I have made this acouple of times and it is in demand for our office Christmas party this year. It is pretty easy to make and very tastey! Sections of the trifle can be made a day or two ahead of time to cut down on the last minute rush.

"Black Forest Trifle" from The Canadian Living Christmas Book

Ingredients

-custard (recipe to follow)
-1 chocolate cake (recipe to follow, you must use this recipe as it makes a dense cake)
-1/3 cup chocolate liqueur, kirsch or cherry liqueur (I used creme de cocoa)
-4 cups drained canned cherries or drained frozen cherries (I used canned cherry pie filling, it worked well and is very pretty)
-1 cup whipping cream
-2 Tbsp icing sugar
-1 tsp vanilla
-chocolate curls to garnish

**Custard**
3 cups milk
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup corn starch
1 tsp vanilla

In sauce pan, heat milk until bubbles form around the edges.
In a heavy pan, beat yolks with sugar & cornstarch until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk.
Cook over med. heat, stir constantly for 3-5 mins or until thickened.
Reduce heat to low, simmer stirring for 1 minute.
Strain into a bowl and add vanilla.
PLace plastic wrap directly on the surface; refridgerate until cool or for up to 2 days.

**Chocolate Cake**
1/2 cup butter softened
1 1/3 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup siften unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk

Line botom of a 9" pan with waxed paper, grease sides.
In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy, beat in eggs one at a time, beat in vanilla.
Stir flour, baking powder and soda and salt together.
Add dry to creamed mixture alternating with milk, making 3 additions of flour and 2 of milk.
Pour into pan.
Bake at 350 oven for 30-35 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean.
Cool on rack in pan for 10 minutes, turn out on rack and cool for an hour.

**Trifle directions**
Break the cooled chocolate cake into chunks and arrange in the bottom of a 14 cup (3.5 L) trifle bowl (I used a large clear punch bowl).
Drizzle with liqueur.
Set 1/4 cup of cherries aside, spoon remaining over the cake, arranging atractivly along the edge of the bowl.
Spoon on cooled custard.
(>>NOTE:The trifle can be made up to this point, covered and refridgerated for up to 1 day.)
Whip cream with icing sugar, beat in vanilla.
Spread over the custard.
Garnish with chocolate curls and the reserved cherries.
Makes 12 servings (I have served about 12-16 people as it is a large dessert and goes a long way...it even tastes great after a day or two as left overs)

ENJOY!!