Chocolate Cherry Black Forest Poke Cake
What happens when a traditional German black forest cake meets the easiest American sheet cake trend? You get a Chocolate Cherry Black Forest Poke Cake that tastes impressive but requires very little effort. A moist chocolate cake soaked with sweetened condensed milk, layered with cherry pie filling and vanilla whipped topping.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 box chocolate cake mix 15.25 ounces
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
For the Topping
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups cherry pie filling
- 8 ounces whipped topping thawed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate shavings
- 1/2 cup maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about 175 degrees Celsius. Grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish lightly.
- Place the chocolate cake mix in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, water, and vegetable oil.
- Beat the cake mix, eggs, water, and vegetable oil together until the batter is smooth. Do not overmix the batter, or the cake may become tough.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. Use a spatula to spread it into the corners.
- Bake for 28 to 32 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back lightly.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes while it remains warm. It should not be hot enough to burn your hands, but warm enough to absorb the milk.
- Poke holes evenly across the warm cake using a fork or skewer. Space them about every inch. Make sure the holes go deep into the cake but not all the way through the bottom.
- Slowly pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the cake. Pour in stages so the milk can seep into the holes instead of pooling on the edges.
- Spread the cherry pie filling evenly over the top of the cake. Use a spoon or spatula to distribute the cherries and the glossy sauce.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the whipped topping. If the cake is even slightly warm, the whipped topping will melt.
- Gently stir the vanilla extract into the thawed whipped topping until combined. Do not beat it hard, or the topping may deflate.
- Spread the vanilla-flavored whipped topping evenly over the cherry pie filling. Work from the center outward for a smooth layer.
- Sprinkle the semisweet chocolate shavings evenly over the whipped topping. Drag a vegetable peeler along a semisweet chocolate bar to create thin shavings.
- Arrange the maraschino cherries over the top. Place them in neat rows or scatter them for a rustic look.
- Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set. This chilling time allows the layers to meld and makes the cake easier to slice.
- Cut the chilled cake into squares and serve.
Notes
Ingredient tips and substitutions: Vegetable oil can be replaced with canola oil or melted coconut oil. You can use vanilla or red velvet cake mix for a twist. Coconut whipped cream works well instead of regular whipped topping. Dark chocolate shavings give a deeper flavor. Cherry pie filling can be swapped with fresh or frozen cherries cooked with sugar and cornstarch until thick. Drain maraschino cherries well before placing them on top.