Kingdom of Trifles

  

My favorite dessert to make (as well as being the easiest) is the Trifle Bowl.  The ingredients are so, so simple, and it always comes out delicious!!

I have made a number of different kinds, but there are basic ingredients for all: cake, pudding, and whipped cream.  A trifle makes for a tasty treat that looks good when it is fully intact; however, it will start to look like a hot mess once people start digging in.  Not to worry, though, I've never served one where the bowl wasn't emptied after 15 minutes.  The recipe is as follows:

Trifle Bowl

Ingredients

1. 1 box of cake mix*
2. 1 12oz. can of soda (optional)
3. 2 packages of instant JELL-O pudding
4. Four cups of 2% milk
5. Light Cool-Whip*
6. "something extra special" for texture

*Of course, you can always make cake from scratch or whip your own cream...but I've found that when making a trifle, it doesn't really matter because the taste is still great; so save your time and get the store-bought stuff!

Directions

The baking of the cake should always be the first step because the cake needs time to cool before assembly.  I like to use a can of soda when making cake mixes because it makes me feel like I am making a healthier decision to skip the cup of oil.  For chocolate or red velvet cakes, I use Diet Coke; for golden or white cake, use Sprite; and for carrot cake, use Sprite or orange soda.  Only one can is necessary to mix and bake the cake.  The soda substitutes for the eggs, oil, and water that you normally use for cake boxes.  However, you should still use the same baking time in the preheated oven (at 350 degrees Fahrenheit).  I like to use the 9" x 13" pan because it's easier for me to cube the cake later on.

Once the cake has been baked and cooled, you can make the instant pudding.  Four cups of 2% milk to make the 2 packages of pudding.  Mix well, and let it settle for 5-8 minutes.  

Try to acquire a glass or plastic trifle bowl.  Trifle bowls are pretty cheap at places like the Christmas Tree Shop (around $7), and they help you create a great presentation.  Before layering your trifle, cut the cake into even squares in the pan. The first layer is cake, followed by a layer of pudding.  Next, layer the light Cool Whip, and repeat.

The "something extra special" for texture depends on your "theme" for the trifle.  For my Red Velvet Trifle (picture above), I toasted sliced almonds in my toaster oven on the Toast- 2 setting.  I also chose French Vanilla flavored pudding.  I always add my "something extra special" after the Cool Whip.  Here, I put my almonds before continuing with another layer of cake.  For the final layer, you should always end with your whipped cream.  For the Red Velvet Trifle, the top layer included sliced almonds and chocolate shavings...yummm.

The special something for my Chocolate and Banana Trifle included banana slices between the layers and blocks of chocolate with the slices on the top.  Also delicious.

The special something for my White Chocolate Funfetti Trifle included chocolate chips.