Easy Black Forest Cake

Moist chocolate cake, filled with juicy cherries and topped with fluffy whipped cream? Say less. This Easy Black Forest Cake is a busy baker’s dream come true with just five simple ingredients. Using boxed cake mix is a shortcut that feels too good to be true. But it works beautifully for this showstopping dessert.

Easy Black Forest Cake

Listen, black forest cake has been a favorite of mine for about as long as I can recall. Who can resist all that moody chocolate, those juicy cherries, and billowy whipped cream? This is the kind of dessert that indulgent dreams are made of.

But, the sad truth is that I very rarely used to make one. Most of the time, I am inclined to use my easiest dessert recipes. But this easy black forest cake has a simplified ingredient list, and even uses a boxed cake mix. So, it’s a whole lot easier to put together than the typical recipe. As a result, this cake appears much more frequently in our dessert rotation. I couldn’t be happier.

Black Forest Cake Using Cake Mix

Many years ago while working in an office that was forever celebrating someone’s birthday, I first tasted this recipe. I loved it. And, so when I discovered that it was an easy black forest cake recipe with cake mix and just a few other ingredients? I was sold.

Taste-wise, this cake is all about contrast. Bittersweet chocolate meets tart fruit underneath sweet cream. It shifts between light and decadent without spending too long on either side. The chocolate here is just as good alongside a glass of pinot as it is with a tumbler of milk. Everyone wins.

Simple Black Forest Cake Recipe

The secret is in the boxed cake mix. It’s a wonderfully quick trick for making a simple black forest cake recipe. But, there are lots of ways that you can add some personal flair to the batter. A spoonful of cocoa will add more depth to the chocolate. Or, you could add in some instant espresso powder (decaf works, too!) to leave people in disbelief when you say it’s from a box.

Once it’s cool, you can top it with your choice of whipped topping or even freshly whipped cream. Easy as can be and guaranteed to be a hit! I’ve baked this cake in both glass baking dishes and metal pans. Both work fine. But, you’ll need to plan on it taking a couple of extra minutes in the oven with a glass dish. I tend to use glass simply because I have a lid that fits neatly on my Pyrex baking dish. And, that makes it a cinch to store in the fridge.

Box Cake Recipes

While they aren’t always my go-to for baking, box cake recipes make it possible to pull together a lightning fast, terrific dessert. This rhubarb dump cake is hugely popular around the holidays, and you’d never guess that it uses a yellow cake box mix.

And, who can say now to a pumpkin crunch cake? It tastes like pumpkin pie with a crunchy pecan streusel layer on top. And, best of all? You guessed it! Made with a boxed yellow cake mix. Fall never tasted better.

Gooey chocolate butter cake is another box mix favorite for a weeknight dinner or a special occasion. With only about 10 minutes of effort, you can have this cake in the oven making your house smell incredible!

And last but not least, these red velvet crinkle cookies are the perfect treat for Christmas or Valentine’s day. They’re super fast to throw together, thanks to the storebought mix. And, they look absolutely amazing.

{originally published 03/05/21 – recipe notes updated 11/20/25}