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Black Forest Poke Cake

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This Black Forest Poke Cake is a gooey chocolate cake filled with hot fudge, topped with cherry pie filling and fresh whipped cream, and sprinkled with chocolate shavings.

Please note this post is sponsored by Lucky Leaf Pie Filling, however all opinions are my own. 

Easy Black Forest Cake

I will be the first to admit that I don’t love cherries…or I didn’t think I could love them, but when used in the right way, I believe anyone can fall in love.

This easy black forest cake is inspired by the OG Triple chocolate poke cake. It’s drenched in hot fudge sauce until the cake is soft and gooey, then topped with the sweetest cherry pie filling, homemade whipped cream, and chocolate shavings. I mean, who couldn’t love that?!

It’s so sweet, rich, delectable, and surprisingly simple to make! If you love these types of cakes, here are 15 more poke cake recipes!

What is Black Forest Cake?

Black forest cake is a German dessert that’s made with layers of chocolate cake, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings. This may not be truly authentic to the original version but a quicker, easier cake to make.

a white plate with a slice of black forest cake.

Key Ingredients

This poke cake recipe is made with just a few simple ingredients. Scroll to the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and amounts.

  • Chocolate Cake Mix – I like to keep it extra simple by using a chocolate cake mix, as well as the ingredients listed on the box to make the cake. However, if you’re working with a little extra time, feel free to whip up a homemade chocolate cake instead.
  • Cherry Pie Filling – I use Lucky Leaf cherry pie filling, but feel free to use whatever cherry pie filling you can find at your local grocery store.
  • Whipped Cream – I make a simple homemade whipped cream using heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar, but Cool Whip will work too.
  • Chocolate Shavings – To make chocolate shavings, you will need a chocolate bar and a sharp knife. Carefully use the knife to make tiny cuts off the end of the bar. It should break apart naturally!

How to Make Black Forest Poke Cake

This easy black forest cake can really be as simple as you want it to be!

Here’s a breakdown of the recipe in its simplest form!

  1. Bake the cake: Combine the cake mix according to box instructions, then bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 30 minutes.
  2. Poke holes: Use the handle end of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the top of the cake.
  3. Add the filling: Warm the hot fudge until pourable, then drizzle it over the top of the cake. Let it soak in while the cake cools completely.
  4. Add the toppings: Once the cake is cooled, pour the cherry pie filling over the top and spread evenly.
  5. Prepare the whipped cream. In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy whipping cream for several minutes until it forms soft peaks, then add powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread the homemade whipped cream over the cherries.
  6. Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the top of the cake with chocolate shavings, then slice and serve.
a square slice of chocolate cake on a plate topped with cherry pie filling and whip.

Tips for Success

  • How to check for doneness. The cake baking time can vary, so I recommend using a toothpick to check for doneness before removing it from the oven. Simply insert it into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, then it’s ready to go!
  • Cool slightly before poking holes. For the best results, let the cake cool for 30 minutes or so before poking the holes. If you poke it fresh out of the oven, it will be much softer and messier.
  • Use a wooden spoon. The handle end of the wooden spoon makes creates the perfect size of hole to really soak in the hot fudge.
  • Let the cake cool completely before adding the toppings. After you add the hot fudge, let the cake cool completely before you add the whipped cream. Otherwise you will end up with a big melty mess.
a slice of black forest cake with a bite taken out on a plate.

How to Store Finished Poke Cake

A fully assembled poke cake will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. And the good news is, it just gets better and better as it sits!

If you want to prep further ahead of time, you can bake the cake and store that at room temperature for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to serve, simply poke the holes and add the filling and toppings.

More Poke Cakes You’ll Love

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closeup side view of a slice of chocolate poke cake with cherry pie filling on a plate.

Easy Black Forest Poke Cake

  • Author: Julianne Dell
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 15 slices

Description

This Black Forest Poke Cake is a gooey chocolate cake filled with hot fudge, topped with cherry pie filling and fresh whipped cream, and sprinkled with chocolate shavings.

Ingredients

  • 1 box (15oz) Chocolate cake mix
  • Ingredients listed on the box: Eggs, Oil, Water etc. (Note that I used milk instead of water).
  • 1 jar (16oz) Hot fudge sauce 
  • 1 can (21oz) Lucky Leaf Cherry Pie Filling
  • 2 cups Heavy whipping cream
  • 1 ¼ cups Powdered sugar
  • Chocolate bar for shavings

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Combine cake mix according to the ingredients on the box. Beat on medium speed until well combined.
  3. Bake cake in 9×13” for 20-22 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, you cake is done. Allow to cool for 30 minutes.
  4. Take the end of a wooden spoon or another round object and poke holes all over the top of the cake.
  5. Heat the jar of hot fudge sauce in the microwave for about 30 seconds until you can stir it and thin it out. You may need an additional 30 seconds. Pour the jar of hot fudge sauce on the top of the cake and allow it to absorb in the cake until the cake is cooled. Let set until completely cooled.
  6. Open the jar of Cherry Pie Filling and pour over the top of the cake, spread evenly. 
  7. Make the whipped cream. Place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to chill. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue beating at high speed until stiff peaks start to form. Spread the whipped cream over the top of the cake.
  8. Chop a chocolate bar into small pieces and sprinkle over the top of the cake. 

Notes

  • Cool whip can be substituted for fresh whipped cream, one 8-ounce container will work. 
  • For a homemade chocolate cake, I suggest my  easy chocolate cake
  • Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. 
  • Category: Cake
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Leave a Comment

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92 Responses
  1. Berni M Malek

    Yummy! I used marrachino cherries but only added one tablespoon of juice. I put half cake mix in bottom of pan and then cherries and then the rest of cake mix. I poked holes all-around and added hot fudge topping. Mixed cherry juice from marrachino cherries with Cool whip. Delicious






  2. Nicole

    Wondering if you could make day ahead, with adding the filling and refrigerate 24hrs ahead of serving. Adding topping just before…?

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Nicole- you sure can. I do like to add the topping just prior to serving, but if you properly prepare a homemade whipped cream, it should be fine, Or if you use Cool Whip, that will definitely hold up.

  3. Jody Goodman

    I want to say I made this recipe a couple years ago for a friends hubby’s birthday. It was a smash hit! So I’m making it again for my dad tomorrow for Father’s Day. He’s loves trifles, but this is sort of like a “flat trifle”. LOL I’m hoping he’ll love it too.

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Allison, you can freeze the cake, but I wouldn’t add the filling or topping until you thaw the cake.

      1. Janice

        If you freeze the cake ahead of time, should you warm the cake before poking holes in it and putting in the filling?

  4. ZDennis

    I made a sugar free version of this today. Pillsbury sf devils food cake mix, smuckers sf hot fudge, no sugar added cherry pie filling, and sf cool whip. Instead of chocolate shavings on top, I used slivered almonds. Delicious!!!






  5. Robbyn

    The bake time recommended in this recipe is 10 minutes shorter than the box of cake mix says to bake it. That may explain why it wasn’t done in the middle.

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Each box mix calls for a different amount of time to bake, it will also vary by the type of pan you’re using, and your actual oven temperature.

      1. Joanne Felthoven

        I would like to turn the cake out on a platter for presentation before putting on the chocolate and pie filling. Will this work?

      2. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
        Beyond Frosting

        Yes but I wouldn’t poke the holes too close to the edges of the cake and you’d need to pour the hot fudge and cherry sauce carefully.

  6. Jamie

    I made the cake like how the box said did everything as directed here but I couldn’t get the heavy cream to turn into a whip cream like the video. But either way it was delicious.






    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Jamie, thanks for sharing. I’m sorry you couldn’t get the whipped cream to work. Try prefreezing your bowl next time, sometimes it helps keep the cream cold. Also be sure your heavy cream is cold when you’re whipping it.

  7. Mama J

    I didn’t look at the date on this but I wanted to say that whenever I use a box mix I ALWAYS sub milk for water, melted butter for oil and use 5 eggs instead of 3. I had an older lady tell me one time, “dear, that is a scratch cake”. Absolutely made my day.

  8. Bee

    My mother loves black forest cakes! I will have to make this for her for Mother’s Day this year; looks delicious!






  9. Elizabeth

    This was delicious, however, I noted the special note about using milk in lieu of the water called for in the boxed chocolate cake instructions. I used milk, as suggested. After baking for the maximum time stated (and beyond), the cake did not turn out. It was all liquid in the middle. I assume it was substituting the milk that caused this. Made another cake mix, this time using water, and all was well. The cake was delicious.






    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Elizabeth, personally I’ve baked ton and tons of cake mixes and used milk interchangeably with water all the time and never thought it altered the baking time. That being said I use mostly nonfat milk, so something like whole milk would maybe alter the properties. Also the type of pan your using and your true oven temperature will cause the baking times to vary. It’s okay if you need to bake the cake for a few extra minutes before it sets.

  10. Angie

    Do Not use the Microwavable topping. I made this cake using the recommended microwaveable chocolate sauce and also made this cake using the regular Smucker’s Sundae Syrup and the Sundae syrup is much better. The syrup easily dribbles into the pokes, penetrating the cake. The microwave sauce does not dribble into the pokes. It simply sits on top covering all the holes so that the pie filling can’t soak into the pokes either. And yes, I did microwave the sauce before using it and yes, I applied it while the cake was still warm. Very good recipe otherwise!






    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Thanks Angie. I am glad you liked it. Hershey’s syrup is definitely thinner, but the hot fudge sauce can also be spread if it it’s warm enough!

      1. Shelly

        Hershey’s Syrup is a completely different product than Hot Fudge Sauce. Which do you recommend?

      2. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
        Beyond Frosting

        It’s Hot Fudge Sauce, it doesn’t come in a squeeze bottle, it comes in a jar

  11. Kaye

    Excited to make this for my friend’s birthday. Her party is tomorrow night. Can I make it today or should I make it day of?

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      You can make this the night before or even 2 days before, but just wait to add the chocolate shavings until you’re ready to serve

  12. Connie

    Love Black Forest Cake and this one is so delicious. While I made it I had another thought on Apple Poke Cake.
    So instead of chocolate mix, I used Yellow cake mix, poked it and poured Caramel Sauce over it. Then I spread Apple Pie Filling and topped it with the Whip Cream.






  13. Reanna

    I made this to bring to a Super Bowl party and it was a huge hit! Definitely one if the best cakes I’ve had! I will definitely be trying more if your recipe. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Reanna! That is so wonderful! I have a popular post called 15 Poke Cakes which has plenty of more of those types of cake. I am excited to see you here.

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Awesome Michael, thanks for letting know! This has been a very popular recipe, I am so glad you enjoyed it!

  14. Linda

    I made this cake for my granddaughter’s birthday & it was delicious! Everyone loved it!! I will definitely make it again & again.

  15. Heather

    im making this for my daughters birthday! Can’t wait to taste it! One question… Where does the milk get used in the recipe?

      1. Monique Joy

        I used cold coffee instead of water with a devil’s food cake mix. I also used coconut oil because I ran out of vegetable oil. It turned out great! I think I’ll be making this every year for my dad’s birthday 🙂

  16. Connie

    No booze in the American version?! I once picked up a small bottle of Kirschwasser at the market in the clearance bin. Maybe I need a good excuse to use it? I mean, it could be lightly sprinkled on the cake before the fudge, right? 😉 Cake looks great! I do agree, pitting fresh cherries are a bit of a hassle to deal with. Last year I bought a little hand tool made for pitting cherries, there was a bit of a learning curve for me. Apron definitely necessary.

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Hi Connie! Yes! You could certainly add the alcohol into this cake! Thanks for the tip on the apron 🙂

  17. Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats

    Mmmm alcohol? I need to move to another country and have cake! Love that you made this with pie filling to make it easier!

  18. heather @french press

    you are right – pitting cherries is the PITS!! and unlike most things, I actually prefer canned cherry pie filling to homemade – this cake is INCREDIBLE!!

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Thank you Heather! The dessert possibilities are certainly more favorable with a can of cherry pie filling!

  19. Amy @ A Healthy Life For Me

    I have never had poke cake, but it doesn’t surprise me that this delicious cake came from Germany. They seem to have come up with all those decadent dark cakes. Beautiful recipe!

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Thank you Amy! Poke cakes were new to me when I started blogging too, but then I realized I had probably had them growing up and never even knew!

  20. Deborah

    You are so right – pitting cherries is so not fun!! This pie filling is the perfect solution to this cake – and it looks a-maz-ing!!

  21. Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet

    Lucky Leaf pie fillings and a spoon are my bffs when the midnight craving hits! This cake looks crazy good! I need to get on the poke cake trend! Pinned!






  22. Angie | Big Bear's Wife

    Poke Cakes are so good and this black forest version is insane! YUM! I’m with you, sometimes cherries are a pain to work with which is why I love that you used the Lucky Leaf Cherry Pie Filling for this!!

  23. Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel

    This looks SO fabulous, Julianne! I adore black forest cakes and what a great way to use up a ton of pie filling! 😉

  24. Lisa @ Wine & Glue

    This looks insanely amazing, Julianne! I’m a sucker for a good poke cake, and when it is this gorgeous, it’s absolutely irresistible! Pinned!

    1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
      Beyond Frosting

      Oh thank you Lisa! I have to say that Poke cakes were new to me when I started blogging, but I totally obsessed!!

  25. Melanie @ Carmel Moments

    Thanks for doing the research for us! I ‘m not sure why it came about but I’m glad it did. Cherries and chocolate are just fabulous!
    Pinned. Enjoy your weekend!

      1. Julianne - Beyond Frosting
        Beyond Frosting

        Hi Elaine, I would not recommend it because the cake would be very thick. And the filling at topping would be also thick.

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