Chocolate Mint Trifle
A layered chocolate mint trifle made with a thin chocolate cake, instant chocolate pudding enriched with sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream, and chopped mint sandwich cookies.
Equipment
- 9x13 inch Baking Dish
- nonstick spray
- Electric Mixer
- paddle attachment
- whisk attachment
- Mixing Bowls
- Wire Rack
- trifle dish or glass bowl
- Measuring Cups
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cupall-purpose flour spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1 cupgranulated sugar
- 1/2 cupunsweetened natural cocoa powder such as Hershey’s
- 1/2 teaspoonsalt
- 1 teaspoonbaking powder
- 1/2 teaspoonbaking soda
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cupvegetable oil
- 1/2 cupsour cream
- 3/4 teaspoonvanilla extract
- 1/2 cupboiling water
- 1 3.9 oz boxinstant chocolate pudding
- 1 14 oz cansweetened condensed milk
- 1 cupcold water
- 4 cupsheavy cream
- 2 tablespoonsconfectioners' sugar
- 1 11.7 oz packagemint Oreo Thins or similar chocolate mint sandwich cookies, broken or chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (reserve 6 whole cookies for decorating the top)
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch (33×23 cm) baking dish with nonstick spray. Measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the measured flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix on low speed just to combine.
- Add the egg, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until the ingredients are evenly moistened, then increase to medium speed and beat for 2 minutes.
- Reduce the mixer to low and very slowly pour in the boiling water (pour gradually to avoid splashing). Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then mix again just until evenly combined. The batter will be thin.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan (it will be a thin layer). Bake 20–25 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Once cooled, cut or break the cake into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces.
- Meanwhile, make the pudding: in a large bowl whisk the instant chocolate pudding mix with the cold water until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or until thickened.
- Prepare the cookies: break or chop the mint Oreo Thins (or similar) into ½-inch pieces. Reserve 6 whole cookies for decorating the top.
- Whip the cream: in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar on medium speed until medium‑stiff peaks form. Divide the whipped cream into two equal portions.
- Fold one half of the whipped cream into the chilled pudding until smooth and mousse-like. Reserve the other half of the whipped cream for layering.
- Assemble the trifle in a large (9‑inch/23‑cm) trifle dish or glass bowl: layer half the cake pieces in the bottom, spread half the pudding mixture over the cake, sprinkle half the chopped cookies over the pudding, then spread half of the reserved whipped cream over the cookies. Repeat the layers with the remaining cake pieces, pudding, chopped cookies, and finish with the remaining whipped cream on top.
- Decorate the top with the 6 reserved whole cookies. Cover the trifle and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to let the cookies soften and the flavors meld. Serve chilled.
Notes
Notes
Make-Ahead Instructions:
The cake can be baked up to 2 days in advance and stored whole in an airtight container at room temperature (or frozen for up to a month). Wait to cut/break it up until just before assembling the trifle so it stays moist and fresh. The pudding can be whisked together and refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days. The cookies can be chopped a day ahead and kept in a sealed bag at room temperature. The whipped cream is best made the day you assemble the trifle, though it can be whipped a few hours ahead and refrigerated (just rewhip briefly if it deflates). Once assembled, the trifle should chill for at least 8 hours and is best served within 24 hours.
Make-Ahead Instructions:
The cake can be baked up to 2 days in advance and stored whole in an airtight container at room temperature (or frozen for up to a month). Wait to cut/break it up until just before assembling the trifle so it stays moist and fresh. The pudding can be whisked together and refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days. The cookies can be chopped a day ahead and kept in a sealed bag at room temperature. The whipped cream is best made the day you assemble the trifle, though it can be whipped a few hours ahead and refrigerated (just rewhip briefly if it deflates). Once assembled, the trifle should chill for at least 8 hours and is best served within 24 hours.