This chocolate trifle is layered with chocolate cake, creamy chocolate pudding, homemade whipped cream, crunchy candies, and topped with fresh raspberries. Although each of the components of this dessert is homemade, the quick assembly and multiple make-ahead options make this a surprisingly easy chocolate trifle recipe—and the perfect dessert for a dinner party.
What is the difference between a trifle and a parfait?
When I think of a trifle, my brain immediately goes to Rachel Green’s Thanksgiving trifle from Friends.
A trifle is a traditional English dessert made with layers of sponge cake, custard, pieces of fruit, jelly, and cream. It’s served in a large dish and is the perfect dessert for a family gathering.
A parfait, which finds its origins in France, is also a layered dessert with cake, fruit, and a filling and served in individual containers. Many also have frozen elements. In the US many parfaits are layered with yogurt, berries, and granola and eaten for breakfast.
While this recipe is served in individual servings vs. a large dish, I’m still calling this a chocolate trifle recipe as its ingredients lean more in that direction.
What Goes into a Chocolate Cake Trifle?
This chocolate trifle recipe contains 5 basic layers – chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, Kit Kat bars (or your chocolate candy of choice), whipped cream, and topped with raspberries. This was a recipe I adapted from when I was a kid. This trifle (or we called it truffle) was one of my favorites but we always made everything from a box. The cake, pudding, and Cool Whip.
Now, I have nothing against boxed pudding or cake mix, but I wanted to recreate this where I could control the sugar levels. To my surprise, most of the chocolate trifle recipes I found all used boxed mixes. So, I combined some of my favorite homemade versions of each element and developed this recipe. It does take a bit longer to prepare than some of the other recipes you can find online, but the taste is worth the wait.
Jump to RecipeThe Best Way to Layer a Chocolate Trifle
- Start with cake. I use my favorite chocolate cake recipe and halve the recipe. Slice the cake into bite-sized pieces and layer the bottom of each glass (I used stemless wine glasses, but mason jars or anything with a wide mouth will work).
- Pile on the pudding. Cover the cake completely with a thick layer of chocolate pudding. For this dessert, I’ve used this Chocolate Cornstarch Pudding recipe. Full instructions are listed in the recipe below. It’s a creamy, thick chocolate pudding that provides a sturdy layer. (If you’re in a rush you can always opt for instant chocolate pudding, but homemade just tastes so much better. 🙂 )
- Add the crushed candies. Chop the Kit Kats into small pieces and sprinkle them on top of the pudding.
- Whipped Cream goes on top. Feel free to get fancy and pipe a swirl or just spoon it over the mixture.
- Top with raspberries and I added another Kit Kat for decoration.
Why You’ll Love This Version
Individual servings. Yes, I know my British friends will tell me this isn’t technically a trifle, but that’s okay. While the individual servings take a bit longer to prepare than one large dish, they are perfect for entertaining (or for portion control because these are GOOD.)
You control the sweetness. When I bake, I try to take the sugar down as much as possible without ruining the integrity of the bake. This is why I like to make each element (vs. getting the boxed mix) so I can control how much sugar I use.
Pick your toppings. Don’t like Kit Kats? No problem. Swap them out for anything you want. Heath bars, chocolate chips, M&M, crushed walnuts, etc. You can also top these with any berry you’d like. I chose raspberries because the tartness helps remove some of the sweetness from the chocolate, but strawberries and blueberries would also be delicious.
Jump to RecipeTips for Making this Chocolate Trifle Recipe
- Don’t forget to put the hot water in the cake. The hot water makes the chocolate bloom and produces a rich chocolate flavor and a moist, soft crumb. The cake is versatile enough to be your new go-to recipe.
- Be patient. If you’ve never made homemade pudding or custard before, the trick is patience. It can take around 20 minutes (more if you are using non-dairy milk) for the pudding to get to the right consistency. Keep stirring. Don’t increase the heat too much. It will come together. It’s this weird phenomenon where you think you’ve done something wrong because it’s staying runny and thin and then all of a sudden it gets thick and done.
Yes. Because you are making each element, I make the pudding the night before and let it set in the fridge overnight. You can also make the cake 2-3 days in advance, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge. I’d recommend assembling a couple of hours before serving so the cake doesn’t become soggy.
Chocolate Trifle with Raspberries
Equipment
- 4 glasses for serving (wine glasses, mason jars)
- 1 9 in round cake pan
- 1 medium sized sauce pan
Ingredients
Cake
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
- 3 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup hot water
Chocolate Pudding
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 3/4 cup milk (see note)
- 2 tbsp butter (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar (or to taste)
Toppings
- Kit Kats
- raspberries
Instructions
For the Cake
- Combine wet ingredients (minus the hot water) in a medium bowl. Mix well.
- Whisk together dry ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well.
- Add the hot water. Mix until combined. Pour into a 9inch cake pan. Bake at 300 for 22 minutes.
For the Pudding
- Whisk together cocoa powder, cornstarch, sugar, and salt in a medium sauce pan. Stir in milk and place over medium low heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly (about 20 minutes).
- Once boiled and thickened, add the butter and vanilla. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool completely. Place in fridge and chill overnight.
For the Whipped Cream
- Whisk the heavy whipping cream on high power until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and continue to mix until stiff peaks form.
Assembly
- Cut the cake into small pieces. Line the bottom of each glass with the cake pieces.
- Pour a thick pudding layer over the cake.
- Sprinkle with Kit Kats or your crunchy candy of choice.
- Top with whipped cream, raspberries, and a Kit Kat for garnish.
