Marry Thompson This Carrot Cake Trifle is a creamy and spiced recipe, which is made with carrot cake mix and speculoos cookies. It’s the perfect holiday dessert for a crowd, ready in about an hour, plus chilling time.
Jump to RecipeCarrot Cake Trifle Recipe Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 (15.25-oz.) box carrot cake mix
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts, divided
- 1/2 cup grated carrots
For the Pudding:
- 1 (5.1-oz.) package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 3 cups whole milk
- Red and Yellow food coloring
For the Cream Cheese Whipped Cream:
- 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
For Assembly:
- 1 (8.8-oz.) package speculoos cookies, such as Biscoff
- Optional: Candied Carrots for garnish
How To Make Carrot Cake Trifle
- Bake the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan with baking spray and a parchment paper sling. In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, oil, buttermilk, and eggs. Fold in ¾ cup of the chopped walnuts and the grated carrots. Pour into the prepared pan and bake according to the package directions. Let the cake cool completely.
- Make the Pudding: While the cake bakes, prepare the vanilla pudding according to the package directions using the 3 cups of whole milk. Add a few drops of red and yellow food coloring to tint the pudding a light orange color. Chill the pudding for at least 30 minutes.
- Make the Cream Cheese Whipped Cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy. Reduce the speed to medium and gradually pour in the heavy whipping cream and vanilla. Continue beating until the cream is whipped and holds stiff peaks.
- Assemble the Layers: Once the cake is cool, cut it into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Place a single, snug layer of cake cubes in the bottom of a large trifle dish.
- Create the Trifle: Gently fold about 1 cup of the cream cheese whipped cream into the chilled pudding to lighten it. Crush the speculoos cookies, reserving 1/4 cup for the top. Layer half of the pudding mixture over the cake, sprinkle with half of the remaining crushed cookies, and top with half of the whipped cream cheese. Repeat the layers once more with the remaining cake, pudding, cookies, and whipped cream.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the top with the reserved crushed cookies and the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts. Decorate with optional candied carrots. Serve immediately or chill until ready.
Recipe Tips
- How to make this ahead of time? This is the perfect make-ahead dessert! You can bake the cake, make the pudding, and whip the cream a day in advance. Store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Assemble the trifle a few hours before serving for the best texture.
- What if I can’t find speculoos cookies? If you can’t find Biscoff or other speculoos cookies, you can substitute them with an equal amount of crushed gingersnaps, shortbread cookies, or even vanilla wafers.
- How do I get a perfect whipped cream cheese layer? The secret is to use very cold heavy cream and fully softened, room-temperature cream cheese. This allows the cream cheese to beat up fluffy without any lumps before the cold cream is added.
- Can I make the cake from scratch? Absolutely! While a cake mix is a great shortcut, your favorite homemade carrot cake recipe will make this trifle even more special. Just be sure it’s baked in a 9×13-inch pan.
What To Serve With Carrot Cake Trifle
This is a show-stopping, all-in-one dessert that is a complete centerpiece for any gathering, especially Easter or a spring party. It needs no accompaniment other than a large serving spoon and bowls.
How To Store Carrot Cake Trifle
- Refrigerate: The assembled trifle must be stored in the refrigerator. Cover it with plastic wrap. It is best enjoyed within 2 days, as the cake and cookies will continue to soften over time.
Carrot Cake Trifle Nutrition Facts
- Serving: 1 serving (1/12th of trifle)
- Calories: 710 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 85g
- Protein: 9g
- Fat: 40g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Sugar: 65g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
A trifle is a classic English dessert made by layering different components in a large, deep, clear glass bowl. It typically consists of some type of cake or ladyfingers, a fruit or jelly layer, a custard or pudding, and a whipped cream topping.
A watery trifle can happen if the cake is still warm when you assemble it, causing the cream to melt, or if the pudding layer was not fully chilled and set. It’s important to work with completely cooled components.
Yes. If you can’t find a carrot cake mix, a spice cake mix would be the best and most flavorful substitute for this recipe.
Try More Recipes:
Carrot Cake Trifle Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy16
servings30
minutes35
minutes710
kcalA stunning layered dessert featuring cubes of moist carrot cake, a creamy orange-tinted vanilla pudding, crunchy speculoos cookies, and a rich cream cheese whipped cream.
Ingredients
Cake & Mix-ins: 1 (15.25-oz.) box carrot cake mix (plus ingredients on box), 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts, 1/2 cup grated carrots.
Pudding: 1 (5.1-oz.) package instant vanilla pudding mix, 3 cups whole milk, orange food coloring.
Cream: 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese (softened), 3 cups heavy whipping cream, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp. vanilla.
Assembly: 1 (8.8-oz.) package speculoos cookies, crushed.
Directions
- Bake the carrot cake according to package directions, adding the walnuts and grated carrots to the batter. Let it cool completely, then cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes.
- Prepare the vanilla pudding with the milk, tint it orange with food coloring, and let it chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Make the cream cheese whipped cream by beating the cream cheese and sugar until fluffy, then whipping in the heavy cream and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
- Fold 1 cup of the cream mixture into the chilled pudding.
- Layer the trifle: Start with a layer of cake cubes, then half the pudding, half the crushed cookies, and half the whipped cream. Repeat the layers.
- Top the final layer of whipped cream with the remaining walnuts and reserved cookie crumbs.
- Serve immediately or chill for a few hours.
Notes
- The most important tip for this recipe is to let all your components—the cake and the pudding—cool completely before you begin to assemble the trifle.
- For the best texture, use room temperature, softened cream cheese to ensure your whipped cream layer is perfectly smooth and lump-free.
- The parchment paper “sling” in the cake pan is a great trick for easily lifting the cake out to cut into neat cubes.
- This is the perfect make-ahead party dessert; just assemble it a few hours before your guests arrive and keep it in the refrigerator.