Kahlua Cake Trifles

Hi guys! Hope everyone had a fun and food-filled Christmas. Mine was pretty awesome. Dan and I went up to Massachusetts to spend the holidays with his family and between the two back-to-back holiday parties, the generalized excitement over our engagement, the many many bottles of wine, the mountains of presents, and the groaning tables loaded down with delicious food, it was pretty much impossible not to have a fantastic time.

Speaking of groaning tables…Dan’s family really knows how to cook! I’ve enjoyed his mom’s cooking many times before, but never on such a grand scale. We ate so well — honey BBQ wings, stuffed mushrooms, racks of lamb, baked halibut, broccoli & cheese, green beans, perfectly cooked prime rib, roasted potatoes, Christmas cookies, truffles, cheesecake…I know there was more, but I just can’t remember it all. Seriously, I think I gained 10 lbs this weekend. Worth it!

Obviously I ate more than my share of delicious foods this weekend, but one of the things that really blew me away was a simple dessert I watched Dan’s mom throw together a few hours before dinner: Kahlua cake. What is Kahlua cake, you ask? A trifle, basically. A decadent, chocolate-y trifle made up of Kahlua-soaked cake, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and chopped up candy bar bits in alternating layers. I know. You’re drooling. It’s cool.

(I know I’m a little late, but…”On the 12th day of Christmas…”)

Not only is this Kahlua cake divine, but it’s also incredibly simple to make — everything you need can come out of a box, bottle, or plastic tub.  And, you don’t need to worry about precision in layering, because it’s impossible for a bowl of chocolate cake + pudding + whipped cream + candy to look anything but delicious. Plus, as soon as the first spoon is plunged into the bowl, this dessert won’t last long enough for anyone to admire. Trust me.

Thanks for the recipe, Kathryn!!! (PS: If you’re reading this…can I get your recipe  for the wings and prime rib??)

Kahlua Cake Trifles
** The ingredients and steps below make one large trifle. I was making this late at night and only had the energy to make 4 mini-trifles, so I have a lot of ingredients left over. Keep your eyes peeled for a cake pop post some time in the near future.

Ingredients:
– 1 chocolate sheet cake, un-frosted (I made a cake using box mix)
– 2 tubs Cool Whip
– 1 tub chocolate pudding (more, if you’re being really generous)
– 3 large Symphony or Scores candy bars, chopped into little pieces
– 1 cup Kahlua

Steps: 
(1) In the bottom of a large trifle bowl, roughly crumble/tear a few pieces of chocolate cake in one even layer.
(2) Drizzle cake with some Kahlua.
(3) Spoon chocolate pudding over the cake layer, and use a spatula to spread the pudding out evenly.
** Measurements are vague because it’s really up to you how much of everything you want in your trifle. Be generous!
(4) Spread whipped cream on top of the pudding, and sprinkle with a handful of  chopped candy bar bits.
(5) Repeat steps 1-4 until all ingredients are used up.
(6) Chill in the fridge until ready to serve, then enjoy immediately!

For other great chocolate ideas, click here.