Pumpkin Trifle

This isn't a freezer recipe, but some of the ingredients can be frozen ahead of time so that prep time is quick and easy. It was a delicious addition to our Thanksgiving dessert menu!

Pumpkin Trifle

1 recipe spice cake (see recipe below)
2 pkgs. vanilla pudding, instant
8oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
dash cloves
8 oz container whipped topping

Cut the spice cake into 1" cubes. Layer 1/2 the cubes in the bottom of a trifle bowl.

In a medium bowl stir the cream cheese until smooth (or use a mixer). Slowly add the 1 1/2 c. milk, stirring well after each addition. Blend in both packages of vanilla pudding. Add the spices, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. Stir (or mix) until creamy and well-blended.

Evenly spread half of the pumpkin cream mixture over the spice cake cubes. Top with all the whipped topping, also spread evenly.

Add another spice cake cubes layer, and end with the remaining pumpkin cream mixture. You can garnish the top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a whole cinnamon stick or whipped cream rosettes, etc. Be creative and make it pretty!

**Freezer ingredients: Pumpkin puree freezes very well (mine was even homemade from before the days of homework insanity). The spice cake would freeze really well: simply flash-freeze the cooled cubes on cookie sheets before placing them in a ziptop bag. Whipped topping is usually forzen when you buy it--just keep an extra container stashed in the freezer for this recipe.

Sour Cream Spice Cake
(Betty Crocker's New Cookbook, 1996)
2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. sour cream
1/4 c. softened stick butter or margarine
1/4 c. shortening
1/2 c. water
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan with shortening. In a large bowl, beat all ingredients with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping the bowl constantly. Beat on high for 3 minutes, scraping the bowl constantly.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.