Layers of creamy butterscotch pudding and pumpkin praline cake make this vintage-style Butterscotch Trifle a special treat for any occasion!

Butterscotch Trifle

Growing up, my older sister would make a dessert that combined a cake and pudding. As I remember it, it seems like if a cake didn’t turn out pretty, she would break it up and combine it with pudding.

I remember the combination being delicious.

A while back, I made a Pumpkin Praline Bundt cake and my first attempt broke as I was trying to remove it from the pan. It was delicious and way too good to throw away, even if it didn’t look pretty enough to serve as a cake. So I put the pieces in a bag and froze them until I figured out what to do with them.

Then I remembered my older sister and what she would do with cakes that didn’t turn out right – she combined them with pudding! So I thought, how about I combine this broken praline cake with butterscotch pudding, put it in a trifle dish and top with whipped cream?

I remember standing by the stove stirring puddings as a kid. It was a special kind of magic when it all came together. One of my favorites was butterscotch pudding. It really isn’t that difficult and the taste is so rich and creamy!

Let me just say…this dessert exceeded all my expectations!!

The combination of the pumpkin praline cake with butterscotch pudding was divine. It just worked!

So this post combines an older recipe, the cake, with a new one, the butterscotch pudding. However, you can use another kind of cake if you want. Buy an unfrosted cake already made (pound cake could be great) or make up a cake mix.

However, if you want to wow your taste buds, give the Pumpkin Praline cake a try!

First, Bake The Pumpkin Praline Cake

Cake Batter Ingredients

1 box of yellow cake mix
1/2 can of 100% pumpkin
1/2 oil
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
4 eggs

Praline Mixture

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup softened butter

Cake Directions

To Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F and thoroughly grease a bundt pan.

In a small bowl: mix together butter, dark brown sugar, and chopped nuts.
Combine in mixer bowl: cake mix, pumpkin, oil, light brown sugar, water, and spices. Beat at medium speed for one minute. Add eggs, one at a time and beat after each for one minute.
Pour half the batter into prepared Bundt pan. Top with praline mixture, then with the remaining cake batter.
Bake at 350°F for one hour. Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pan.
Allow to cool completely, about two hours.

Next, Make the Butterscotch Pudding

Butterscotch Pudding Ingredients

½ cup dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons water
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
3 egg yolks
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon bourbon (optional but makes it taste even more amazing)

Butterscotch Pudding Instructions

Add butter, brown sugar, butter, salt, and water to your heavy bottomed pan.
Stir over medium heat into the butter is melted, sugar dissolved, and everything is combined.
Stop stirring.
Cook for about 5 minutes over low heat as the mixture bubbles a bit. Keep a close watch on it so it doesn’t burn.
Dissolve the cornstarch in some of the milk and whisk until combined. Add the egg yolks and whisk them in.
Add the cornstarch mixture to the milk and cream and whisk to combine.
Add this cream mixture to the mixture cooking on the stove, whisking as you pour.
Bring the whole mixture up to a gentle boil, whisking continually. The mixture will begin to thicken after a few minutes and it will happen fast.
Switch to a rubber spatula and give it a few more stirs as it becomes pudding.
If using as a pudding you can serve warm or put into a heat-proof container to serve later.
If adding to a trifle, take care to not let the hot pudding hit the sides of the glass bowl.

How to Assemble the Trifle

Trifles look especially pretty in a glass dish so you can see the layers.

Break or cut the cake into chunks. Since my cake was already in pieces, I went with that.
Whip a pint of heavy whipping cream with 2 Tablespoons of sugar until peaks form. Set aside.
Line the glass bowl with 1/3 of cake pieces. Top with 1/3 of the pudding.
Repeat two more times, then frost the entire thing with the whipped cream

Prep Tips

Timing – I recommend baking the cake the day before or early in the day so it can cool thoroughly.
Layering – Making a trifle doesn’t have to be complicated. I like to think of my version as “rustic” since I used broken pieces of cake and didn’t try to make a pattern or pretty it up too much.
Flavors – Any unfrosted cake could be used as long as it complements the flavor of pudding you used. This recipe uses a homemade butterscotch pudding but you could use an instant pudding mix as well. Vanilla pudding would work with any kind of cake you want to use.
Whipped Cream – As far as the whipped cream, I do love to use freshly whipped heavy cream with a touch of sugar. Other options would be prepared nondairy topping in the freezer or a mix like Dream Whip. But heavy whipping cream is about the same price, takes minutes to make and tastes so amazing.

Butterscotch Trifle Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)

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