Easy Halloween Black Forest Trifle is a spooktacularly delicious Halloween dessert recipe full of the most adorable ghosts and goblins! This easy Halloween dessert only takes minutes to assemble and is sure to please even your pickiest big and little kids.
Easy Halloween Black Forest Trifle is an easy Halloween dessert. It uses boxed devil’s food cake mix, canned cherry pie filling, and refrigerated whipped topping. Oh, I can’t forget the spooky ghosts and charming pumpkin marshmallow Peeps, these little guys are what turns a regular trifle into a Halloween trifle dessert.
Once you bake the cake, it is just a matter of putting everything in the trifle dish. I promise you; it’s one of the easiest Halloween desserts you will ever make. And, it’s great for feeding a crowd or need a Halloween potluck idea. Of course, no one else needs to know about the shortcuts. And, they will think you slaved for hours creating this stunning and decadent Halloween trifle.
Did I mention just how delicious this Halloween dessert is? There is something magical about chocolate cake and cherries; they are a classic pairing in a traditional Black Forest Cake.
Are you looking for more Halloween food ideas?
Check out my adorable Halloween Meringue Ghosts, Halloween Chocolate Cheesecake Graveyard Dip, or Easy Halloween Jalapeño Mummies. I also have a delicious adult punch recipe, Witches Brew-Halloween Punch with a Kick, and my Chocolate Halloween Cupcakes and Icing is a great Halloween dessert too!
Or, if you need even more Halloween recipes or menu ideas, check out my post 50 Spooktacularly Cute and Easy Halloween Treats and Party Recipes featuring Halloween party food and Halloween treats for kids and adults.
Easy Halloween Black Forest Trifle Dessert Ingredients:
The ingredients for Easy Halloween Black Forest Trifle include a box of devil’s food cake mix, plus the eggs and oil called for to make the cake. You will also need a can of cherry pie filling, refrigerated whipped topping, and pumpkin and ghosts marshmallow Peeps. And, you will need a clear glass trifle dish to show off your masterpiece.
How to make Easy Halloween Black Forest Trifle Dessert:
Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions in a 13×9 pan. Bake, let cool and cut into cubes.
Line the sides of the trifle dish with the marshmallow ghosts and press them up against the glass.
Place one layer of devil’s food cake cubes inside the dish and fill to the top of the heads of the ghosts.
Top the cake layer with one-half of the cherry pie filling and spread out evenly.
Line the sides of the trifle dish with the marshmallow pumpkins and press them up against the glass.
Place another layer of devil’s food cake cubes inside the dish and fill to the top of the pumpkin heads.
Top with the remaining cherry pie filling and spread out evenly.
Top the cherry pie filling with the whipped topping and spread out evenly.
Cover the trifle with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Sharon’s Expert Tips:
I used a clear glass trifle bowl, which was approximately 7.5″ in diameter and 5″ deep. If you don’t have a trifle bowl, you could use a clear glass bowl.
If you are going to serve the cake immediately, you can substitute homemade whipped cream for refrigerated whipped topping. However, it will not hold up quite as long in the refrigerator.
This luscious trifle dessert was explicitly made for Halloween with the marshmallow ghosts and pumpkin Peeps. However, you can always leave out the Peeps if you want to serve this delicious trifle for another occasion.
Halloween Black Forest Trifle will keep covered in your refrigerator for about two days.
★ If you make Halloween Black Forest Trifle Dessert, please leave a comment and give this recipe a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it! Thanks so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
Easy Halloween Black Forest Trifle Dessert Recipe
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz box devil's food cake mix plus the ingredients called for on the box
- 21 oz can cherry pie filling
- 8 oz tub refrigerated whipped topping
- 3 3/8 oz package marshmallow ghosts Peeps 9 pieces, you will need 2 packages if you want to go entirely around the dish
- 3 3/8 oz package marshmallow pumpkin Peeps 24 pieces
Instructions
- Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions in a 13x9 pan. Bake, let cool and cut into cubes.
- Line the sides of the trifle dish with the marshmallow ghosts and press them up against the glass.
- Place one layer of devil's food cake cubes inside the dish and fill to the top of the heads of the ghosts.
- Top the cake layer with 1/2 of the cherry pie filling and spread out evenly.
- Line the sides of the trifle dish with the marshmallow pumpkins and press them up against the glass.
- Place another layer of devil's food cake cubes inside the dish and fill to the top of the pumpkin heads.
- Top with the remaining cherry pie filling and spread out evenly.
- Top the cherry pie filling with the whipped topping and spread out evenly.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
*September 30, 2019, this post was updated to include expanded directions and helpful tips.
This would be so cute and festive for a Halloween party! Adorable!
Thanks, Monica!