Chocolate and Peanut Butter Trifle

Trifle makes an impressive display for a dinner party dessert. You can use pre-made pound cake, pudding, and whipped topping to put this together quickly. BUT, if you want to REALLY share the love with your guests, then make your cake, pudding and whipped cream from scratch!

Let inspiration be your guide — you could choose anything from fruit to chocolate candies to make a trifle. Choose a traditional pound cake, or cakes of any flavor, such as the Peanut Butter Cake used in this recipe. Your guests will love the combination of chocolate, peanut butter and cream used in this recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe of Peanut Butter Cake (or use a store-bought cake)
• 1 recipe of Vanilla Pastry Cream (or use store-bought pudding)
• 1 package of mini peanut butter cup candies
• Whipped cream, using the following ingredients (or use prepared Cool Whip)
  • 2 cups of heavy whipping cream
  • 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Prepare the Vanilla Pastry Cream recipe and allow it to cool in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours (or overnight). Prepare the Peanut Butter Cake recipe and allow it to cool completely.

To make the whipped cream, be sure the heavy cream is well chilled. You could even pour the cream into your whipping bowl and put both in the refrigerator before whipping. Add the brown sugar to the cream and begin whipping the cream with an electric mixer on medium low speed. Gradually work the speed of the mixer up until the cream begins to increase in volume (about 1 minute). Add the vanilla and continue whipping at high speed until the mixture forms stiff peaks. If you are going to substitute store-bought whipped cream, use prepared whipped topping (such as Cool Whip) and not the spray whipped cream in the can, which turns runny and does not hold its texture.

For the most impressive presentation, use a clear trifle bowl (high, straight sided bowl) if you have one or another glass bowl you can see through. Cut the cake into squares (about 2 inches) and place 1/3 of the cake in the bottom of the bowl. Follow with 1/3 of the vanilla pastry cream, 1/3 of the whipped cream, and 1/3 of the peanut butter candies. Make sure that you can see some of each layer in the glass bowl as you go.

Continue building layers in the same fashion as you go up: cake, pastry cream, whipped cream, and top with peanut butter candies.

Refrigerate before serving. This is a great do-ahead dessert, and you will really impress your guests — not only with the presentation, but the flavor combination is really delicious. This is very rich, and will serve quite a few people in small portions.