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dark forest cake

(1 rating)
AirRail avatar
Recipe by
Dave T.
@AirRail
Cades Cove, TN

Myra's friend Connie asked me years ago if I could bake a Black Forest cake, saying it was her favorite. Of course I said yes lol. For her 60th birthday this year we decided to do something special. I got the idea for the sprinkles from a cake someone baked and the ganache from another and thought why not! While not exactly a genuine black forest cake, I call mine a dark forest cake, it's got cherry pie filling, maraschino cherries, dark semi sweet chocolate, devils food cake, whipped cream, mmmm and Its easy, it's fun and people love it, after all isn't that what cooking is all about? enjoy!

(1 rating)
yield serving(s)
prep time 30 Min
cook time 25 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For dark forest cake

  • FOR THE CAKE
  • 15 1/4 oz
    cake mix, devils food
  • 3 lg
    eggs
  • 2, 3.25 oz
    vanilla pudding snack packs (i use sugar free)
  • 3 Tbsp
    unsweet cocoa powder
  • 1/2 c
    milk chocolate chips
  • 1 c
    cool water
  • cooking spray
  • cocoa, unsweetened to coat pans
  • FILLING
  • 21 oz
    cherry pie filling
  • To cover
    creamy supreme chocolate cherry frosting (pillsbury)
  • SIDE FROSTING
  • Remaining
    creamy supreme chocolate cherry frosting (pillsbury)
  • To cover
    small chocolate sprinkles
  • TOP COATING (GANACHE)
  • 1/2 c
    semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 c
    heavy whipping cream
  • 1 can
    reddi whip
  • 12-18
    maraschino cherries (drained)

How To Make dark forest cake

  • 1
    Preheat oven to 350 In a mixing bowl combine cake mix, pudding packs, eggs, cocoa, mix on low till incorporated, add water
  • 2
    Prepare 2, 8 inch non stick cake pans with cooking spray and dust with cocoa (not flower).
  • 3
    Evenly divide cake mix between the pans (about 2 1/2 cups each) smooth and tap lightly to remove trapped bubbles.
  • 4
    Bake for 20min at 350, turn off heat and continue to bake for 5 min more. Check with tooth pick for doneness and allow to cool completely on elevated rack before removing from pan
  • 5
    Invert one pan on cake plate top side down. Add layer of frosting and layer of cherry pie filling. Remove 2nd cake and level if needed, add to top of first layer
  • 6
    Using remaining frosting to coat the sides of cake only, do not frost the top.
  • 7
    Add sprinkles to side of cake, covering well. Set in fridge to allow frosting to set up before the next step.
  • 8
    Warm heavy cream in sauce pan over low heat, add semi-sweet chocolate chips and stir until melted and combined.
  • 9
    Slowly pour over the top and allow tondrizzle down sides a little, but not cover sides of cake
  • 10
    Set back in fridge and allow ganache to set up a little
  • 11
    Just prior to serving add several dollops of Reddi whip around the top of cake and add a maraschino cherry to each. Spray reddi whip around base of cake (hint use lots of reddi whip)
  • 12
    Enjoy!!
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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