• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Bainbridge Island
  • Books & Writing
  • Crafts & DIY
  • Food
  • Life
  • Our Wedding Cookbook
  • Printables
  • Nav Widget Area

A Mom's Year

Creating a comfortable life one moment at a time

December 19, 2020

Gingerbread and Eggnog Trifle

The girls and I love to watch “The Great British Bake Off.” We enjoy the mix of drama and humor, getting to know the contestants, and learning something new about baking every episode. Most of all, we love the camaraderie in the tent and how the bakers are always willing to help each other. A baker on a different show—”Nailed It!”—best explained this type of competitive philosophy: “As a Hufflepuff, I want everyone to win by me winning.”

The girls and I also love the show “Derry Girls.” It has hilariously brilliant and insightful writing and the most amazing cast. If you haven’t seen it yet, you should! The cast made an appearance on “The Great British Bake Off” and we died laughing. Their Signature Challenge was to make a trifle and, after watching the episode, all I could think about was trifle. So the girls and I pretended we were in the tent (no timers, though!) and came up with this Gingerbread Eggnog Trifle. The heart of the trifle is a gingerbread cake recipe from my boss at the textbook publishing company I worked for once upon a time. It was a dream of a job, being immersed in literature from around the world, and Laurie was a dream of an editor. And, bonus, the editorial team loved to cook as much as we loved to read. This recipe is from Laurie’s grandmother, Mildred Barberg.

You can make the gingerbread a day or two ahead of time, but if you make it the same day you’re planning to put the trifle together, be sure to let it cool completely or you’ll end up with a disaster (*see Derry Girls episode).

To make the trifle, you need three parts to create the layers: gingerbread, pudding, and whipped cream. For the pudding, we used a 5.1-ounce package of instant vanilla pudding mix, but instead of milk, we used three cups of eggnog. Whisk for two minutes, then let the pudding sit in the refrigerator for five minutes. It firms up really quickly.

For the whipped cream, we added two tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla to two cups of heavy cream.

To assemble the trifle, break up the gingerbread cake and place a layer on the bottom of a trifle bowl or a glass bowl. Spread half of the pudding mixture on top, then spread half of the whipped cream on top of the pudding. Repeat. You can decorate your trifle with crumbled gingerbread, gingersnap cookies, cranberries rolled in sugar, or anything else that strikes your fancy. I like how Lexie and Lily arranged gingerbread men so they look like they’re doing a synchronized swim to “All I Want for Christmas is You.”

Technically, you should let the trifle chill overnight in the refrigerator, or you can be like us and last for about an hour before digging in.

Mildred Barberg’s Gingerbread Cake (January 1934)

(1) Mix
1 cup sugar
1/2 shortening
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup light corn syrup

(2) Sift:
1 tsp. baking soda
2-1/2 cups flour
pinch of salt
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

(3) Add last:
1 cup boiling water
2 eggs, well-beaten

Mix sugar, shortening, molasses. Add dry ingredients. Add 1 cup boiling water. Mix well. Add eggs to batter last.

Bake 30 mins in greased 9X13-in. cake pan at 350 degrees.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Filed Under: Food Shannon Leave a Comment

Reader Interactions

Advent Reflections: Love
New Year’s Eve “Celebrating the Year” Printable

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Hello! My name is Shannon Taylor. I'm a long-time writer and editor from Minnesota surprised to find myself on an island in the Pacific Northwest. I'm sharing this adventure with my husband, four kids, and two dogs. I “published” my first newsletter when I was nine, and I’ve loved sharing ideas, stories, and information ever since. I hope you find something here to inspire you and help you create a comfortable, cozy life.
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Instagram

Wishing the happiest of birthdays to this man who Wishing the happiest of birthdays to this man who does everything with intention and kindness, who loves his children and dogs and whiskey, who fills the garden with peonies because he knows they’re my favorite, who finds joy in birds and mountains and music, who gets all the jokes, who says “yes” to this life in every way he possibly can. ❤️

Featured Posts

  • Cafe Latte Turtle Cake
  • A Quilt for Lily
  • Breathing Room
  • The Boredom Is Not Allowed List
  • The Only Parenting Advice We Need
  • Country of the Week: Japan / Roasted Seaweed and Mochi
  • A Father’s Day Story / When Tim Became Lily’s Dad
  • Lexie’s Homemade Granola
  • Peanut Butter Pie for Mikey (and Tim)

Fiction

Fiction

Comforting as a big mug of cocoa in front of a warm fire, this cozy family novel is about the connections we make and the traditions that keep us together.

Archives

© 2021 Happy Crow Enterprises, LLC
About    Privacy Policy    Copyright
Pretty Happy WordPress Theme · By: Pretty Darn Cute Design