Description
This Gingerbread Trifle is a festive, layered dessert combining moist gingerbread cake, creamy vanilla pudding, rich caramel and brandy drizzle, fluffy whipped cream with marshmallow fluff, and crunchy toffee bits. Perfect for holiday celebrations, it’s beautifully presented in a trifle dish and features gingerbread-themed sprinkles for a charming finishing touch. It’s easy to assemble with no baking required for the pudding and can be made ahead to allow flavors to meld wonderfully.
Ingredients
Scale
Gingerbread Cake
- 1 gingerbread cake (9 x 13-Inch)
Vanilla Pudding Mixture
- 4 Cups milk
- 2 Packages vanilla pudding mix (8-Ounce packages, French Vanilla recommended)
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
Caramel Brandy Mixture
- ½ Cup caramel sauce
- 3 Tablespoons brandy or cognac
Whipped Cream Mixture
- 3 ½ Cups heavy cream
- 1 Cup marshmallow fluff
- ½ Cup powdered sugar
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
Toppings and Garnish
- 1 Cup toffee bits (Heath Bits O’ Brickle recommended)
- 3 Tablespoons gingerbread-themed sprinkles
Instructions
- Slice the Gingerbread Cake: Cut your gingerbread cake into 1-inch pieces and set aside to prepare the rest of the trifle components.
- Make the Pudding Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk and vanilla pudding mixes along with ¼ teaspoon salt until smooth. Set aside to thicken.
- Prepare Caramel Brandy Drizzle: In a small bowl, whisk together the caramel sauce and brandy (or cognac) until fully combined and smooth.
- Whip the Cream Mixture: Using a stand mixer or electric mixer, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, marshmallow fluff, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form.
- Set Aside Whipped Cream for Piping: Fill a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip with approximately 1 ½ cups of whipped cream and refrigerate until ready to garnish. Keep the remaining whipped cream at room temperature to use in assembling the layers.
- Start Layering with Pudding: Spoon a thin layer of the pudding mixture into the bottom of a 4-quart trifle dish to create your base layer.
- Add Gingerbread Cake Pieces: Spread one-third of the sliced gingerbread cake pieces evenly over the pudding layer.
- Drizzle Caramel Brandy Sauce: Drizzle one-third of the caramel and brandy mixture evenly over the gingerbread cake pieces.
- Add Whipped Cream Layer: Spoon one-third of the whipped cream mixture over the caramel-drizzled gingerbread pieces.
- Sprinkle Toffee Bits: Scatter one-third of the toffee bits over the whipped cream layer for crunch and flavor.
- Add Another Pudding Layer: Spoon one-third of the remaining pudding mixture over the toffee and whipped cream layer, smoothing gently.
- Repeat Layers: Repeat layering the gingerbread cake pieces, caramel drizzle, whipped cream, toffee bits, and pudding two more times until all ingredients are used up.
- Chill the Trifle: Cover the trifle dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours, to allow the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Pipe Whipped Cream Garnish: When ready to serve, remove the trifle and piping bag from the refrigerator. Pipe swirls of whipped cream around the outer edge of the trifle for an elegant presentation.
- Add Sprinkles: Finish by sprinkling the gingerbread-themed sprinkles evenly on top to add festive color and charm.
Notes
- If you prefer an alcohol-free version, omit the brandy or cognac and replace it with additional caramel sauce or a splash of vanilla extract.
- For best results, prepare the trifle several hours in advance or even the day before to allow the pudding to set and flavors to meld.
- Use a clear glass trifle bowl to showcase the beautiful layered dessert.
- Store leftover trifle covered in the refrigerator and consume within 3 days for optimal freshness.
- To save time, you can use store-bought gingerbread cake or bake your own ahead of time.
- The marshmallow fluff adds sweetness and stability to the whipped cream but can be omitted for a lighter whipped cream if preferred.
