Boston Cream Pie Trifle

Our Boston Cream Pie Trifle combines fluffy yellow cake, smooth French vanilla pudding, and rich chocolate filling in fun layers to make a tasty and impressive dessert that feeds a crowd.

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Rest and Chill Time3 30

Total Time4 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Boston Cream Pie Trifle Recipe

Servings:

Calories: 510kcal

Ingredients

15.25 ounces yellow cake mix, prepared according to box instructions
6.8 ounces French vanilla instant pudding mix (two 3.4 ounces boxes)
4 cups cold milk
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup thawed whipped topping, or canned whipped cream

Instructions

Bake the yellow cake according to the package instructions. Once baked, let it cool completely. Once cooled, cut the cake into 1-inch cubes.
Add the French vanilla pudding mix and cold milk to a medium-sized mixing bowl (2-3 quarts). Whisk together, or use a handheld mixer on low speed, the pudding mix and milk according to the package instructions. Let it chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, until set.
For the chocolate filling and topping, start by heating the heavy cream in a 1-2 quart saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a simmer (small bubbles begin to appear) but do not boil.
Place the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate in a medium size heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute to soften the chocolate. Then, add the butter and vanilla extract.
Stir the chocolate mixture until it becomes smooth and glossy. Allow it to cool slightly.
Add a single layer of cubed cake to the bottom of a trifle dish or a large glass bowl. (My trifle bowl was 3.25 quarts or 104 ounces)
Spread half of the prepared French vanilla pudding over the cake layer.
Drizzle a layer of the chocolate filling over the pudding layer.
Repeat the layers: add another layer of cake cubes and the remaining pudding, then finish with a final layer of chocolate filling.
Loosely cover and refrigerate the trifle for at least 2 hours or until chilled and set. (Remember, the longer the trifle is left to chill, the better melded the flavors will be)
Before you are ready to serve, if using thawed whipped topping, add the 1 ¼ cup whipped topping to a piping bag fitted with a star shaped tip. Pipe small amounts of the whipped topping around the outside edge of the chocolate top layer. If using canned whipped cream, follow the same instructions for the whipped topping. Chill, or serve immediately.

Notes

Make sure the cake is completely cool when you cut it. A warm cake tends to crumble when it's cut into.
Press a piece of plastic wrap down onto the surface of the pudding as it sets to avoid having the pudding develop a 'skin' on top.
Distribute the cubes evenly for a consistent look. Check the outside of your trifle bowl to make sure the layer of cake cubes looks appealing.
If your chocolate is still too fluid to sit on top of the pudding, let it cool a bit longer to prevent it from sinking straight through the pudding layer.
As you add your layers, continue to check the outside of your bowl to make sure your trifle looks tidy. Use a dry paper towel to wipe down the sides of your bowl, if necessary.

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