Pumpkin Spice Trifle

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DelightfulMoments #CollectiveBias

Fall isn’t exactly in the air here, but that’s fine with me.  I’ll happily take pumpkin spice everything alongside sun and 80 degree temperatures.  Because, let’s be real, pumpkin spice should totally be a year round thing anyway.

My latest pumpkin spice fave?  International Delight® Pumpkin Pie Spice, especially in this Pumpkin Spice Trifle.

Because International Delight® isn’t just for coffee, although it’s pretty good in coffee too.  I mean, check out this new International Delight® REESE’S Peanut Butter Cup.  Is there a REESE’S Peanut Butter cup in your mug? There should be.  How cool is that?

Did you know you can totally bake with International Delight® too?  In fact it works really well because it’s an easy way to add tons of flavor instead of using regular milk.   International Delight® Pumpkin Pie Spice is a creamy swirl of seasonal spice flavors inspired by pumpkin pie and this Pumpkin Spice Trifle is pretty much everything we all love about fall all in one.

First of all, all the components can be made ahead of time, so this is the perfect dessert to make for a party that will impress all your guests.

The International Delight® Pumpkin Pie Spice adds tons of flavor to the pumpkin cake, but it’s the real star in the custard.  Think of the custard as like pumpkin spice pudding and when it soaks into the cake, it’s pretty much the best thing ever.

To add some texture to this trifle, I made a quick pear and cranberry compote.  The bright flavor pairs really well with the rich spice of the cake and custard.  A couple tips: this compote would also be great as a side dish and you can totally make the compote and custard one after another – just rinse out the pot.

The final piece to this fall puzzle are toasted walnuts.  So simple, right?  They add just the right crunch to the dish.

I really hope you will stop at Walmart like I did and pick up some International Delight® to spice up your fall and have some fun because that’s what life should be all about.

Cake

 

2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

3 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

4 large eggs

15 ounces pure pumpkin puree

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed light brown sugar

1 ¼ cups International Delight® Pumpkin Pie Spice

 

Custard

 

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 ¼ cups International Delight® Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

 

Compote

 

1 10 ounce bag cranberries, fresh or frozen

1 large pear, peeled, cored, and diced

½ cup granulated sugar

 

Toasted walnuts, for assembly

 

Make the cake.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch pan with parchment, butter the pan.

 

In a large bowl, stir together butter, eggs, pumpkin, vanilla, and sugars.  In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.  Alternately add the flour mixture and International Delight® Pumpkin Pie Spice, beginning and ending with the flour.

 

Pour into the prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.  Cool completely in the pan.  Cake may be made up to 3 days ahead of time.

 

Make the custard.  In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and cornstarch.  Stir in the International Delight® Pumpkin Pie Spice and place over medium heat.  Stir continuously until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens to the consistency of pudding.  Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.  Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic and refrigerate until cold.  Custard may be made up to 2 days ahead of time.

 

Make the compote.  In a medium saucepan, place the cranberries, pear, and sugar.  Place over medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the pear softens, about 10 minutes.  Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic and refrigerate until cold.  Compote may be made up to 5 days ahead of time.

 

Assemble the trifles.  In a serving vessel of your choice, large or small, place cubed cake at the bottom.  Top with custard, compote, walnuts, and more cake.  Repeat until you reach the top of the vessel.  Once assembled, refrigerate the trifle and serve within 2 days.