How to Turn Day Old Cake into a Boozy Chocolate Trifle

“Day to Night” is a new column from Yahoo Food that explores how to turn your sad leftovers into a brand-spanking new dish. Check back soon for more ideas!

A trifle made of leftover chocolate cake, whipped cream, chocolate pudding, and booze. (Photo: Donna Yen)

Last week, I showed you how to roast leftover seeds from your jack-o-lantern and turn them into an irresistible movie snack. This week, I use day-old cake to make a decadent trifle with layers of chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and booze.

For Halloween this year I had friends over for a quiet night of cocktails, cake, and scary movies. I watched Rosemary’s Baby for the first time and talk about a mind trip! I couldn’t sleep that night, and while it might have been because I was scared from the film, I also couldn’t stop thinking about how no one ate much of my cake. I’ll admit I’m not the best baker out there, but I’m trying to step up my cake game, especially when I write about them everyday. I put my skills to the test with this graveyard chocolate cake.

Related: ‘I Scream’ Graveyard Pie for Halloween

Peeptastic graveyard cake for Halloween. (Photo: Donna Yen)

I’ll be real, the cake looked a lot better than it tasted. It was just a little on the dry side, but of course, none of my friends would ever tell me that. It wasn’t their words but their actions — a lot of sad uneaten cake. But rather than let the cake go to waste, I decided to try to turn these scraps into something delicious.

Leftover chocolate cake that’s ready for a second chance at deliciousness. (Photo: Donna Yen)

The next day I decided to turn the cake into a boozy trifle. I felt like the creamy and chocolate layers would bring my dry cake back from the dead. I picked up some heavy whipping cream, pudding mix, and Kahlua. Kahlua often gets a bad rap but its flavor pairs really well with chocolate. To assemble my trifle I simply layered the bottom of two jars with chocolate pudding, then with cubes of the leftover chocolate cake, a big splash of Kahlua, and freshly whipped cream. I repeated the layers and topped it with another layer of whipped cream. The liqueur soaked into the cake and gave it that moistness it was missing and nothing beats freshly whipped cream. It tastes so much better than the stuff you buy at the store and it’s so easy to make.

Related: How to Make Whipped Cream By Hand

The finished product was a dangerously addicting dessert that will have you hooked after one bite. The trifles were so rich and chocolatey that it satisfied my sweet cravings to my deepest core. I served a few jars to my roommates and they gave it rave reviews. I was officially redeemed and no cake was left behind.

A no-bake trifle that will have you hooked after one bite. (Photo: Donna Yen)

Kahlua Chocolate Trifle
Makes 2 servings

1 cup of heavy whipping cream
½ teaspoon of vanilla
1 tablespoon of confectioners sugar
2 cups of store-bought chocolate pudding (or you can make your own from a mix)
4 cups of leftover chocolate cake, cubed
4 tablespoons of Kahlua or any coffee liqueur

Start by making your whipping cream. Combine cream, vanilla, and confectioners sugar in a bowl and mix the ingredients together with an electric mixer or, if you have the endurance, whisk by hand until stiff peaks form. Then take a tablespoon of chocolate pudding and layer the bottom of a jar. Pack in one cup of leftover cake. Pour 1 tablespoon of Kahlua on top so the cake soaks up all the liqueur and then cover with whipped cream. Repeat these steps and then garnish the top by sprinkling crumbs of leftover cake. Serve and enjoy!

For more awesome leftovers inspiration, visit our Thanksgiving Leftovers Pinterest board and get to pinning!

Make the most of your leftovers with more easy recipes:

Kettle Corn-Style Roasted Pumpkin Seeds Make the Perfect Party Treat

How to Turn Leftover Mashed Potatoes Into Bacon-Laced Pancakes

Turn Leftover Chicken Into Spicy Tostadas With This Secret Ingredient