Description
This decadent Chocolate Trifle is a layered dessert featuring rich chocolate cake or brownies, creamy chocolate pudding, and crunchy toppings like cookies or toffee. It’s an easy-to-assemble, crowd-pleasing treat perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Trifle:
- 1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box chocolate cake mix or 1 (18-ounce) package fudge brownie mix
- 1 to 3 large eggs (per package instructions)
- 1/4 to 3/4 cup water (per package instructions)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or amount per package instructions)
- 2 (3.9-ounce) boxes instant chocolate pudding mix
- 4 cups cold whole milk
- 25 chocolate crème sandwich cookies (such as Oreos) or 8 (1.4-ounce) English toffee candy bars (such as Heath bars), or a combination
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake/Brownies:
- Thaw the whipped topping in the refrigerator for about 4 hours or overnight.
- Prepare the chocolate cake or brownie mix according to package directions, using a parchment-lined 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted 1-inch from the edge comes out with a few moist crumbs: 20 to 25 minutes for cake or 25 to 30 minutes for brownies.
- Let the cake or brownies cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the Pudding:
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2 boxes instant chocolate pudding mix and 4 cups cold whole milk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Let sit at room temperature to thicken, about 5 minutes.
- Prepare the Mix-ins:
- Coarsely chop 25 chocolate crème sandwich cookies or 8 English toffee candy bars (or a combination) into 3 cups.
- Assemble the Trifle:
- Cut the cooled cake or brownies into 1-inch pieces.
- In a 2 1/2 to 4-quart trifle dish or glass bowl, layer half of the cake or brownie cubes. Top with half of the pudding, half of the chopped candy bars or cookies, and half of the whipped topping.
- Repeat the layering with the remaining cake, pudding, and candy bars or cookies.
- Reserve the remaining whipped topping and any crumbs from the candy bars, cookies, cake, or brownies in a small dish.
- Chill and Garnish:
- Cover the trifle with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
- Before serving, spread the reserved whipped topping over the top of the trifle and garnish with the reserved crumbs.
Notes
- Make Ahead: The cake or brownies can be baked up to 2 days in advance, wrapped, and stored at room temperature. The trifle can be assembled and refrigerated up to 1 day in advance.
- Storage: Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 to 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/16th of the trifle
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 45mg