Brownie Trifle is made with fudgy brownie bites, a creamy vanilla filling, and fresh berries layered into an easy dessert. It’s my aunt’s famous recipe!
AUthor’s Notes
My Aunt’s Famous Dessert!
My mom is an identical twin, and her sister, my aunt, is an incredibly talented baker. She makes all kinds of desserts, gets hired to create stunning cakes for weddings and events, and even develops her own recipes. She and her daughter actually wrote a baking book together!
So when she sent my mom this recipe, I knew it had to be good. And wow, it does not disappoint! This is easily one of my all-time favorite desserts, and my family agrees. My middle son even requested it for his birthday “cake”!
It may look like a complicated dessert, but it’s actually very simple to make. Yes, really! And it’s always the one people talk about at any event I bring it to. It’s a total showstopper.
Featured Comment
Best dessert ever! Not only is it beautiful but it tastes amazing!
– Rachael
Ingredients In Brownie Trifle
| Ingredient | Let’s Chat About It |
|---|---|
| Fudge brownie mix | Make homemade brownies or use a rich, fudgy mix you love! I love Ghirardelli or Betty Crocker’s Supreme Triple-Chunk. |
| Sweetened condensed milk & 1% milk | Use regular, full-fat sweetened condensed milk, not evaporated milk. Stick with low-fat milk so the filling sets properly. |
| Instant vanilla pudding mix | Make sure it’s instant, not cook-and-serve. |
| Heavy cream, powdered sugar & vanilla | Use very cold cream, straight from the fridge, for faster whipping and better volume. |
| Fresh berries | Use raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blackberries or a mix. Choose ripe, firm berries so the layers stay pretty, and make sure they’re fully dried so they don’t water down the brownie trifle. |
How To Make Brownie Trifle
- Bake brownies: Line pan, bake mix, cool, then cut into cubes.
- Make pudding base: Beat milk with pudding mix, then chill briefly.
- Whip cream: Beat cream with sugar and vanilla to medium-to-stiff peaks.
- Combine filling: Fold whipped cream into pudding mixture until smooth.
- Layer trifle: Add brownies, cream, and berries, repeating layers.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate 1–3 hours or overnight, then garnish and serve cold.
Chelsea’s Tip
How To Serve This Trifle
If you’re looking for a fancier way to serve this brownie trifle, you can use individual clear trifle cups. Otherwise, serve it the classic way: in one big dish with a large spoon!
Here’s the exact trifle dish I use for this recipe, the smaller of the two.
Tips for Making Brownie Trifle
- Line the pan: Line the brownie pan with parchment so you can lift out the whole slab and cut it into small cubes with less mess. Here’s the best way to cut them!
- Make it gluten free: Swap in my favorite gluten-free brownies if needed.
- Adjust the berries: Add about 1 cup per layer, or adjust up or down depending on the berry size and your preference.
Storage
- Refrigerate: Cover the trifle dish tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and pop in the fridge.
- How long it lasts: It keeps well for up to 3 days, but the texture is best within the first 1-2 days.
- Keep it cold: Because of the cream layer, this dessert should stay refrigerated until ready to serve.
More Chocolate Desserts
Brownie Trifle
Video
Equipment
- 9 x 9-inch baking pan metal
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 (19-ounce) package fudge brownie mix plus the ingredients called for
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup 1% milk or skim; avoid whole or 2%
- 1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix unprepared
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla extract
- 3 to 4 cups fresh berries see note 1
- Fresh mint for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Line a 9×9-inch metal pan with parchment, leaving an overhang. Lightly spray the parchment. Prepare and bake brownies according to package directions for a 9×9-inch pan. Let cool completely, then lift out and cut into 1-inch cubes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sweetened condensed milk and 1% milk. While whisking constantly, gradually sprinkle in the pudding mix and continue whisking briskly until smooth. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.In a separate bowl or stand mixer, add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Whisk on low to combine, then increase to high and beat until medium-to-stiff peaks form, about 1 to 3 minutes.Gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until smooth and combined.
- Add one-third of the brownie cubes to the bottom of a trifle dish. Top with one-third of the cream mixture, then about 1 cup berries.Repeat layers two more times: brownies, cream, berries.
- Refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours, or overnight for softer brownies. Garnish with fresh mint if desired and serve cold.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I Make Brownie Trifle The Night Before?
Yes, you can make a Brownie Trifle the night before to let the brownies soften and the cream flavors develop more. The brownies will continue to soften the longer it sits.
If you prefer firmer brownies, skip assembling it the night before and prep the ingredients ahead instead:
- Wash and dry the berries, keeping them in the fridge.
- Bake the brownies a day ahead, cut them into pieces, and keep in a container with a lid at room temp.
- Make the cream filling up to a day in advance and refrigerate.
I really intended to make this with brownies but needed something fast so made the cream and then layered Graham crackers, strawberries and blueberries for an icebox cake Delicious!
I am so happy you loved this and you were able to make it work with what you had! It sounds delicious! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
This has all the best ingredients. it also presents so well. Perfect for a party or shower.
Best dessert ever! Not only is it beautiful but it tastes amazing!
Such an easy and delicious dessert!