Thursday, December 5, 2013

Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle

Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle

So, we all know what you're supposed to do when life hands you a bowl of lemons.  But, what to do when life hands you a fallen crumb cake and you're supposed to give it as a gift?  If you've been paying attention around here at all, you know I am the queen of the crumb.  I can practically make a crumb cake in my sleep.  I add crumb topping to almost everything.  What on earth is the world coming to when my crumb cake fails??

Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle
Crumb Failure
This particular crumb cake was to be gingerbread flavored and the only unusual ingredient was molasses.  I don't know if that's what caused the crumb cave in but I suspect so.  Of course, people make molasses gingerbread cakes all the time but they're usually done in a square or rectangular pan.  I attempted to make it in a large round spring-form and I think that's where it all went wrong.  The thing is...when I say it all went wrong, I just mean the way it looked.  It tasted amazing!  I considered tossing it and remaking it in my square pan but it was way too delicious to toss.  And so I whipped up a lovely little no-bake pumpkin cream and dug out my mason jars.  So perfect for gift giving!  I may have kept one (or two) for myself so I can say for a fact that I managed to turn an odd but tasty cake into an even tastier parfait.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cake:
2 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups sugar
1 Stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon molasses
2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
2 Teaspoons cinnamon
1 Teaspoon nutmeg
1 Teaspoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon baking soda
1 Teaspoon salt

Crumb Topping:
1/2 Cup sugar
1 1/2 Cups all purpose flour
1 Stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 Teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 Teaspoon salt

Pumpkin Cream:
8 oz. Cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 Cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup frozen whipped topping
1 Tablespoon vanilla
Pinch of salt

Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle
To make the crumb topping, combine the sugar, flour, ginger and salt in a bowl.  Stir in the melted butter and let sit while you assemble the rest of the cake.

To make the cake, cream the eggs and sugar together using either a stand mixer or a hand mixer.  Beat in the butter.  Add the vanilla, molasses and sour cream and continue mixing until combined.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Stir the flour mixture into the wet batter and mix.

To assemble the cake, pour the batter into a buttered and floured 9 x 13 baking pan.  In other words, do as I say, not as I did. :)  With your fingers, crumble the crumb topping evenly over the batter and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for approximately 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

While the cake cools, make the pumpkin cream by combining the cream cheese, pumpkin puree, sugar, whipped topping, vanilla and salt in a bowl and mix until completely smooth and all the ingredients are fully incorporated.  Place a large spoonful of the pumpkin cream into the bottom of an 8 oz. jar, cut up the cake into cubes and layer a few over the cream.  Repeat a couple more times and be sure to finish the top with some of the baked crumb mixture.  This amount of cream should give you enough for 4 jars but with enough leftover cake to make 4 more, if you like.

These delectable jars are also my contribution to the collective baking talents of the Holiday Blogging Group.  Be sure to check out the amazing creations from my fellow bakers below!

Christmas Food Party on Jen's Favorite
 Cookies
Red Velvet Parfait from Cravings of a 
Lunatic Cranberry 
& Brie Bites from Crumb Blog Soft Gingerbread Cookies from Roxana's Home 
Baking Coconut Spice Cake 
from Magnolia Days Gingerbread Biscotti from Created By Diane Caramel Biscoff Blossoms from That Skinny 
Chick Can Bake Mint Sandwiches from Jen's Favorite Cookies White Chocolate Cranberry Layer Cake 
from Pineapple and Coconut Candy Cane Kiss Brownies from Chocolate Moosey Triple Chocolate Buche de Noel 
from Girl in the Little Red Kitchen Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle from Hungry Couple 
NYC Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars from 
Chocolate, Chocolate, and More


11 comments:

  1. It's a complete win all around and at least this time there were no mishaps with the spices! :-)

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  2. Did you know that jars mail really well? So go ahead, put a lid on that one for me. My address is.....

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  3. I adore a great crumb cake, but your trifle has taken it to a higher level...looks specacular, Anita!

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  4. Oh wow... talk about a fantastic recovery from a baking fail. I think I actually like this even MORE than the crumb cake, in fact!

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  5. My pumpkin caramel cake was supposed to be a pan of blondies, but it tasted like cake, so I renamed it. I love the way you improvised this recipe. It looks wicked delicious.

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  6. I'll take a fallen crumb cake any day. I'll also take some of these cute trifles! What a gorgeous solution!

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  7. If I would have been there you may not have had enough of the crumb cake left to make trifles. One day I hope to taste one of your crumb desserts in person. You are the crumb queen!

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  8. Ha, I had disaster strike too so when in doubt "parfait it". I have to say yours look incredible. All those yummy layers. The pumpkin cream looks heavenly.

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  9. I NEED this now, it looks perfect!!!! and so delicious :)

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