This post may contain affiliate links, which cost you absolutely nothing, but may earn me a commission.
Twenty-five-ish years ago, I worked for a huge living history museum here in Williamsburg, Virginia.
We often held breakroom parties in my department for holidays since we probably wouldn’t have had time to eat if we didn’t feed each other–and we worked EVERY. SINGLE. HOLIDAY.
I was around 23 and had the energy to bake on a regular basis in addition to my two jobs, so I usually brought a dessert to share.
One of my staples was a Black Forest Trifle which was delicious, but once several people had taken servings of it, it sort of collapsed into a pile in the bowl. Still yummy, but not as pretty to look at.
In fact, I can remember my boss/friend Suz asking me before one party “You’re bringing Goo In A Bowl, right?” It was a little bit popular…
Layers of chocolate cake cubes, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and cherry pie filling. It looks lovely in a glass bowl, and I still make it sometimes for a crowd.
This cake contains the exact same ingredients, but about half the quantity, and it’s a lot easier to fit in the refrigerator!
Start with a chocolate cake mix and bake it according to the package directions in a 13×9 Pyrex dish. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, poke holes evenly(ish) across the top of the cake once it’s cooled.
Prepare a package of chocolate pudding according to the package directions. Before it sets, pour the mixture evenly(ish) across the top of the cake.
Smooth one tub of whipped topping across the top of the pudding., and then use a spoon to place dollops of cherry pie filling on top of the cream.
I like to swirl it into the cream a little bit to make it pretty.
When I make a trifle instead of a cake, I save a few cake cubes and then crumble them over the top of the pie filling to make it EXTRA pretty! You could also top it with chocolate sprinkles or chopped nuts if you’d like.
Slice into squares and dig in!
This doesn’t last long in my house, and since it’s dead simple to make, why not make one and see how long it takes for your family, friends, or co-workers to devour it!
Can you make this from scratch? Absolutely! Use your favorite cake recipe. Use sugar or a sugar substitute. Use a gluten-free mix. Substitute almond, soy, coconut, or other milk when you make the pudding.
Make your whipped cream from scratch and sweeten with sugar, sugar substitute, honey, or whatever you like. It’s going into your stomach–make it the way you want it!
What You’ll Need:
1 Chocolate Cake Mix, prepared according to package directions
1 Package Chocolate Pudding Mix, prepared according to package directions
