This Caramel Apple Trifle is full of soft, spongy spice cake, tender caramel apples and cool whipped cream. They’re layered together for the most perfect dessert.
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Did you know that the definition of trifle is “a cold dessert of sponge cake and fruit covered with layers of custard, jelly, and cream”? That’s exactly what this trifle is. A spongy spice cake and caramel-y apples with layers of cool-whip. The fantastic part about a trifle is that it’s so easy to put together, but looks like you spent the entire day layering cake, apples and cool-whip.
The entire dessert comes together in just 40 minutes {baking time included}. Which seems crazy considering how gorgeous this trifle looks in the end.
Since we don’t care about calories with this cake, we’re going all out! A box spice cake mix {don’t knock it, they are delicious}. It helps make this recipe come together super quickly. Toss in some of these Ghirardelli caramel baking chips {which are probably the greatest thing to ever happen to baking chips}. And then bake.
While your cake bakes, soften and “caramelize” your apples. We’ve put caramelize in quotes because you don’t actually have to make caramel. That’s too time consuming for how quickly this whole caramel apple trifle is about to come together.
The hardest part about putting this caramel apple trifle together is waiting for the cake and apples to cool before you layer that soft spongy cake with gooey caramel apples and light cool-whip. Don’t rush this part of the process. Doing so will mean that your cool-whip will melt and we just can’t have that happening. Melted cool-whip is just not impressive.
The layers are super simple. Crumble 1/3 of the spice cake, layer with about 1/2 the apples and half the cool-whip. Continue to layer until you end with cake, a small dollop of cool-whip and beautiful apples.
This weekend I was trying my hand at my first stop-motion video. I thought layering this cake would make for a cool little video. Let’s just say I need some practice. So for now, you get a photo collage of caramel apple trifle goodness.
Don’t mind me, I’ll just be heading to my fridge to go sneak a spoonful of that soft spongy cake layered dessert. Enjoy!
This Caramel Apple Trifle is full of soft, spongy spice cake, tender caramel apples and cool whipped cream. They’re layered together for the most perfect dessert.
- 1 box Spice Cake Mix
- 1 1/4 cup water
- 1/3 cup oil
- 3 eggs
- 10 oz bag Ghirardelli caramel baking chips, divided
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 medium Gala apples, peeled and diced
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 8 oz Cool-Whip, thawed
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Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9″x13″ pan.
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In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, water, oil and eggs. Stir in 1 cup caramel chips.
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Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth out. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
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Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.
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In a small bowl, stir together the apples and brown sugar. Add to the melted butter and cook until apples are soft, about 5 minutes.
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Melt the remaining 1/2 cup caramel chips and stir into the warm apples. Let cool completely.
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To assemble: cut the cake into thirds. Crumble the first third and place in the bottom of the trifle dish. Spoon half of the apples over the top. Spread 1/2 of the cool-whip over the top.
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Continue to layer until you end with cake. Save about 2 Tbsp. of cool-whip and 1 tbsp. apples to top off the cake.
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Refrigerate before serving.
Note: make sure to cool your cake and apples completely. Not doing so will make your cool-whip melt.
