy to assemble, can be made ahead of time, and always looks impressive – making it ideal for festive gatherings.

If you love those flavours but want to try something a little different, there are plenty of other Black Forest-inspired bakes to explore. From velvety Black Forest cheesecake to gooey Black Forest brownies, chewy cookies, and a soft, cherry-studded loaf cake, there’s something for every sweet tooth. You can even embrace the indulgence with a scoop of Black Forest ice cream – perfect served alongside warm bakes or enjoyed on its own. However you choose to enjoy it, Black Forest is a festive classic that’s here to stay. 

What’s the recipe?

This Black Forest trifle is a decadent twist on the classic Christmas dessert, layered with all the rich flavours of the beloved Black Forest gâteau. With slices of chocolate Swiss roll and chunks of fudgy brownie…  cherry jam and cherries soaked in kirsch and chocolate custard and sweetened whipped cream. 

For this recipe it is relatively similar to my Terry’s chocolate orange trifle because I just love how that works together – instead of the orange obviously we have cherry and kirsch. I know not everyone who reads my blog consumes alcohol so don’t worry there are kirsch free options as well. You can use cherry juice, or the sauce from a tin of cherries. 

Base

This Black Forest trifle is a decadent twist on the classic Christmas dessert, layered with all the rich, nostalgic flavours of a traditional Black Forest gâteau. Begin with slices of chocolate Swiss roll at the base of your trifle dish, then drizzle over a little kirsch to soak into the sponge and add a festive kick. Next, spoon over a generous layer of smooth chocolate custard for that creamy, indulgent hit. Top this with a scattering of cherries soaked in kirsch, adding a bold, boozy fruitiness that balances the richness and brings a grown-up edge to this showstopping dessert.

I don’t see the problem with using a shop bought chocolate Swiss roll, but of course you can make something else yourself. You can use chocolate sponge, or all chocolate brownies (which I already use in the recipe), or anything in between. The wonderful part about trifles is that it’s quite easy to throw anything together. 

Custard and cream

For the custard, I bought a good quality ready made custard from the chilled aisle – I chop up some dark chocolate finely (it’s good to use dark chocolate even if you don’t like dark chocolate because the flavour lightens a lot in the custard). You add the two to a pan and heat together until the chocolate has melted. Of course, you can find a homemade chocolate custard recipe on my chocolate school cake recipe post. 

For the cream, I used double cream and whipped it together with some icing sugar for a slightly level of sweetness and to stabilise the cream – you can add kirsch to this too if you want but it’s not essential and I didn’t this time. If you wanted chocolate cream however you can add 1 heaped tablespoon of cocoa powder, but generally I like the subtle sweetness of the basic whipped cream. 

Brownies, cherries and decoration

For the rest of the trifle I used a tub of brownie bites from the bakery aisle, but you can obviously use any homemade brownie as well, the cherries are soaked in kirsch overnight to make them delicious and boozy (or you can buy a jar). If you want to avoid using kirsch, you can use tinned cherries that are in syrup, or the cherry pie filling. Or, you can de-stone fresh cherries! It is entirely optional, and where all you are doing is layer different bits, it is very easy to use what you want. 

It all sounds like a lot, but the balance of the flavour works wonders in a recipe like this. Whether you use all shop bought, or all homemade items, it will be delicious either way. 

Layers

I start by layering the chocolate swiss roll at the bottom and around the bottom edge because it looks pretty, drizzle on some kirsch, and then I pour over half of the chocolate custard. Then, I add some of the cherries soaked in kirsch. I then add on half of the whipped sweetened cream, and spread. 

After the cream, I add on a layer of cherry jam. A layer of brownies, the other half of the chocolate custard, some more cherries in kirsch, and finally the rest of the whipped cream. A little sprinkle of some grated chocolate and a few cherries for decoration, it looks fantastic. 

You can of course layer it and put it into your bowl or trifle bowl how you please – but this is just how I do it! I always obsess over how it looks from the outside compared to the inside, but I think we all do haha!

Black Forest Trifle!

Chocolate, cherry, kirsch, swiss roll, chocolate custard delicious goodness all in one... The perfect festive dessert - Black Forest Trifle! 

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Category: Dessert

Type: Trifle

Keyword: Black Forest, Chocolate

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Setting Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 2 hours hours

Servings: 10 People

Author: Jane's Patisserie

Ingredients

Chocolate Custard

• 150 g dark chocolate (chopped)
• 500 ml ready made custard

Whipped Cream

• 600 ml double cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar

Chocolate Cherry Swiss roll

• 1 x jumbo chocolate swiss roll
• 4-5 tbsp Kirsch (optional)

Everything Else

• 400-600 g cherries in kirsch/cherries in syrup/cherry Pie filling (see notes)
• 200 g fresh cherries
• 200 g cherry jam/conserve
• 1 x tub brownie bites
• 25 g grated chocolate

Grams - Ounces

Instructions

Custard

• Pour your ready made custard into a pan, and add in the chopped chocolate.
• Heat on a low heat and mix together until smooth.
• Pour into a bowl and leave to cool fully.

Cream

• Add your double cream to a bowl, add the icing sugar and whisk to soft peaks. 

Swiss Roll

• Slice your chocolate swiss roll into 1-2cm size slices. 
• Sprinkle over 4-5tbsp of kirsch if using. 

Assembly

• Start building your trifle - I put the slices of the swiss roll around the edge of the trifle bowl at the bottom, and a few on the bottom as well. 
• Pour over half of the chocolate custard and spread. 
• Add on half of the cherries from the tin/jar, and half of the brownie bites.
• Spread on half of the whipped cream, and pour on the one layer of cherry jam.
• Repeat this again, finishing with the rest of the whipped cream on top.
• Decorate the top with the fresh cherries and some grated chocolate!
• Leave it to set for an hour in the fridge so the custard isn't as runny. Enjoy!

Notes

•  This will last for 3 days once made, but is best eaten fresh. 
• If you can't find cherries soaked in kirsch you can make your own by soaking fresh cherries in kirsch over night before baking, but it is not essential. 
• You can use tinned cherries in syrup or cherry pie filling instead. 
• The kirsch is entirely optional.
• Quantities for this recipe are complete estimates as it entirely depends on your trifle bowl!
• I recommend using this trifle bowl!

ENJOY!

Find my other Recipes on my Recipes Page!

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© Jane’s Patisserie. All images & content are copyright protected. Do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words and credit me, or link back to this post for the recipe.