Black Forest Birthday Cake

I may as well just get it over with first thing and tell you that this is made from a cake mix! Some of you will not want to keep reading, but others may be somewhat relieved. This cake started out in our family as a “Black Forest Want-To-Be” with rum flavoring etc. When our kids were little they did not care for that flavor and also did not care for the cherries. This is when recipes change and so this one (with strawberries) has become a favorite birthday cake in our family. Sometimes it ends up in a trifle and sometimes the recipe gets doubled and made in a larger spring form pan or sheet. It is best to make it the day ahead and cover it with a cake cover. It keeps for days in the fridge. I am including very detailed pictures and instructions, so this is for anyone who has never even attempted decorating a cake. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 box Devil’s Food/Chocolate cake mix
1 pkg Jello instant chocolate fudge pudding
1 can cherry pie filling or 2 pints fresh sliced strawberries
1 pint (2 cups) whipping cream, sweeten to taste
1 square Baker's Semi Sweet chocolate (or your preference)

1. Mix cake mix according to pkg instructions, then pour into a greased and floured 8 1/2 inch spring form pan. ( a spring form pan makes the process easier, because the spring adjustment on the side opens and makes for easy cake removal.) Bake at 350 F, about 50 - 60 min. Test with toothpick. Let sit for 10 min. Remove from pan and cool completely.

2. Whip cream until stiff (but not lumpy), adding ½ - 1 Tbsp sugar. Set aside in fridge.
3. Mix pudding according to pkg. instructions. ( I use a Tupperware gravy mixer to shake it up) Set aside.
4. Make chocolate shavings with chocolate , using a potato peeler. Set aside.
5. Trim off rounded top on cake and let kids or hubby enjoy it. Turn cake upside down and transfer to a flat serving plate. Slice through twice, horizontally, using a sharp serrated knife, so that you have three layers. Carefully lift off top 2 layers.
6. Cover first layer with prepared chocolate pudding. (there will be some left over) Add second layer of cake. Cover with cherries or strawberries (spread a thin layer of whipped cream, top with sliced berries and fill spaces with more whipped cream.). Add third layer of cake.
7. Spread whipping cream all along sides and top of cake. ( I add about 2 Tbsp of the pudding or instant chocolate drink mix to the whipped cream when I use strawberries.) Use the serrated knife to level off top.

8. At this point you might need to give the left over whipped cream another whirl with the beater. Fill a decorating tube (the little plastic ones are fine too) and, using the large star tip, decorate the edge and around bottom if you want. This is where my cakes always change looks. With a small cake like this you can keep it quite simple, but you can also take a tumbler and make circular indentations, then follow the patterns with star tips.
9. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Decorate with maraschino cherries or strawberries cut in half. It looks nice to leave the stems on the cherries or the strawberries.