Black Forest Desserts Are Back for Christmas: 12 Cherry Chocolate Showstoppers After One Cake Reel Drew 4,000 Comments

Black Forest desserts are having a big Christmas moment, and one baking reel proved it this week. A home baker’s Black Forest chocolate cake video on Instagram, posted on October 27, pulled in more than 7,500 likes and over 4,000 comments in days, most of them asking for the recipe or sharing memories of a grandmother’s version. The pairing of dark chocolate, whipped cream and tart cherries comes from southern Germany, where the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte has been a celebration cake for about a century. This gallery starts with that classic layer cake and then turns the same flavors into easier treats: fudgy brownies, cupcakes with a hidden cherry center, a chocolate cheesecake, sheet cake bars for a crowd, cozy hot chocolate, a milkshake and a Christmas morning French toast bake. Every recipe here is family friendly, with the traditional cherry liqueur left optional or swapped for cherry juice..

The Classic Cake Behind Every List of Black Forest Desserts

This is the cake behind all the comments, and it is the one every list of Black Forest desserts has to start with. Three tender chocolate sponge layers are brushed with cherry syrup, stacked with clouds of whipped cream and a glossy cherry filling, then coated in chocolate shavings and crowned with cream rosettes and cherries. In Germany the syrup is spiked with kirsch, a clear cherry brandy, but cherry juice from the jar gives the same fruity lift and keeps it right for the kids’ table. Bake the layers a day ahead and assemble on Christmas Eve..

You will need: 1 3/4 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup oil, 1 cup hot coffee, 2 jars (24 oz) pitted morello cherries in juice, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 3 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 4 oz dark chocolate for shavings, kirsch optional.

How to make it: 1. Whisk the dry ingredients, beat in eggs, buttermilk, oil and coffee, divide into three 8-inch pans and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes; cool completely. 2. Drain the cherries, simmer 1 cup juice with sugar and cornstarch until thick, then fold in the cherries and cool. 3. Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla to firm peaks. 4. Brush each layer with cherry juice, spread with cream and cherries, stack, frost with cream, press chocolate shavings on the sides and pipe rosettes topped with cherries. Chill 4 hours.

Black Forest Semi-Frosted Cake With Spilling Cherries

If frosting a smooth cake makes you nervous, the semi-frosted cake is your new best friend. The chocolate layers are left bare on the sides, so all you do is stack them with whipped cream and spoonfuls of cherry filling, then let a glossy chocolate ganache and fresh cherries tumble over the top. The messier it looks, the better, and the cut slice shows off every red and white stripe. It is one of the most photographed Black Forest desserts on social media for a reason: it looks rustic, generous and completely irresistible.

You will need: 3 baked 8-inch chocolate cake layers, 2 cups heavy cream whipped with 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling, 4 oz dark chocolate, 1/2 cup heavy cream for ganache, 1 cup fresh or jarred dark cherries with stems.

How to make it: 1. Level the cooled cake layers with a serrated knife. 2. Spread the first layer with whipped cream and half the cherry filling, then repeat with the second layer. 3. Top with the third layer and chill 30 minutes. 4. Heat 1/2 cup cream, pour over the chocolate, stir smooth, cool 5 minutes, then pour over the top and crown with cherries.

The Traditional German Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte Slice

This is how the cake looks in a real German Konditorei: tall, neat and almost architectural. Light chocolate sponge is layered with whipped cream and sour cherries, the sides are coated in chocolate flakes, and every slice gets its own cream rosette and cherry on top. The original is named after the Black Forest region in Baden-Württemberg, famous for its cherry orchards, and you can read more about its history and traditional ingredients. Serve it with coffee in the afternoon, the way German families do on holidays.

You will need: 1 Black Forest cake (see the classic recipe above), 1 jar (24 oz) sour morello cherries, 2 cups whipped cream for rosettes, 3 oz dark chocolate flakes, a large star piping tip, hot coffee to serve.

How to make it: 1. Use a long knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry for clean cuts. 2. Mark 12 even portions on top of the chilled cake. 3. Pipe one cream rosette on each portion and add a cherry. 4. Cut and serve each slice with a cup of coffee, wiping the knife between cuts.

Chocolate Drip Cake, the Party Version of Black Forest Desserts

A drip cake takes Black Forest desserts straight into birthday-party territory. The chocolate cake is frosted with a smooth chocolate whipped ganache, then a warm chocolate glaze is spooned around the edge so it runs down the sides in shiny drips. Piped chocolate rosettes and bright red cherries finish the top. It looks like it came from a fancy bakery, but the drip is easier than it seems: just make sure the cake is cold and the glaze is barely warm. Make it the centerpiece of a holiday open house.

You will need: 2 baked 8-inch chocolate cake layers, 2 cups heavy cream, 8 oz semisweet chocolate, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling, 4 oz dark chocolate plus 1/3 cup cream for the drip, 10 maraschino or fresh cherries.

How to make it: 1. Make a ganache with 1 cup hot cream and 8 oz chocolate, chill until thick, then whip with remaining cream and sugar. 2. Fill the layers with cherry filling and frost with chocolate cream; chill 1 hour. 3. Melt the drip chocolate with cream, cool until barely warm and spoon around the edge. 4. Pipe rosettes on top and add the cherries.

Fudgy Brownies, the Easiest Black Forest Desserts to Share

Think of these as the weeknight version of Black Forest desserts: a pan of dense, fudgy brownies studded with chopped dark cherries, then crowned with fresh stemmed cherries or a cloud of whipped cream and cherry sauce on each square. The tart cherries cut through the rich chocolate the same way they do in the classic cake. They travel well to cookie swaps and office parties, so bake a double batch, add the cream on site, and watch them vanish faster than anything else on the dessert table.

You will need: 1 cup butter, 8 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 4 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 cups pitted dark cherries (fresh, frozen or jarred) chopped, 1 cup heavy cream whipped, cherry pie filling to serve.

How to make it: 1. Melt butter and chocolate together, then whisk in sugar, eggs and vanilla. 2. Stir in flour, cocoa and salt, then fold in the cherries. 3. Spread in a lined 9×13 pan and bake at 350°F for 28 to 32 minutes; cool completely. 4. Cut into squares and top each with whipped cream and a spoon of cherry filling.

Chocolate Cupcakes With a Hidden Cherry Center

These little cakes hide a surprise: a spoonful of cherry filling tucked into the middle of each chocolate cupcake before it gets its swirl of whipped cream frosting. A sprinkle of chocolate shavings and a stemmed cherry on top make them look like a bakery window in Freiburg. They are perfect for Christmas parties, school events or anyone who wants Black Forest desserts in a size that does not need a knife. Stabilize the cream with a little cream cheese so the frosting holds its shape for hours.

You will need: 1 batch chocolate cupcake batter (or 1 box chocolate cake mix plus eggs, oil and water), 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling, 4 oz cream cheese softened, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, chocolate shavings, 24 stemmed maraschino or fresh cherries.

How to make it: 1. Bake 24 cupcakes at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes and cool. 2. Cut a small cone from the center of each and fill with cherry filling. 3. Beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla, then slowly whip in the cream to stiff peaks. 4. Pipe the frosting on top, sprinkle with chocolate shavings and finish each with a cherry.

Black Forest Cheesecake With a Chocolate Cookie Crust

Cheesecake lovers get their own corner of Black Forest desserts with this one. A dark chocolate cookie crust holds a silky chocolate cheesecake that bakes low and slow, then gets a thick layer of cherry topping and a border of whipped cream once it is cold. Slices look dramatic on a white plate, with the red cherries spilling over the deep brown filling. Make it two days ahead if you like; cheesecake only gets creamier as it rests in the fridge. Have extra cherries? Browse our juicy cherry desserts for more ways to use them.

You will need: 2 cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs, 5 tablespoons melted butter, 3 packages (8 oz) cream cheese softened, 1 cup sugar, 6 oz semisweet chocolate melted, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling, whipped cream.

How to make it: 1. Press crumbs mixed with butter into a 9-inch springform pan and bake at 325°F for 10 minutes. 2. Beat cream cheese and sugar, add chocolate, cocoa, eggs, sour cream and vanilla until smooth. 3. Pour over the crust and bake at 325°F for 55 to 60 minutes, then cool in the oven with the door ajar. 4. Chill overnight, spread with cherry filling and pipe whipped cream around the edge.

Chocolate Cherry Sheet Cake Bars for a Crowd

When you need to feed a whole church supper or office party, these sheet cake bars are the smart move. One big pan of chocolate cake is split into two thin layers, filled with whipped cream and cherries, then topped with more cream, piles of chocolate shavings and a cherry on every square. You get all the look of the towering original in neat, hand-held portions. Cut them with a hot knife for clean edges, and keep them cold until serving so the cream holds its shape. They are proof that Black Forest desserts can be easy to serve to a crowd.

You will need: 1 box chocolate cake mix plus eggs, oil and water (or your favorite recipe), 3 cups heavy cream, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling, 4 oz dark chocolate shaved, 24 cherries for the tops.

How to make it: 1. Bake the cake in a lined half sheet pan at 350°F for 18 to 20 minutes and cool. 2. Cut the cake in half crosswise to make two thin rectangles. 3. Spread one half with whipped cream and cherry filling, top with the other half, then cover with remaining cream. 4. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings, chill 2 hours, cut into squares and top each with a cherry.

Cherry Hot Chocolate for Snowy Afternoons

On a snowy afternoon, this mug is the coziest way to enjoy Black Forest desserts. Real chocolate is melted into hot milk until thick and velvety, then a splash of cherry syrup from the jar turns it into something special. Pile on marshmallows or whipped cream, shave over a little more chocolate and drop a cherry on top. Set up a hot chocolate bar on Christmas Eve with jars of cherries, marshmallows and chocolate curls, and let everyone build their own after the carols. Of all the Black Forest desserts here, this one is ready in ten minutes.

You will need: 4 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 6 oz dark chocolate chopped, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/3 cup cherry syrup or juice from a jar of cherries, pinch of salt, whipped cream, chocolate shavings and cherries to top.

How to make it: 1. Warm the milk and cream in a saucepan until steaming. 2. Whisk in chocolate, cocoa, sugar and salt until melted and smooth. 3. Stir in the cherry syrup and simmer 2 minutes until slightly thick. 4. Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and a cherry.

Overnight Black Forest French Toast Bake

Christmas morning is busy enough, so this breakfast does its work the night before. Cubes of brioche soak overnight in a chocolate custard, with cherries and chocolate chips tucked between them. In the morning it goes straight into the oven while gifts are opened, puffing up golden with jammy pockets of fruit. A dusting of powdered sugar and a dollop of whipped cream make it feel like dessert for breakfast, which is exactly what the holidays are for. It is one of the most loved Black Forest desserts for the holidays.

You will need: 1 loaf (16 oz) brioche or challah cubed, 2 cups pitted cherries (frozen work), 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 8 eggs, 2 1/2 cups milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons vanilla, powdered sugar and whipped cream to serve.

How to make it: 1. Scatter half the bread in a buttered 9×13 dish, add half the cherries and chips, then repeat. 2. Whisk eggs, milk, cream, sugar, cocoa and vanilla and pour evenly over the bread. 3. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 4. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes until puffed and set; dust with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream.

Chocolate Cherry Milkshake With a Chocolate Drizzle

This is the drink that makes kids think Christmas break has truly started. Chocolate ice cream is blended with milk, a handful of dark cherries and a spoon of cherry syrup, then poured into a glass streaked with chocolate sauce. Whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate and a bright cherry go on top. It takes five minutes and tastes like a slice of cake through a straw. Blend a few with vanilla ice cream for the little ones and let everyone add their own toppings at the counter.

You will need: 3 cups chocolate ice cream, 1 cup cold milk, 1 cup pitted dark cherries (frozen work well), 2 tablespoons cherry syrup from a jar, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, maraschino cherries.

How to make it: 1. Drizzle chocolate sauce inside two tall glasses and chill them. 2. Blend ice cream, milk, cherries and cherry syrup until thick and smooth. 3. Pour into the glasses. 4. Top with whipped cream, more chocolate sauce, chocolate shavings and a cherry.

German Ice Cream Sundae to Finish Your Black Forest Desserts

In German ice cream cafes, the Schwarzwaldbecher is a menu classic: scoops of chocolate and vanilla ice cream piled into a tall glass with warm cherries, whipped cream, chocolate sauce and chocolate sprinkles. It is the coolest of all Black Forest desserts and a fun one to recreate at home over the holidays. Warm the cherries in their juice with a little cinnamon so they melt slightly into the cold ice cream. Serve with a long spoon and a wafer cookie for that cafe feeling. Like the cake, it tastes of the mountain cherry orchards it was named for.

You will need: 1 jar (24 oz) pitted sour cherries in juice, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 cinnamon stick, chocolate ice cream, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles or shavings, wafer cookies.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the cherries and juice with sugar and cinnamon, then thicken with cornstarch mixed in a little water. 2. Let the sauce cool until warm, not hot. 3. Layer scoops of chocolate and vanilla ice cream in tall glasses with spoonfuls of warm cherries. 4. Top with whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and a wafer cookie and serve right away.