This Hummingbird Cake Trifle is a delightful twist on the classic Southern dessert. Moist, flavorful hummingbird cake is crumbled and layered with creamy pudding, crunchy toffee bits, and graham crackers to create a show-stopping dessert.
Have you ever had a baking mishap turn into something even better than what you planned? That’s exactly how this Hummingbird Cake Trifle came to life!
This layered dessert combines the moist, flavorful elements of classic hummingbird cake—bananas, pineapple, and warm spices—with creamy pudding and crunchy toppings like toffee bits and graham crackers.
Not only is this trifle a delicious twist on the Southern classic, but it’s also a fantastic solution for salvaging a “messed-up” cake. Whether you’re preparing it for a potluck, barbecue, or family dinner, this easy, customizable dessert will quickly become a crowd favorite.
So, let’s turn those crumbled cake pieces into something [more] delicious!
What is a Trifle?
A trifle is a layered dessert made with cake, pudding (or custard), whipped cream, and often a variety of mix-ins like fruit, cookies, or nuts. Originating in England, trifles are loved for their versatility and stunning presentation. They’re typically served in a large glass dish or individual cups to show off the layers.
What is Hummingbird Cake?
Hummingbird cake is a classic Southern dessert made with ripe bananas, crushed pineapple, and warm spices like cinnamon. It’s moist, flavorful, and often topped with cream cheese frosting. Think of it as the tropical cousin to carrot cake! In this trifle, the hummingbird cake takes on a new life as the foundation for a creamy, crunchy, and indulgent dessert.
How to Make Hummingbird Cake Trifle
Bake the Hummingbird Cake:
Prepare the hummingbird cake by mixing the ingredients, baking, and letting it cool. Once cooled, crumble the cake into pieces.Prepare the Pudding Layers:
Whisk together the pudding mix and milk, then chill. Beat the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and cinnamon until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream and the set pudding mixture.Assemble the Trifle:
Layer the crumbled cake, pudding, and crunchy toppings in a trifle dish. Repeat the layers until you fill the dish, finishing with whipped cream and garnishes.Chill & Serve:
Refrigerate the trifle for a few hours to let the flavors meld together and the dessert set. Serve chilled for the best flavor and texture.
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: This trifle is best made the night before to allow the flavors to meld.
- Storage: Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.
If you loved this Hummingbird Cake Trifle recipe, don’t forget to leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below! We’d love to hear from you—leave a comment to let us know how you enjoyed it!
Best Hummingbird Cake Trifle {Instant Pudding Mix}
Equipment
- Trifle bowl or other large serving bowl
Ingredients
For the Hummingbird Cake
- 1 cup walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted and finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 3 cups (370 g) all-purpose flour, measured then sifted
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, DIVIDED - 2 for walnuts, 1 for batter; use half if using Morton’s.
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2¼ cup (450 g) sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (110 g) vegetable oil
- 4-5 (400 g) very ripe medium bananas, mashed
- 2 cup (450 g or 16 ounces) canned crushed pineapple, drained
- 1/4 cup sour cream or creme Fraiche, room temperature
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup Malibu rum, optional
For the Pudding
- 1 box (3.4) Vanilla instant pudding
- 2 cup whole milk
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temp
- 12 ounces cool whip, see notes
Crunchy Toppings/Fillings
- 8 sheets of graham crackers (heaping cup), broken into large pieces (see notes)
- 1 bag (8 oz) Hershey's HEATH Milk Chocolate English Toffee bits
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted if desired
Instructions
Make the Hummingbird Cake
- Heat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the center.
- Toast the nuts: On a baking sheet, toast the walnuts or pecans for 8-10 minutes until fragrant. Remove from the oven, stir in 2 teaspoons of salt and butter, and mix to combine. Let cool before finely chopping.
- Prepare the pans: Butter and flour three 9-inch cake pans and line them with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Whip eggs and sugar, add the oil: In a stand mixer, whip sugar and eggs on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to low and slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil.
- Combine wet ingredients: Fold in the mashed bananas, pineapple, sour cream, and vanilla extract.
- Mix dry and wet ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture and chopped nuts, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and springy to the touch. Allow to cool completely. Optionally, brush with Malibu rum while the cake is still warm.
Prepare the Filling
- Make the Instant Pudding: In a medium bowl, whisk together the vanilla instant pudding mix and 2 cups of cold milk for about 2 minutes until well combined. Refrigerate until set (about 10 minutes).
- Finish Making the Filling: In a large bowl in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand-mixer), beat together sweetened condensed milk, softened cream cheese, and cinnamon on medium-high speed until smooth.
- Fold the Ingredients Together: Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Gently fold in the chilled pudding mixture and Cool Whip. Set aside.
Assemble the Trifle
- First Layer: Start by crumbling about 1/3 of the cake and place it as the first layer at the bottom of the trifle dish.
- Second Layer: Sprinkle 1/3 of the toffee bits, coconut, and broken graham crackers over the cake layer. Add 1/3 of the pudding mixture on top of the cake and toppings, spreading it evenly.
- Repeat the Process: Repeat the process two more times (four total layers of cake, ending with pudding mixture). Top the trifle with any remaining toffee bits or other ingredients you'd like for extra texture!Don't worry about the specific order of each layer - it's all going in the same place!
Notes
- Cake Prep Tip: Be sure to butter your cake pans generously to prevent sticking, even with parchment paper.
- Whipped Cream Option: If you prefer homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip, you can use 2 cups of heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks.
- Cookie Substitution: Feel free to get creative with the cookies in the trifle. Shortbread, gingersnaps, or Nilla wafers all work well.
1 comment
Loved this recipe – the hummingbird cake was very delicious. I made that in advance and then put the trifle together the next day.