Create this decadent chocolate dessert from scratch or use mixes to make it super quick and easy!
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Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- This east recipe is a real crowdpleaser! It's an easy dessert to make and there are plenty of ways to customize it to your own tastes.
- Perfect for Valentine's Day, Potlucks, or as a sweet end to family dinners.
- Use a boxed mix or make your own brownies and pudding to make it quicker and easier.
This brownie trifle recipe is a show-stopping layered dessert that chocolate lovers dream about!
With layers of fudgy brownies, two flavors of creamy pudding, toffee, and a cloud of fluffy whipped cream, the only thing that's difficult about this trifle dessert is not eating the whole thing in one sitting!
If you're from the south you probably know this as "punch bowl cake". If you're looking for something a little fresher and lighter in flavor try this pineapple fluff!
🧾 Ingredients for chocolate brownie trifle
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
Chocolate brownie trifle is one of the easiest recipes to modify, so feel free to pick the best way to do it for you!
- Make homemade brownies, or use your favorite brownie mix.
- Try these vanilla brownies instead of traditional chocolate
- Stay a bit more classic and use chocolate cake instead of brownies.
- Swap vanilla pudding for the cheesecake flavor if you can't find it.
- You can use instant pudding for the fudgy, chocolate layer instead of making your own.
- Feeling fancy? Swap chocolate mousse in place of the pudding.
- Cool Whip is a quick alternative to homemade whipped cream.
- Chopped-up candy, like Heath bars, is a great substitute for toffee.
- Instead of a grated chocolate bar, use chocolate chips for topping.
- Have an extra-sweet sweet tooth? Add a drizzle of butterscotch or caramel sauce for more decadence.
- Make a black forest brownie trifle by spooning a bit of cherry pie filling on top of each brownie layer.
- Crumble some Oreo cookies in place of the toffee for a cookies-and-cream twist!
- Add gummy worms for the kids, making it a "Dirt Cup" trifle.
- Lighten up the brownie trifle by adding some fresh berries to the top.
- Garnish with chopped peanut butter cups—chocolate and peanut butter are a perfect match!
- If it's an adults-only party, drizzle the brownie layers with Kahlua, Irish cream, rum, bourbon, port, brandy, sherry, or whatever you like. For this recipe, Kahlua is my booze of choice.
- Make mini trifle parfaits by portioning the ingredients evenly into wine glasses or plastic or glass dessert cups—this is a fun idea to do with kids, so everyone can "make" their own dessert
- Tint the cheesecake pudding with food coloring for a festive touch! I like red for Christmas, pink for Valentine's day, orange during the "spooky season," and so on!
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
This is such an easy dessert because it's just a matter of layering the prepared ingredients!
- Prepare the brownies, puddings, whipped cream, toffee, and garnish. Layer half of the brownies in the bottom of a glass trifle bowl.
- Top with chocolate pudding and half the toffee bits.
- Add the remaining brownies. Top with cheesecake pudding and remaining toffee.
- Add the whipped cream and garnish to the top of the trifle.
If you're looking for something gorgeous but a little more challenging try the peppermint bark cheesecake.
🥫 How to store leftovers
You know how it goes—the best desserts don't usually stick around long enough to get to the "leftover" stage. However, if you do have some extra brownie trifle, it'll last in the fridge for about three days.
Unlike traditional English trifle recipes that use sponge cake, the chocolate brownies in our recipe hold up a little better to the moist pudding. This means you can make the trifle a day or so ahead of time.
To store, cover the trifle dish tightly with plastic wrap, or spoon out the leftovers into a smaller storage container. Don't forget to refrigerate it! Serve chilled straight from the fridge or let the yummy dessert come to room temperature, first.
Expert Tip:
Use a large bowl if you don't have a traditional trifle dish. I prefer a large glass bowl so that you can see the beautiful alternating layers of brownie, pudding, and toffee. After all, we eat with our eyes, first!
💭 Things to know
- Follow the package directions carefully when making the brownies and puddings. This easy chocolate trifle recipe tastes best when the brownies are chewy and soft, and the pudding layer creamy and thick.
- Spoon the pudding into the center of the bowl, then use the back of the spoon to smooth it out towards the edges. This keeps the glass clean and free of smudges to impress all the guests at your dinner party!
- Let the trifle chill in the fridge for a few hours, if you can, so that the pudding sets.
- Make sure you have a thin, long-handled serving spoon so that you can scoop all the way to the bottom, getting a few bites of each delicious layer.
👩🍳 FAQs
Traditional English trifle is a layered dessert made with ladyfingers, pound cake, or angel food cake that is soaked in sherry. Then, it's topped with berries, custard, and a final layer of whipped cream.
Sure thing! You can use any type of brownie you prefer. Even the small fudgy brownie bites from the store will do the trick. However, if you're gluten-free, keep in mind that some pudding mixes use flour as a thickener—just an FYI!
Why, of course—I'm glad you asked! Sorry Ms. Betty Crocker, but these chewy brownies are my family's absolute favorite (the nuts are optional, but a welcome addition!)
Sorry, but you cannot! Fresh is best in this case—brownie trifle just doesn't thaw very well. Plus, you don't really need to freeze it since it's so easy and quick to make and store.
📚 Related recipes
- Love layered desserts? Try my easy chocolate chip cookie delight!
- This Banana Pudding recipe is packed with old-fashioned flavor and Southern love—it's layered like a trifle to show off all the decadence!
- Worthy of an award, if you love a chocolate/cheesecake combination as much as I do, you'll go crazy for this Brownie Cheesecake.
- Red Velvet Brownies are a fun, tasty twist on the popular dessert. Plus they make a festive addition to any red-themed holiday celebration!
📞 The last word
Whether you call it a Brownie Trifle or a Chocolate Punch Bowl Cake it's a showstopper dessert!
Layers of fudgy brownies, creamy chocolate fudge pudding, cheesecake filling, and toffee are crowned with a cloud of whipped cream and garnished with more chocolate.
It's a make-ahead dessert that's absolutely addictive.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Brownie Trifle with Toffee
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
Brownie Layer
- 24 Brownies, Homemade (13x9 pan) or 2 packages mix
Chocolate Pudding Layer
- 2 cups Chocolate Pudding, Homemade or 1 (3.9-ounce) package instant chocolate fudge pudding mix prepared with 2 cups whole milk
Cheesecake Layer
- 2 cups Cheesecake Pudding, 1 (3.9) ounce package instant cheesecake pudding mix prepared with 2 cups whole milk.
Toffee Layers
- 2 cups toffee bits, , or chopped toffee bars
Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream, very cold
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- ½ tablespoon instant white chocolate pudding mix
Garnish
- White Chocolate shavings to garnish
- Grated chocolate for garnish.
Instructions
- Prepare brownies according to instructions in recipe or on box - let cool completely.
- Prepare chocolate pudding according to instructions in recipe or on box.
- Prepare cheesecake pudding according to instructions on box
- Whip the cream with the sugar and 1 teaspoon white chocolate pudding mix, or 1 teaspoon vanilla (the pudding mix will help stabilize it and make it last longer.
White Chocolate Shavings
- Soften a white chocolate bar in the microwave until soft but not melted.
- Use a vegetable peeler to create shavings and curls - this takes a little practice!
Chocolate Shavings
- Soften a dark chocolate bar and prepare as for white chocolate shavings.
Assembly
- Cut the brownies into small 2-inch cubes.
- Reserve 1 or 2 to make crumbs for garnish.
- Add about ½ of the cubes to the bottom of a punch bowl.
- Top with a the chocolate pudding.
- Top with half the toffee.
- Add the remaining brownies.
- Top with the cream cheese pudding.
- Top with the remaining toffee.
- Cover with the whipped cream.
- Garnish with chocolate curls, grated chocolate, and brownie crumbs
- Chill until serving time.
Notes
- Use a large bowl if you don't have a traditional trifle dish.
- Spoon the pudding into the center of the bowl, then use the back of the spoon to smooth it out towards the edges. This keeps the glass clean and free of smudges to impress all the guests at your dinner party!
- Let the trifle chill in the fridge for a few hours, if you can, so that the pudding sets.
- Make sure you have a thin, long-handled serving spoon so that you can scoop all the way to the bottom, getting a few bites of each delicious layer.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published October 19, 2018. Last updated February 5, 2024 for editorial corrections and better images.
Sue says
Made with homemade chocolate pudding and cheesecake pudding. Kids loved it!