This Caramel Apple Trifle couldn’t be any easier to make because it’s conveniently prepared with layers of premade pound cake, instant pudding, apple pie filling, caramel sauce, and pecans, then topped with a container of Cool Whip. The perfect Fall Dessert!
Layered Caramel Apple Trifle
Our easy Caramel Apple Trifle recipe is filled with my favorite flavor combination for fall; just like my Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie Cups, Apple Pie Tacos, and Apple Pie Cookies, this apple caramel trifle takes all the delicious tastes in a traditional apple pie and turns it into a caramel apple dessert.
What I love most about a layered dessert recipe is that it has no rules – you can use freshly spiced cinnamon apples or canned fruit filling, store-bought cake or one baked from a box, packets of pudding or a cream cheese mixture – so simple to assemble and comes together in a snap!
Similar to my Punch Bowl Cake, this 15-minute caramel apple trifle is prepared lasagna-style – with its fluffy cake pieces, creamy pudding, fruit filling, sticky sauce, and crunchy pecans, each layer is displayed in a glass bowl for a pretty presentation that is both pleasing to the eye and especially to the belly!
Why We Love Caramel Apple Trifle Recipes
- Quick and easy to make in 15 minutes.
- Uses a handful of simple ingredients.
- Delicious no bake dessert is a beautiful display of different tastes and textures, all layered in a glass bowl.
- Perfectly portable for holiday parties, potlucks, or any time you are feeding a crowd.
Caramel Apple Trifle Ingredients
- Frozen pound cakes: I used the Sara Lee brand, but feel free to use your favorite.
- Whole milk
- Instant vanilla pudding mix: I used the Jello brand, but you can use any instant pudding mix you prefer.
- Apple pie filling: I used Great Value brand, but feel free to use your favorite.
- Frozen whipped topping: You can also use a Homemade Whipped Cream (Stabilized Recipe).
- Caramel sundae topping: I used Smucker’s brand ice cream topping, but any caramel sauce will work.
- Pecans
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Additions
- Swap The Caramel Sauce: Feel free to swap the store-bought jar of caramel sundae topping with my homemade salted caramel sauce.
- Switch The Cake Squares: You can substitute the pound cake with yellow cake, spice cake, angel food cake, or a homemade cake.
- Prepare Without Pecans: Feel free to use chopped walnuts, almonds, or cashews instead of pecans. Or you can omit the nuts altogether.
- Pick Your Pudding: You can substitute white chocolate or cheesecake-flavored instant pudding mix for the vanilla pudding mix.
- Make Them Mini: I don’t blame you if you don’t want to share your trifle treat! For individual trifles, swap the trifle dish for mason jars and make them mini-size (like my S’mores Trifle).
How to Make Caramel Apple Trifle
- Cut The Cakes: Slice both frozen cakes into bite-size cubes.
- Prepare The Pudding: Sprinkle both packages of pudding mix over the milk and beat until the pudding begins to thicken.
- Assemble: Line the bottom of a trifle bowl with a layer of the cubed cake, then spread the pudding mixture on top, cover with apple pie filling, drizzle on the caramel sauce, and sprinkle with pecans. Repeat the pound cake, pudding, and apple pie filling layers.
Pro Tip: Do not add the remaining caramel and chopped pecans just yet! - Chill: Cover and chill for 3 hours.
- Serve: Just before serving, top the trifle with whipped cream, caramel sauce, and pecans. Serve and enjoy!
Tips For Making Caramel Apple Trifle
- My trifle bowl was 3 quarts. You may end up with extra cake cubes, depending on the size of your trifle bowl.
- For convenience, I used all store-bought ingredients from a package or a can. Feel free to make your own homemade layered parts if you prefer.
How to Store Caramel Apple Trifle
- To Store: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Easy Recipes
Other Apple Dessert Recipes
- Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
- Caramel Apple Grapes
- Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Caramel Apple Dump Cake
- Caramel Apple Dessert Cups
- Caramel Apple Bites
If you tried this Caramel Apple Trifle Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!!!
Caramel Apple Trifle
Serves — 12
Caramel Apple Trifle has the perfect combination of tastes and textures, all layered and displayed in a glass dessert bowl. Full of fall flavors and great for feeding a crowd.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 (10.75-ounce or 304-gram) frozen classic pound cakes (I used the Sara Lee brand)
- 4 cups cold whole milk
- 2 boxes (3.4-ounce or 96-gram) instant vanilla pudding mix (I used the Jello brand)
- 2 cans (21-ounce or 595-gram) apple pie filling (I used Great Value)
- 1 container (8-ounce or 226-gram) thawed whipped topping
- 1 jar (12.25-ounce or 347-gram) caramel sundae topping (I used Smucker’s)
- 1 cup chopped pecans divided in half
Instructions
- Slice both of the frozen pound cakes into bite-size cubes. (You may end up with some extra cubes, depending on the size of your trifle bowl.)2 (10.75-ounce or 304-gram) frozen classic pound cakes
- Add the cold milk to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Sprinkle both packages of instant pudding mix over the milk. Use a handheld mixer on medium-low speed or a whisk, and beat the milk and pudding mix together until the pudding begins to thicken up.4 cups cold whole milk, 2 boxes (3.4-ounce or 96-gram) instant vanilla pudding mix
- Line the bottom of a trifle bowl with a layer of the cubed pound cake (My trifle bowl was 3 quarts)
- Spread ½ of the pudding mix over the bottom layer of pound cake.
- Spoon 1 of the cans of apple pie filling over the pudding layer.2 cans (21-ounce or 595-gram) apple pie filling
- Evenly drizzle ½ of the caramel sundae topping over the apple pie filling.1 jar (12.25-ounce or 347-gram) caramel sundae topping
- Sprinkle ½ cup of the chopped pecans over the caramel layer. Repeat the pound cake, pudding, and apple pie filling layers. Do not add the remaining caramel and chopped pecans just yet. Cover the trifle and chill for 3 hours.1 cup chopped pecans
- Just before you are ready to serve, spoon the entire tub of thawed whipped topping on top of the apple pie filling. Drizzle with the remaining caramel topping and sprinkle the remaining chopped pecans.1 container (8-ounce or 226-gram) thawed whipped topping
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- My trifle bowl was 3 quarts. You may end up with extra cake cubes, depending on the size of your trifle bowl.
- For convenience, I used all store bought ingredients from a package or a can. Feel free to make your own homemade layered parts if you prefer.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 504mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 252IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 2mg
Can the trifle be assembled the night before serving it (minus the last step where you add the remaining cool whip, caramel, and pecans to the top)? I was hoping to assemble it the night before and serve it with lunch the next day but wasn’t sure if it would get too mushy. Thank you! I’m looking forward to making this!
It is a easy recipe to make I made this dessert for holloween it was so good thank you for posting Elsie
I’m making this for the weekend. Do you thaw your Sara Lee pound cake before assembling? I will probably only have 3 hours to refrigerate so wouldn’t the pound cake be more hard in that case? Thanks for any help regarding this!
Hi Cindy, Sorry for the delay—I was traveling and just saw your question. You can thaw it first if you’d like, but I find it easier to slice and handle while frozen. If you prefer it soft and don’t have time for it to soften in the trifle, then it’s best to thaw it beforehand.
I have left over can I freeze this?
I don’t recommend freezing it, but if you choose to, be aware that the texture of the ingredients may change after freezing and thawing, especially the whipped cream and any fresh apples, which can become mushy.
I had this before at a church potluck it was so good made by the pastor wife I lost the recipe she gave me thank you sharing
So glad you enjoyed it!!
This was outstanding. I made the apple pie filling from scratch, which made the equivalent of 2 cans. I bought a 1 lb. Sara Lee pound cake and Jello French vanilla pudding. I omitted the pecans. I topped the trifle with Truwhip original topping–it is much better tasting than Cool Whip. My trifle dish was 2 qt., not 3 qt. and everything fit perfectly. I did freeze the leftovers and will report back on how it freezes.
Hi Margaret – thanks so much for the feedback! I was so excited to post this recipe! I am thrilled it was a hit and I appreciate you sharing your tweaks!