Easy Halloween Black Forest Trifle Dessert is a spooktacularly delicious Halloween dessert recipe full of the most adorable ghosts and goblins! This easy Halloween-themed trifle takes minutes to assemble and is sure to please even your pickiest big and little kids.
This spooky Halloween trifle dessert features layers of devil’s food cake, cherry pie filling, and refrigerated creamy whipped topping. But it’s the spooky ghosts and charming pumpkin marshmallow Peeps that turn a trifle such as my Christmas Trifle or Strawberry Trifle into a Halloween treat.
Once you bake the cake, it only takes minutes to layer everything in a 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 if you are looking for a dish to take to a Halloween potluck for a dessert table.
Of course, no one else needs to know about the shortcuts. And they will think you worked for hours creating this stunning and decadent Halloween trifle. There is something magical about chocolate cake and cherries; they are a classic pairing in a traditional Black Forest Cake.
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Ingredient notes:
- Boxed devil’s food cake mix – any brand will do, plus the eggs and oil called for to make the cake. You can substitute chocolate fudge cake mix.
- Cherry pie filling – thick and rich with sweet cherries; make sure to get the pie filling and not just canned cherries.
- Refrigerated whipped topping – the most popular brand is Cool Whip, but any brand will work with this recipe.
- Peeps – I used a combination of pumpkin and ghost peeps for this trifle, but there are several other Halloween options, including Frankenstein, skulls, and black cats.
Step-by-step directions:
- Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions in a 13×9 pan. Bake, let cool and cut into cubes.
- Separate the peeps and then line the sides of the trifle dish with the marshmallow ghosts and press them against the glass.
- Place one layer of devil’s food cake cubes inside the dish and fill it to the top of the heads of the ghosts.
- Top the cake layer with half the cherry pie filling and spread it out evenly.
- For the second layer, line the sides of the trifle dish with the separated marshmallow pumpkins and press them against the glass.
- Place another layer of devil’s food cake cubes inside the dish and fill it to the top of the pumpkins.
- Top with the remaining cherry pie filling and spread out evenly. Top the cherry pie filling with the whipped topping and spread out evenly.
- Tightly cover the trifle with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe variations:
Here are just a few ideas to modify or customize this recipe to make it your own:
- You can use any Halloween Peep you prefer. You can use one type or different alternate types or have one row of Peeps on the bottom.
- Prepared chocolate or vanilla pudding can be substituted for the cherry pie filling.
- I didn’t decorate the top of my trifle, but you could add candy corn, gummy worms, crushed Oreos, googly eyes, chocolate shavings, or Halloween sprinkles to make your trifle unique.
- I have also seen Hershey’s chocolate syrup used to draw a spider web on the top.
Recipe FAQs:
A trifle is a layered dessert of English origin made in a clear glass dish that generally consists of one or more layers of cake, fruit, pudding, and whipped cream.
Yes, this trifle can be made up to eight hours ahead. Simply follow the directions and store it covered in the refrigerator.
This trifle is best eaten within 24 hours of when it is made. After that, it will still be good, but it tends to dry out. It should be stored covered in the refrigerator; it does not freeze well.
This spooky trifle dessert would go great with my Chocolate Cheesecake Graveyard Dip or Halloween Chocolate Cupcakes on a Halloween dessert table at a party or potluck.
Sharon’s tips:
- How many Peeps you need depends on the circumference of your dish and the Peep you are using. Most peeps average about one and a half inches wide. It took a dozen Peeps to go all around my dish.
- Be sure to separate your Peeps before placing them in the dish. It’s easier to leave them attached, but it’s much more challenging to serve the dessert.
- I used a clear glass trifle bowl, approximately 7.5″ in diameter and 5″ deep. If you don’t have a trifle bowl, you could use a clear glass bowl. I prefer trifle bowls without a foot; they don’t tip over as easily and are much easier to transport.
- If you plan 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 made for Halloween with marshmallow ghosts and pumpkin Peeps. However, you can always leave out the Peeps if you want to serve this delicious trifle for another occasion.
More Halloween food ideas and recipes:
If you are looking for a punch recipe, Witches Brew-Halloween Punch with a Kick is a delicious adult-only libation. If you need even more Halloween recipes or menu ideas, check out my post, 50+ Halloween Potluck Ideas, a collection of recipes featuring Halloween party food and Halloween treats for kids and adults.
★★★★★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thanks so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones! I hope you come back soon!
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Easy Halloween Black Forest Trifle Dessert
Equipment
- 7-8 inch clear glass trifle bowl
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces box devil’s food cake mix plus the ingredients called for on the box
- 21 ounces can cherry pie filling
- 8 ounces tub refrigerated whipped topping
- 12 marshmallow ghosts Peeps
- 12 marshmallow pumpkin Peeps
Instructions
- Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions in a 13×9 pan. Bake, let cool and cut into cubes.
- Separate the peeps and then line the sides of the trifle dish with the marshmallow ghosts and press them against the glass.
- Place one layer of devil's food cake cubes inside the dish and fill it to the top of the heads of the ghosts.
- Top the cake layer with half the cherry pie filling and spread it out evenly.
- For the second layer, line the sides of the trifle dish with the separated marshmallow pumpkins and press them against the glass.
- Place another layer of devil's food cake cubes inside the dish and fill to the top of the pumpkins.
- 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.
Amanda
I love all Halloween 🎃 treats you make
Inga
Would it be ok if I made the cake portion of the trifle a day ahead of time?
Sharon Rigsby
Sure, that wouldn’t be an issue at all. I hope you enjoy it!
All the best,
Sharon
Monica | Nourish & Fete
This would be so cute and festive for a Halloween party! Adorable!
Gritsandpinecones
Thanks, Monica!