Gingerbread trifle has 3 main layers of pudding, whipped cream, and gingerbread cake with caramel sauce drizzled in between for good measure. Plus, it comes together quickly!
6.8ouncesinstant French vanilla pudding mixtwo 3.4 ounce boxes
6cupswhipped cream3 cups heavy whipping cream + 3/4 cup sugar
1cupcaramel sauce
pinch of ground cinnamonoptional as garnish
gingerbread men or gingersnap cookiesoptional as garnish
Instructions
Cut cooled gingerbread cake into 1-inch cubes.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together milk and pudding mix until pudding begins to thicken. Set aside.
Whip the cream until stiff peaks form if you have not already done so. Whip heavy cream with a whisk until soft peaks form, then add about ¾ cup sugar, then continue whipping until stiff peaks form. Don’t overwhip.
Cover the bottom of a trifle dish with cake pieces. Layer ½ of the pudding mixture and ⅓ of the whipped cream over the gingerbread layer.
Drizzle with about ½ cup of caramel sauce.
Add another layer of gingerbread cake and the remaining pudding mixture.
Dollop or pipe another layer of whipped cream and caramel sauce on top of the trifle.
Now finish off the trifle however you like. We mounded the remaining pieces of gingerbread cake in the center and piped some whipped cream swirls around the perimeter, accenting with gingerbread men and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
Notes
French vanilla, vanilla, eggnog, butterscotch, or white chocolate are good options to use in gingerbread trifle.
French vanilla instant pudding is typically sold in 3.4 oz. packets. If you would like to substitute a 5.1 oz. box of vanilla instant pudding (or if you find a 5.1 oz. box of French vanilla) mix with just 3 cups of milk instead of 3 ½. You can use cook-n-serve pudding if desired, it just tacks on extra steps and time.
You can typically find boxed gingerbread cake mixes at the store during the holidays, but if you can't seem to find it you can make one from scratch or purchase a premade cake and cube it. We used one standard homemade gingerbread cake. The gingerbread cake is a bit heavier than a typical American cake and holds up well for cutting into cubes and being layered with moist pudding and whipped cream.