Delicious gingerbread with a fluffy pudding filling and strawberries! Um, where do I sign up?! This gingerbread trifle is everything you could want in a dessert.

Soft, spiced gingerbread cake is cubed and layered with vanilla pudding folded into whipped topping and fresh strawberries in a big glass bowl. Who says gingerbread is only for Christmas? Not me! It is wonderful and simple to make, and it is super easy to assemble and even easier to eat.

The Best Gingerbread Trifle (Strawberries and Vanilla Pudding)

I had never tried trifle until late in my college years. I was at a dear friend’s house, and after dinner she pulled out this huge glass dish filled with fruit and Cool Whip. It was so beautiful and I couldn’t wait to try it! Well, it did not disappoint. Ever since, I have eaten trifle whenever I get the chance.

Did you know gingerbread goes really well with strawberries and vanilla pudding AND Cool Whip? Because it is a trifle, it has so many delicious layers that it feels like it will never end. And that is a great thing.

I know you might be thinking, simple? There are like a million ingredients! But really there aren’t, I promise. The gingerbread cake is the “busiest” part of the recipe, and it’s really just a cake with all the cake ingredients. You can even make it the day before. Actually, I recommend that, since it has to cool completely.

To make the vanilla filling, simply make instant vanilla pudding and let it chill. Right before assembly, fold the Cool Whip into the pudding. Oh man, it is so hard not to eat this right out of the bowl. I won’t tell if you sneak a spoonful! And can we just admire how beautiful it is? Seriously!

Why You’ll Love This Gingerbread Trifle

Layers on layers. Spiced cake, creamy pudding and juicy berries repeat twice in one big bowl.
Make ahead friendly. The cake can be baked the day before, and the trifle chills until you serve it.
Not just for Christmas. Fresh strawberries make it bright enough for any time of year.
Easy to switch up. Change the cake, the pudding or the fruit and it still works.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

Flour: I use whole wheat pastry flour. It is finer and softer than regular whole wheat flour, so the cake stays tender. All purpose flour works too.
Baking soda and salt: Baking soda reacts with the acidic molasses to give the cake its lift. Salt balances the sweetness and sharpens the spices.
Cinnamon, ginger and cloves: The classic gingerbread trio. Ginger brings warmth, cinnamon adds sweetness and a small amount of cloves gives that deep holiday flavor. Check that your spices are fresh, since old spices taste dull.
Unsalted butter: Softened butter creams with the sugar to make a tender, fluffy cake. It should dent easily when pressed but not look greasy or melted.
Sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps the crumb stay moist.
Molasses: Full flavored molasses gives gingerbread its dark color and rich, slightly bitter sweetness. Avoid blackstrap, which is much stronger and can taste harsh.
Egg: Binds the batter and adds structure. Let it sit out for a few minutes so it blends smoothly into the creamed butter.
Hot milk: I used vanilla almond milk. Hot milk helps the molasses blend smoothly into the batter and keeps the cake moist.
Instant vanilla pudding: Two boxes, prepared according to the package and chilled until set. Any flavor you love will work, too.
Cool Whip: Folded into the set pudding, it turns the filling light and fluffy. Make sure it is thawed so it whisks in smoothly.
Fresh strawberries: Washed and diced. Their juicy tartness cuts through the rich cake and creamy filling. Pick berries that are bright red all the way to the stem and pat them dry after washing so they don’t water down the layers.

How to Make Gingerbread Trifle

Prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray an 8×8 glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves so the spices are evenly spread.
Cream the butter and sugar. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and pale. Add the molasses and egg and combine well.
Finish the batter. Add the flour mixture and hot milk, alternating between the two. Mix until the batter is smooth with no lumps. It will be fairly thin and glossy.
Bake. Pour the batter into the dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Your kitchen will smell amazing.
Make the filling. While the cake bakes, prepare the instant pudding according to the package and chill. Once set, whisk in the Cool Whip until smooth and return it to the fridge.
Cool and cube. Let the cake cool completely, then cut it into 1 inch pieces.
Layer. In a large glass bowl, layer half of the cake, then half of the pudding mixture, then half of the strawberries. Repeat once more. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Kami’s tip: Bake the gingerbread cake the day before. It has to cool completely before you cube it, and that makes assembly day super easy.

Ways to Customize This Trifle

Swap the cake. Try a different cake, or use this delicious red velvet cake on the bottom of the trifle instead.
Change the pudding. Any instant pudding flavor works in place of vanilla.
Use different fruit. Raspberries, blueberries or a mix of berries are all great. Keep the pieces bite sized so every spoonful gets some fruit.
Add a crunchy layer. Crushed cookies or candy make a fun extra layer. Endless possibilities!

Gingerbread Trifle FAQs

Can I make gingerbread trifle ahead of time? Yes. Bake the cake the day before, and assemble the trifle a few hours before serving so it has time to chill.
How long does trifle last in the fridge? Keep it covered in the refrigerator and enjoy it within 2 to 3 days. The cake softens and the berries release juice over time, so it is best on the first day or two.
Can I use store bought gingerbread? Yes. A boxed gingerbread mix or store bought gingerbread cake will work if you are short on time.
What size bowl do I need? A large glass trifle bowl or any large clear bowl shows off the layers best.
Can I use homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip? Yes. Whip heavy cream with a little sugar until stiff peaks form, then fold it into the set pudding.
Why is my trifle watery? Wet strawberries are the usual cause. Pat them dry after washing, and add the berries close to serving time if you are making it far ahead.
What fruit goes with gingerbread? Strawberries are a favorite here because their tart sweetness balances the warm spices. Raspberries, blueberries, pears and apples also pair beautifully with gingerbread.
Can I use regular milk in the cake? Yes. I used vanilla almond milk, but any milk works as long as it is hot.

Gingerbread Trifle Recipe

This gingerbread trifle recipe layers homemade gingerbread cake with vanilla pudding folded into Cool Whip and fresh strawberries. The cake can be baked a day ahead, and the whole trifle chills in the fridge until serving.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cake

2 cups flour I use whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup full-flavored molasses
1 egg
1 cup hot milk I used vanilla almond milk
(2) 3.72 ounce vanilla instant pudding prepared per instructions
9 ounce cool whip
4 cups fresh strawberries washed and diced

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray 8x8 glass baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
In a medium bowl with a hand mixer or standing mixer, mix together butter and sugar until creamy. Add molasses and egg. Combine well. Add flour mixture and hot milk alternating between the two. Mix well until batter is smooth with no lumps.
Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
Meanwhile, prepare instant vanilla pudding per instructions and chill. Once pudding is set, whisk cool whip and pudding together until smooth. Return to refrigerator.
Once the gingerbread cake is baked, allow cake to completely cool. Once cooled, cut cake into one inch pieces. In a large glass bowl, layer first with half the gingerbread cake pieces, then half the pudding mixture, and half of the strawberries. Repeat the layers one time to complete the trifle. Cover with clear wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Made this gingerbread trifle? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me how it turned out in the comments below. I would love to hear which layers you used.