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Black Forest Cake gets a fun soda shop twist here, with a moist chocolate cake, a homemade cherry syrup soak, and a silky Dr. Pepper buttercream stacked into tall, pretty layers. I first made this on a *lazy summer weekend* when Maddie begged for something with cherries, and it vanished before dinner even started. If you love a gooey chocolate dessert, save room for our chocolate earthquake cake too.
This is the kind of showstopper that looks like you fussed for hours, but it leans on a few smart shortcuts so any home baker can pull it off.
Black Forest Cake Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 40 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 50 minutes plus cooling
- 🍽️ Serving: 10 slices
- ⚡ Calories: 714kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich chocolate, sweet cherry, and a fizzy Dr. Pepper kick
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, about on par with our banana bundt cake
Quick Answer
Bake a moist chocolate cake, then simmer fresh cherries with Dr. Pepper into a quick syrup and reduce more soda into a glossy buttercream. Slice the cooled cake into layers, brush each one with the cherry syrup, frost between the layers, then stack and top with cherries and chocolate shavings.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Cake mix does the heavy lifting. Starting with a chocolate cake mix keeps the crumb foolproof and tender, so you can spend your energy on the cherry soak and frosting that make it special.
- The cherry syrup soaks in deep. Brushing each layer with the cooked cherry and Dr. Pepper syrup keeps the cake incredibly moist and pushes real cherry flavor all the way through.
- Reduced Dr. Pepper concentrates the flavor. Boiling the soda down to a half cup removes the water and leaves a sticky, cherry cola essence that flavors the buttercream without thinning it.
- Layers look impressive with zero special tools. Cutting one cake into three rounds gives you a bakery worthy stack from a single pan, no tiered cake pans required.
- It is make ahead friendly. The cake, syrup, and reduced soda can all be made the day before, so assembly on serving day takes just minutes.
- Fresh cherries keep it from being too sweet. Real cherries add a little tartness that balances the sweet frosting and rich chocolate for a dessert that never feels cloying.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- You get a bakery style layer cake from one easy boxed cake mix base.
- The Dr. Pepper and cherry combo tastes like a chocolate cherry cola float in cake form.
- It is a crowd pleasing potluck dessert, right alongside our cherry cheesecake bars.
Key Ingredients
A handful of grocery store staples turn into something that tastes completely from scratch. Here is what each one brings to the table.
- Chocolate cake mix: the shortcut that guarantees a moist, tender crumb every time. Use any chocolate variety you love.
- Dr. Pepper: the cherry cola flavor runs through the cake, the syrup, and the frosting. Cherry Dr. Pepper or regular both work.
- Fresh cherries: pitted and simmered into the syrup for bright, real fruit flavor and a little welcome tartness.
- Butter and powdered sugar: the base of a silky American buttercream, much like the one in our chocolate cream cheese frosting.
- Vanilla bean paste: rounds out the frosting with warm, fragrant vanilla flecks.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This cake is easy to make your own. Try one of these swaps and add ins.
- Swap the fresh cherries for a good quality cherry pie filling when fresh are out of season.
- Use root beer or cherry cola in place of the Dr. Pepper for a slightly different soda note.
- Fold mini chocolate chips into the batter for extra fudgy pockets throughout.
- Top with a drift of whipped cream instead of buttercream for a lighter, more classic finish.
- Feeling the gooey cake mix vibe? Make our funfetti earthquake cake for your next party.
How to Make Black Forest Cake
- Bake the chocolate cake. Mix the cake mix, Dr. Pepper, melted butter, and eggs until smooth, then bake in a bundt pan per the package directions. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the cherry syrup. Simmer the fresh cherries and Dr. Pepper in a saucepan for about 10 minutes, then strain, gently pressing the cherries to release every bit of juice. Chill until ready.
- Reduce the Dr. Pepper. Boil the soda for the frosting on high until only about a half cup of glossy syrup remains, roughly 25 to 30 minutes. Let it cool completely.
- Whip the buttercream. Cream the softened butter, add the powdered sugar a little at a time, then beat in the vanilla. Drizzle in the cooled reduced Dr. Pepper on low speed until silky.
- Slice and soak. Carefully cut the cooled cake into three even layers. Brush the bottom layer generously with the cherry syrup and let it soak in for moist, flavorful cake.
- Frost and stack. Spread frosting over the soaked layer, add the next layer, brush with more syrup, and frost again. Top with the final layer.
- Garnish and serve. Pipe or swirl the remaining frosting on top, then finish with fresh cherries and chocolate shavings. Slice and enjoy.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Cool the cake fully before slicing. A warm cake tears and slides; a completely cooled cake cuts into clean, even layers.
- Do not rush the soda reduction. It needs the full 25 to 30 minutes to thicken into a syrup that flavors the frosting without making it runny.
- Brush on more syrup than you think you need. The cake drinks it up, and that is what keeps every bite moist.
- Chill the assembled cake for 20 minutes before slicing to serve so the layers set and stay put.
- Save leftover reduced soda to drizzle over ice cream or our baked chocolate chip cake donuts.
- Use a serrated knife and a sawing motion for the prettiest layers and slices.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This cake is the star of any dessert table, but it loves company. Set it out with a few mini cheesecakes and a plate of lemon raspberry cake balls for a spread that covers every craving.
For a cozy coffee and dessert night, slice it thin and serve next to our tiramisu pie or a warm wedge of lemon blueberry coffee cake.
It also makes a fun birthday centerpiece. Add candles, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and maybe a black forest puff pastry braid for the brunch the next morning.
Black Forest Cake FAQs
A Black Forest Cake is built on chocolate cake and cherries. This version keeps that classic combo and adds a Dr. Pepper twist in the cake, the cherry syrup, and the buttercream for a fun cherry cola spin on the original.
Yes. Bake the cake, make the cherry syrup, and reduce the soda up to a day ahead. Store them separately, then assemble and frost on serving day. The finished cake keeps well chilled for up to three days.
Absolutely. A cup of pitted canned or frozen cherries works in the syrup. If you use cherry pie filling, simply warm it and skip the extra sugar since it is already sweetened.
Dr. Pepper gives that signature cherry cola flavor, but cherry cola, root beer, or even regular cola will all work. Just reduce it the same way for the frosting.
Cover the cake and refrigerate it for up to three days. Let slices sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens and the cake tastes its best.
Yes. Freeze the unfrosted cake layers wrapped well for up to two months. Thaw, soak, and frost when you are ready to serve. I do not recommend freezing the cake once it is frosted.
Once you have made this, try our gooey chocolate earthquake cake for another easy chocolate showstopper.
Dr. Pepper Black Forest Cake
Ingredients
Dr. Pepper Cake:
- 1 box chocolate cake mix I used a traditional chocolate, use what you love!
- 1 Cup Dr. Pepper Cherry or regular
- 1/2 Cup butter unsatled, melted
- 3 eggs
Dr. Pepper and Cherry Syrup:
- 1 Cup fresh cherries pitted
- 1/2 Cup Dr. Pepper Cherry or regular
Dr. Pepper Frosting:
- 4 Cup Dr. Pepper Cherry or regular
- 1 1/2 Cup butter unsalted, softened
- 2 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- cherries and chocolate shavings for garnish
Instructions
Dr. Pepper Cake:
- Preheat oven to directions on back of cake mix. Mix all ingredients until combined, 2 minutes. Spoon into bundt cake pan and let cook to directions on back of package. Let cake cool on wired rack for 10 minutes then take cake out of the pan and on the wire rack to cool completely.
Cherry Syrup:
- While cake is cooking, make the syrup by placing all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Take off the heat and pour mixture through a fine mesh colander gently crushing the cherries to get as much juice out as your can. Will make about 1/2 Cup of liquid, place in fridge until ready to assemble cake.
Dr. Pepper Frosting:
- Place the Dr. Pepper in a pan on the stove and boil to reduce the liquid until only 1/2 Cup remains. This will take 25-30 minutes on high. Let cool completely before making the frosting.
- Cream the butter in a bowl and slowly add in the powdered sugar. When all the sugar is incorporated, add in the vanilla and whip on high for 4 minutes. Add in the Dr. Pepper very carefully on low speed. Set aside.
Cake Assembly:
- Carefully cut the cake into three layers. On the first layer, brush on the cherry syrup to your taste, you will need a little more than you think. Let it soak in this will keep the cake extra moist and add more cherry/Dr. Pepper kick. Using a piping bag or spatula, frost the cake layer, trying to make sure the outside will look pretty. Place the second cake layer on top, add more cherry syrup. Add another layer of the frosting. Add the top layer of cake and if desired, design with the frosting as you wish, top with cherries for garnish and chocolate shavings.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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This is one good looking cake! There’s a good chance that when I make this I’ll be the only one eating it. Guess that’s not the worst thing that could happen!
I bought then in a little bottle in the baking aisle, shhh! Hehe, thanks so much!
How did you make the chocolate shavings? Your cake is beautiful! It sounds yummy! Thanks for posting it.
Featuring this beautiful cake tomorrow at “Bewitchin’ Projects Block Party! It is gorgeous!