Description
A fun way to change up your Easter dessert recipes with a layered carrot cake trifle with cream cheese frosting whip and vanilla pudding. It’s a holiday show stopper.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5.25 oz Instant vanilla pudding
- 3 cups cold milk
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 2 Tbs honey
- 2 Tbs softened butter
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 large carrots shredded
- 16 oz heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- additional whipped cream for garnish
Instructions
- Grease and flour a 9×13 dark metal baking pan.
- Prepare the Instant vanilla pudding according to package directions in a large bowl with 3 cups cold milk and chill for at least an hour.
- Heat the oven to 350F.
- Prepare the cake by combining the four eggs, 1 cup olive oil, 1.5 cups sugar and mixing vigorously until yolks are combined and the mixture is a light yellow color. Then add in the 2 Tbs. butter and 2 Tbs honey and continue mixing until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine the 2 cups cake flour, 1/4 tsp cardamom, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt and mix with a fork then add in the flour mix a 1/4 cup at a time to the wet mixture, mixing until incorporated.
- Next, add in the four shredded carrots and mix until combined.
- Pour the cake batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 dark baking pan and bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until a toothpick that is inserted comes out clean. Then allow to fully cool in the pan until you’re ready to assemble the trifle.
- While the cake bakes, prepare the cream cheese whip. Combine the heavy whipping cream and the powdered sugar in a metal bowl and whip until still peaks form. I like to use a stand mixer or electric whisk for this job.
- Next, put the softened cream cheese in a separate bowl and beat with a hand mixer until smooth. Then add in the whipped cream, continuing to blend until fully incorporated and smooth. You add the whip in gradually so that you don’t get cream cheese lumps. Set the cream cheese whip aside.
- Once your pudding has chilled, the cream cheese whip is prepared and the cake is cooled, you’re ready to assemble your trifle.
- First, cut up the carrot cake into 1 – 2 inch cubes. Layer half of the cake pieces into the bottom of your trifle bowl, then add a layer of half of the pudding, then a layer of all of the cream cheese whip, then the remaining cake pieces, then the remaining pudding, then the remaining cream cheese whip. It will equal six layers.
- Next, sprinkle on top a layer of chopped walnuts, unless you hate nuts, then skip them.
- Finally, totally optional, but if you want an extra special garnish, top with additional whipped cream and orange colored white chocolate dipped “carrot” strawberries.
Notes
- The olive oil might sound strange but it helps add a nice flavor and packs in extra moisture into the cake.
- I like a more finely shredded carrot for carrot cake, so that it doesn’t make the cake super “chunky” if you get my drift.
- Orange food coloring was added to the white chocolate to dip the strawberries to make them look like carrots. I use Ghiradelli white chocolate melting wafers.
- Prep Time: 40 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: carrot cake trifle, easter trifle recipes, easter recipe, easter trifle, carrot cake, easter, trifle, dessert, whipped cream, pudding, carrots, cream cheese frosting, cream cheese carrot cake trifle