Black Forest Trifle

Directions

Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Lightly spray two 8 x 8 round cake pans.
2. In a medium bowl whisk, eggs, oil and water until combined.
3. Add Kinnikinnick Chocolate Cake Mix and mix until combined.
4. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 28 - 32 minutes or until cake springs back to the touch.
6. Remove from oven and let cool.

Filling

1. In a medium saucepan combine thawed cherries and sugar.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat stirring constantly.
3. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer until cherries have broken down (approx. 15 - 20 minutes).
   
4. Add gelatin to cherry mixture and stir until dissolved.
5. Remove from heat and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
6. Continue to cool mixture in the refrigerator for 1 hour (mixture will thicken slightly).
   
7. In a medium bowl whip 1½ cups whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
   
8. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl in between mixing (approx. 3 - 5 minutes).
9. Fold in 1½ cups whipped cream into mixture until just combined.
10. Add prepared cherry mixture to cream cheese mixture and mix just until combined. Set aside.

Assembly

1. Whip reserved 1 cup whipping cream until stiff peaks. Set aside.
   
2. Cut prepared cake into two 1½ inch layers. Cut each cake base to fit the dish you are using.
   
3. Build layers starting with 1 layer cake (if using kirsch, brush with a thin layer).
4. Top first cake layer with ½ of the cherry filling, 1 cup Kinnikinnick Chocolate Cookie Crumbs and ½ of the whipped cream.
5. Repeat with the remaining cake layer (if using kirsch, brush with a thin layer).
6. Top with the remainder of cherry filling, Kinnikinnick Chocolate Cookie Crumbs and whipping cream.
7. Garnish with cherries and chocolate shavings.
8. Let set in refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours.

Yields 1 Trifle