Gingerbread Trifle

Gingerbread Trifle

Yield: 16 Servings

For the Gingerbread Cake:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons Ground Ginger
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup boiling water

For Trifle:

• 4 cups cubed Gingerbread Cake
• 2 cups sliced strawberries
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) pear halves in juice
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 2 packages (4-serving size each) vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 tub (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

For the Gingerbread Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon and baking soda in medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat butter, brown sugar and molasses in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Add egg and vanilla; beat well.
4. Add flour mixture alternately with boiling water, beating on low speed after each addition. 

5. Spoon batter into greased 9-inch square baking pan. 
Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
6. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cake onto wire rack; cool completely. 


For Trifle:

1. Prepare Gingerbread Cake. Cool completely.
2. Cut 2/3 of the cake into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups). (Reserve remaining Gingerbread Cake for snacking.)
3. Drain pears, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Cut pears into 1/2-inch pieces.
4. Mix pears, strawberries and reserved pear juice in medium bowl. Set aside. 

5. Pour half-and-half into large bowl. Add pudding mixes, ginger and cinnamon; beat with wire whisk 2 minutes or until well blended. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir in 2 cups of the whipped topping. 

6. Layer 1/2 of the gingerbread cubes, fruit mixture and pudding mixture in large serving bowl. Repeat layers. Top with the remaining 1 cup whipped topping. Cover.




7. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Sprinkle with almonds just before serving.
8. Store leftover dessert in refrigerator.