Black Forest Cake with Luxardo Cherries (Betty Crocker Wednesday Cake Mix)

3 hrs ago 3

There’s something moody, dark, and delicious about a Black Forest cake — and when I spotted the new Betty Crocker “Wednesday” Dark Chocolate Cake Mix, I knew it was the perfect base for this classic dessert. The mix itself has...

There’s something moody, dark, and delicious about a Black Forest cake — and when I spotted the new Betty Crocker “Wednesday” Dark Chocolate Cake Mix, I knew it was the perfect base for this classic dessert. The mix itself has deep chocolate flavor inspired by the show Wednesday, and with a few little tweaks, it transforms beautifully into a Black Forest–style cake.

Instead of using just plain water like the box calls for, I decided to swap part of the liquid for the syrup from Luxardo Maraschino Cherries. If you’ve tried these cherries before, you know their syrup is rich and thick, almost like a cherry liqueur without the alcohol. To balance the thickness and keep the cake light, I mixed ¼ cup Luxardo syrup with ¼ cup water to create ½ cup of cherry liquid, then added another ½ cup of plain water. This gave the cake a subtle but noticeable cherry depth without weighing down the batter.

The result is a moist, dark chocolate cake layered with whipped cream and cherries — and honestly, I think Wednesday Addams herself would approve. To give it a playful, spooky twist, I added extra Luxardo cherries on top and some eye-shaped sprinkles, making it perfect for a Halloween dessert or any moody celebration.

If you would like to see how I made this cake, visit me on Instagram @pastry_tales

Let’s start with the recipe.

Recipe: Black Forest Cake with Luxardo Cherries

Yield 8inch or 9inch 2 layer cake.

Spooky Black Forest Cake

Notes

Ingredients

For the cake

1 box Betty Crocker Wednesday Dark Chocolate Cake Mix
3 large eggs (or as package directs)
½ cup vegetable oil (or as package directs)
½ cup water
¼ cup Luxardo cherry syrup
¼ cup water (to thin the syrup, making a total of ½ cup cherry liquid)

For the filling and topping

1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, cold
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 jar Luxardo Maraschino Cherries (use both cherries and syrup)
Chocolate shavings (optional, for garnish)
Extra Luxardo cherries and eye-shaped sprinkles for spooky decoration

Instructions

Bake the cake

Preheat oven to 325°F (or as package directs). Grease and flour two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, oil, ½ cup water, and the cherry syrup mixture (¼ cup syrup + ¼ cup water). Beat until smooth.

Divide batter evenly between pans and bake according to package instructions (usually 25–30 minutes).

Let cakes cool completely before filling.

Whip the cream

In a chilled bowl, beat heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Keep cold until needed.

Assemble the cake

Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Brush lightly with a tablespoon of Luxardo syrup for extra cherry flavor (optional).

Spread a thick layer of whipped cream and scatter chopped cherries over the cream.

Place the second cake layer on top, then cover the entire cake with whipped cream. Smooth the top and sides.

Decorate

Pipe or spoon extra whipped cream on top.

Arrange extra Luxardo cherries and eye-shaped sprinkles for a spooky, playful effect.

Add chocolate shavings if desired.

Baker’s Note

Luxardo syrup is much thicker than regular cherry juice. To keep your cake light and fluffy while still bringing in the cherry flavor, mix ¼ cup Luxardo syrup with ¼ cup water and use that in place of part of the water. You’ll end up with ½ cup cherry liquid + ½ cup water total, which is just right for the mix.

Also, you can decide to use regular maraschino cherries which are a bit cheaper than the brand I mentioned before.