Chocolate Gingerbread Trifle

a real showstopper

Before you scroll on by this recipe, please rest assured that in the grand scheme of fancy desserts, it’s pretty easy to make! And you can do it all ahead! And you don’t have to make and layer the whole shebang. You could just make the cake, or the pudding, or the whipped cream? It looks fancy, but the individual components are super simple and straightforward, and exceptionally delicious.

The ginger cake is of the one-bowl variety( my favorite kind!) It’s packed with fresh spicy ginger and more mellow dried ginger with just enough molasses to give it richness, but not so much that it’s over-powering. It's a great cake on its own, and plays very well with dark chocolate pudding and slightly tangy whipped cream.

The pudding is a pantry dream, you might even have all of the ingredients to make it right now. Dutch process cocoa gives it a deep, dark chocolate flavor, but natural cocoa will work in a pinch. It’s also delicious warm from the pot if you just can’t wait…

The labne whipped cream is somehow light, rich, and tangy all at once. It cuts through the flavor of the pudding and cake and adds a bit of brightness to the dessert. If you have vanilla bean paste, this is an excellent place to use it, it will make your trifle look extra fancy.

The cake and pudding can be made in advance, and the entire trifle can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance. You could also eat spoonfuls of cake and pudding and cream out of a giant bowl when you get back from a night out. Live your life.

Cake not your vibe? There is still time to make and eat lots and lots of cookies