Indulge in this simple and tasty gingerbread trifle recipe, perfect for holiday gatherings or any time of year. Impress your guests with this easy and show-stopping dessert that requires minimal work.
Gingerbread, obviously, is a fall kinda flavor. Those fall spices are all up in this dessert. Make it for Thanksgiving celebrations, for Christmas parties, or during the end of the year - just because.
Trifle is a favorite of mine, in any flavor, just because it's so simple to assemble and you can do it with really any ingredients and it always looks so beautifully done.
Jump to:
- What makes this recipe yummy
- Groceries you'll need: ingredients
- Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
- Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Necessary gear: equipment
- More trifle recipes I think you'll love
- How to store leftovers
- Mel's Kitchen Notes
- Frequently asked questions: FAQs
- Gingerbread Trifle
- Newest Recipes
- 💬 Comments
What makes this recipe yummy
I think using the cheesecake pudding flavor really helps keep the dessert from being too sweet. I find it is not as sweet as, say, vanilla pudding etc.
Using gingersnap cookies gives a delicious texture change up that is so necessary in a trifle. The cake is obviously nice and soft, so add a little texture with those cookies.
Groceries you'll need: ingredients
- Gingerbread Cake and Cookie Mix
- Eggs
- Water
- Cheesecake Pudding Mix
- Milk
- Gingersnap Cookies
- Powdered Sugar
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Vanilla Extract
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe steps. For more detailed instructions visit the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Step 1: Add the gingerbread cake mix, egg and water to a large bowl and beat together with a whisk.
- Step 2: Pour into a greased 11x7" baking dish and bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.
- Step 3: Mix together the cheesecake pudding mix and milk and allow to set up while the cake is cooling down.
- Step 4: Begin layering the pudding, cake and crumbled cookies in the trifle dish.
- Step 5: Beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form then mix in the vanilla and powdered sugar.
- Step 6: Pipe on top of the layered trifle to finish it off. Then sprinkle with crumbles of leftover cake and gingerbread cookie crumbs.
- Step 7: Allow to sit for 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
Hint: Allowing the trifle to rest in the refrigerator for a couple of hours is ideal to allow the flavors to come together. It makes a big difference to the taste and texture of the trifle.
Recipe variations and substitute ideas
- Caramel Sauce - drizzle some of this during the layering or on top.
- Vanilla Pudding Mix - instead of the cheesecake pudding mix.
- Homemade Gingerbread - if you can't find the box mix, or would rather make it from scratch at home, I would recommend this recipe from one of my blogging friends, as a tried and truly delicious gingerbread loaf recipe. It uses ground ginger, cinnamon, molasses, all the things you would expect in a delicious homemade gingerbread.
- Brown Sugar - sprinkle some between layers.
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Necessary gear: equipment
The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Mixing bowls, baking dish for the cake and a footed trifle dish is needed for this recipe - I have affiliate links in the recipe card below for more information.
If you don't have a trifle dish, don't worry. Use the biggest bowl you have. It'll be ok like that - just not as pretty.
More trifle recipes I think you'll love
How to store leftovers
Cover the trifle dish with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I wouldn't recommend freezing any leftover trifle, when it thaws it can be kind of weird.
Mel's Kitchen Notes
Using a stabilizer like powdered sugar, or meringue powder will help keep the whipped cream on top from wilting too soon. You could also use frozen whipped topping, but again, it will melt once removed from the refrigerator.
Frequently asked questions: FAQs
I would recommend it, in order for the textures and flavors to marry together.
Not if you've used good texture variations. This is why I like to use gingersnap cookies as well as the cake. Yes, the pudding does soften it up, but in a good way.
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Gingerbread Trifle
Video
Equipment
- 1 Baking Dish (11"x7")
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cake
- 1 (14.5 Ounce) Box Gingerbread Cake and Cookie Mix
- 1 Each Large Egg
- 1-¼ Cups Water
Cheesecake Pudding
- 2 (3.4 Ounce) Boxes Cheesecake Instant Pudding Mix
- 4 Cups Milk cold
Chantilly Cream
- 1-½ Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ Cup Powdered Sugar
Extras
- 1 (16 Ounce) Box Gingersnap Cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 11x7" baking dish.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the gingerbread cake mix, egg and water and beat well with a wire whisk.1 (14.5 Ounce) Box Gingerbread Cake and Cookie Mix, 1 Each Large Egg, 1-¼ Cups Water
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and bake in the oven for 25 -30 minutes. Check for done-ness with a toothpick only a few crumbs should come out with the stick. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- While the gingerbread cake is baking, mix together the milk and cheesecake pudding mix with a whisk, then allow to set in the refrigerator. By the time the cake cools the pudding will be set perfectly.2 (3.4 Ounce) Boxes Cheesecake Instant Pudding Mix, 4 Cups Milk
- Start layering the trifle. Start with the pudding, take about ⅓ of the pudding and level on the bottom of the dish.
- Cut the gingerbread cake into 2" cubes (ish), it doesn't have to be exact. Layer half of this on top of the pudding layer. Top with broken, crumbled gingersnap cookies.1 (16 Ounce) Box Gingersnap Cookies
- Repeat again, until the ingredients are used up and you should be close to the top of the bowl.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Mix in the vanilla and powdered sugar.
- Either spoon the cream onto the top of the trifle, or if you want to get prettier results pipe it onto the top.1-½ Cups Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, ½ Cup Powdered Sugar
- Crumble cookies and remaining cake crumbs on the top for decoration.
- Allow to sit in the refrigerator for about 2 hours before digging in, so that the layers can mesh together.
Notes
Nutrition
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