mini chocolate trifles*

Back in the day I would make a chocolate trifle in my trifle bowl with chocolate cake, pudding and whipped cream (not homemade at that point. I wasn't that fancy when I was 15). It was one of my favorites that I made on several occasions. Awhile back I needed a dessert for one of the sports banquets that was being held for the students, and I wanted something that looked fancy, tasted great, and wouldn't take me all day. I decided to try and make some little individual chocolate trifles!

I wanted to be able to cut a little circle into the cake to put in the bottom of my little glass, but just knew that any old chocolate cake would probably fall apart the minute I tried to take the circle out of the pan. Then it dawned on me. Sponge cake! Honestly, I had never made sponge cake in my life, but it just HAD to stay together. It's like sponge - right?? Well, the end of this story ends fabulously, and my sponge cake came right out of the pan just as expected! The day of the banquet was the day that I went to Taylor Swift, and I had to leave early and was so stressed that I was leaving everyone hanging that I didn't even remember to try a trifle for myself, but I heard that they were very delicious! And I just loved the presentation!

Mini Chocolate Trifles
Serves 6

1 (1.4 oz.) pkg. pudding mix + ingredients as directed
Whipped Topping (store bought or homemade - I suggest homemade!)
9 oz. glasses (or really whatever size floats your boat)

Prepare pudding as directed on the box. Let set up in the fridge while you prepare the cake.


Sponge Cake
from Emeril Lagasse (BAM!)

1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons butter
8 eggs
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and 2 tablespoons butter together. Using an electric mixer fitted with a wire whip, combine the eggs and 2 cups sugar together. Beat on medium-high speed for about 8 minutes, or until the mixture is pale yellow, thick and has tripled in volume. With the machine running slowly add the heated milk. In a mixing bowl sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together. Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture and mix thoroughly so that there are no lumps and the mixture is smooth. Fold in the vanilla. Grease a 1/2 sheet pan with 2 teaspoons of butter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Pour the cake batter evenly into the pan.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the cake springs back when touched. Set aside to cool.

Assembly
Once the cake has cooled completely, cut circles the same diameter as the bottom of your glasses. My glasses were about 9 oz., and I used a 2" biscuit cutter.

 Place each circle into the bottom of your glasses.

Fill the glass about halfway with some chocolate pudding on top of the cake.

Then top with the whipped topping. I also dusted them with a little bit of cocoa powder.

If you would like, because you will have a ton of sponge cake leftover, you can add another layer of sponge cake on top of the pudding layer. That would be extra yummy! Enjoy!

-alyssa*