This recipe for carrot cake trifle dessert is for those who love simplicity! The cake is soft with a hint of spice, and it is layered with a creamy coconut filling!

I know I’ve talked about how Jello was a big deal when I was growing up. Along with Jello came Jello molds. They ranged from typical smooth, round molds, to shaped and intricate. Jello used to be fancy.

Along with the molds came fillings. Sometimes the filling were marshmallows, pretzels, canned fruit or coconut. But I also remember mom serving Jello filled with raisins, carrots, and walnuts.

I couldn’t imagine touching that dessert with a ten-foot pole. I always wondered who thought carrots in Jello was a good idea?

I will make a double chocolate zucchini bread (emphasis on the chocolate) from time to time, but I mainly avoid combining veggies with dessert. Since spring and carrot cake go hand and hand, here I am sharing a recipe for carrot cake trifle.

Trifle possibilities are endless. Just look at this pumpkin mouse trifle and this coconut key lime trifle. Unlike a traditional carrot cake, this trifle recipe is so easy!

It tastes amazing too, which is good, it helps me overlook the fact that there is a vegetable hiding in my dessert!

What Is A Dessert Trifle

A trifle dessert is a layered dessert often made with angel food cake and layered with berries, and a creamy, custardy filling

Some trifles are made with pound cake, cake, or brownies. Berry trifles and strawberry trifles are popular trifles, but as I said before, a trifle can be made in any flavor!

How To Make An Easy Trifle Dessert

This recipe starts with a boxed spice mix to which I add a box of butterscotch pudding. You could use a vanilla pudding if you wanted, but I like the flavor the butterscotch adds to the spice cake.

The shredded carrots will add the perfect amount of moisture to the premix cake.

Once the cake is cooked and cooled, cut the cake into cubes and layer a ⅓ of the cake in a trifle bowl or another type of large bowl.

For the filling, I use cream cheese that I whipped until very creamy, then I folded shredded coconut and whipped cream.

I used tub whipped cream although you could make homemade. Another option is to fold in melted white chocolate.

I smooth a layer of filling over the cake, then sprinkle toasted coconut and toffee bits. Then the layers repeat. The top of the cake is creamy filling, coconut, and toffee. I like to drizzle caramel sauce over the top before serving the trifle.

Keep extra caramel sauce on the side!

*To toast coconut, heat the oven to 300 degrees. Arrange a layer of coconut on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the oven. The coconut will take about 15-20 minutes to toast golden brown. Make sure you stir the coconut every 5 minutes, it can burn really easily.

Toasted coconut stores really nicely. Toast extra and keep some in a zip top bag. The coconut will last several months.*

How To Serve A Trifle Dessert?

I think you are going to need to a big spoon! There really isn’t a neat and tidy way to serve up a dessert trifle. You dig in and scoop it up!

Trifles are great for potlucks or when you have to serve a crowd. They are easy to make and always make people happy!

To store the trifle cover it completely in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

How To Serve A Trifle Dessert?

I think you are going to need a big spoon! There really isn’t a neat and tidy way to serve up a dessert trifle. You dig in and scoop it up!

Trifles are great for potlucks or when you have to serve a crowd. They are easy to make and always make people happy!

More Trifles

Irish Cream Trifle

Coconut Key Lime Trifle

Continue to Content

Yield: 24

Recipe Carrot Cake Trifle

Print

Spice cake is layered with a creamy cream cheese filling along with toffee bits and shredded coconut!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 box spice cake mix
• 1 3.5 oz box butterscotch pudding
• 1 ¾ cups shredded carrot
• 2 8 oz block of cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 16 oz Cool Whip thawed
• 1 10oz bag of toffee chips
• 1 ¼ cup toasted coconut

Instructions

Preheat the oven 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick spray and set aside. In a bowl, Prepare the spice cake according to package directions, stirring in the shredded carrots. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 32 minutes or until done. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely.

When cake has cooled, cut it into squares.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar. Stir in coconut. Fold in the whipped topping.

Arrange a layer of cake on the bottom of your trifle dish. Top with 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture, 1/4 cup of shredded coconut and 1/3 of the topping bits. Repeat layers. Top cake with remaining whipped topping and garnish with shredded coconut and toffee bits. Drizzle individual servings with caramel sauce if desired.

Notes

To toast coconut, Arrange coconut in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a 300-degree oven for 5 minutes; stir and continue to baking coconut until it is lightly toasted. Be sure to check the coconut every 5 minutes. Coconut burns quickly.

Nutrition Information

Yield

24

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 344Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 35mgSodium 279mgCarbohydrates 42gFiber 1gSugar 30gProtein 3g

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