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.
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Best Hummingbird Cake Trifle {Instant Pudding Mix}
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, sifted
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, divided (2 for walnuts, 1 for batter). Use half the amount if you're 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
- 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
Hummingbird Cake - Adapted from Joanne Chang's Pastry Love
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Toast the walnuts or pecans on a baking sheet for approximately 8 to 10 minutes until toasted and aromatic.
- Remove the walnuts or pecans from the oven and stir in 2 teaspoons of the salt and the butter. Mix to combine. Allow them to cool before chopping the nuts up finely.
- Butter and flour three 9" cake pans, lined with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the sugar and eggs on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. The mixture should fall back onto itself into ribbons when you lift the whisk.
- Turn the mixer on low and slowly drizzle in the oil (do not dump it in at once). Turn off the mixer and remove the bowl.
- Fold in the bananas, pineapple, sour cream, and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture and walnuts until well combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven. While the cake is still warm, brush the top of the cake with Malibu rum (optional, but delicious). Allow to cool completely before removing.
Prepare the Instant Pudding
- In a medium bowl, whisk 2 cups of cold milk with the pudding until well combined (about 2 minutes). Allow to rest in the refrigerator until completely set.
Finish Making the Filling
- In a large bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sweetened condensed milk, cream cheese, and cinnamon on medium-high speed until fully combined and smooth.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and fold in the whipped cream.
- Fold in the chilled pudding mixture. Do not over mix.
Assemble the Trifle
- Place a layer of the crumbled cake from one of the cakes in the bottom of your trifle dish. Top it with 1/3 of the toffee, coconut, and graham crackers. Layer 1/3 of the pudding mixture evenly on top and spread to cover. I like to use a large ice cream or cookie scoop to layer it on before spreading it with an offset spatula. Repeat two more times. Top with any remaining cool whip, coconut crushed cookies, and toffee bits.
- The trifle can be made ahead of time - the flavors improve. The trifle is best eaten within a day or two but can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to a month.
Notes
- It's VERY important to butter your cake pans generously. Otherwise, you may find the cake sticks even with the parchment paper.
- If you want to make your own whipped cream instead of using Cool Whip, that works well too!
- You can get creative with the cookies in the trifle. Use what you like or have on hand (shortbread, gingersnaps, or Nilla wafers would work well).
