This Easy Halloween Chocolate Trifle recipe is made from cake mix chocolate cake, instant vanilla pudding, Cool Whip, and assorted Halloween Candies. Grab the kiddos because they’ll love making this recipe with you!

This recipe makes eight servings for just $3.35. That works out to be $0.42 per serving. 

For more fun, Halloween recipes don’t miss out on this Zombie Bait Chex Mix, these Sweet and Salty Candy Corn Cookies, or this Pumpkin Cheese Ball.

Halloween Chocolate Trifle layered with chocolate cake, vanilla pudding, Cool Whip, and Halloween candies.

A trifle is a layered dessert that is so fun to make. The layer of chocolate cake, pudding, and whipped topping is a delicious treat.

I’ve even got a trick to share with you to make the assembly of the recipe even easier! I know this is a trick and a treat you will want to share with everyone you know!

This trifle is perfect for all your Halloween parties and events. It is simple to make, and it is a definite crowd-pleaser. I found fun chocolate eyes and gummy body parts for decorating the trifles. 

I love this recipe so much that I don’t wait until October to enjoy it. To do this, I leave out the food coloring and do not add on the Halloween decorations and sprinkles. When I do this, I can enjoy this trifle all year long!

Ingredients and Cost

Per Serving Cost: $0.42

Recipe Cost: $3.35

  • 1 box chocolate cake mix – $1.18
  • ½ cup vegetable oil – $0.24
  • 1 cup water – $0.00
  • 3 large eggs – $0.30
  • 1 small box instant vanilla pudding – $0.50
  • 2 cups milk – $0.32
  • 1 container whipped topping – $0.82

NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have.

All of the ingredients needed to make this Chocolate Trifle recipe.

Instructions

  1. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the cake and bake for 12-15 minutes. 
  2. Next, make the pudding, add food coloring, and place it in the fridge until set. 
  3. Place the pudding and whipped topping fixtures into two pastry bags. 
  4. Next, cut the cake to fit the trifle dish and place the cake in it. Then pipe in the pudding followed by the whipped topping.
  5. Finally, decorate with sprinkles and candy. 

A picture collage showing how to make this recipe.

Recipe Variations

  • While these Chocolate Trifles are all dressed up for Halloween, you can make them for any holiday or occasion. Just color the pudding and match the candies and sprinkles to your party theme or holiday.
  • Feel free to use any cake or pudding flavor that you’d like.
  • You cna use fresh whipped cream instead of Cool Whip. Just whip up 1 ½ cup of heavy whipping cream to make 3 cups of whipped cream. Get complete directions in my How To Make Whipped Cream post.

Storage Tips

SERVE: Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator up to 1 day before serving. The layers can be made ahead of time and then assembled on the day of serving.

STORE: Cover and store the chocolate trifles in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

FREEZE: Do not garnish with candies. Cover the trifles with two layers of plastic wrap and foil and freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw the trifles at room temperature for about 2 hours before garnishing with candies and serving.

Cook’s Tools

  • Mini Trifle Bowls
  • Liquid measuring cup
  • Pastry bags
A close up picture of a finished Halloween Chocolate Trifle in a clear glass trifle dish.

Recipe FAQ’s

What is the difference between a parfait and a trifle?

Both dishes have layers of creamy fillings. However, a parfait is traditionally served for breakfast with layers of fruit, granola, and yogurt. Whereas a trifle typically consists of layers of cake, pudding, and whipped cream topping.

Is it best to make trifle the day before?

You can make the layers of the dessert up to one day in advance. And then assemble the trifle the day of. However, do not assemble it the day before as the cake will get soggy.

Five mini Halloween Chocolate Trifles in clear trifle dishes.

More Desserts

A finished Halloween Chocolate Trifle on a Halloween plate.
5 from 6 votes

Halloween Chocolate Trifle

Recipe Cost $ $3.35
Serving Cost $ $0.42
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
8 people
This Easy Halloween Chocolate Trifle recipe is made from cake mix chocolate cake, instant vanilla pudding, Cool Whip, and assorted Halloween Candies.

Equipment

  • liquid measuring cup
  • mixing bowl
  • baking sheet
  • whisk
  • Glass or plastic containers for trifle **see notes
  • 2 plastic decorator icing bags
  • Large round decorator tip
  • Small sharp knife

Ingredients
 
 

TRIFLE:

  • 1 box chocolate cake mix
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 small box instant vanilla pudding
  • 2 cups milk
  • Orange food coloring optional
  • 8 oz container Cool Whip

DECORATIONS:

  • Sprinkles
  • Chocolate balls wrapped like eyes
  • Gummy body parts like brains teeth, fingers, etc
  • Any decorations you like

Instructions

MAKE THE CAKE:

  • Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Spray a small rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray **see notes.
  • In a large bowl, beat together cake mix, water, oil, and eggs until smooth.
  • Spread the batter evenly into the baking sheet.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

MAKE PUDDING:

  • Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk until smooth.
  • Add several drops of orange food coloring and whisk until well combined.
  • Place pudding in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes or until completely set.

ASSEMBLE:

  • Remove pudding and whipped topping from the refrigerator.
  • Fit two pastry bags with large round tips.
  • Add pudding in one bag, and in the other, add whipping topping **see notes.
  • Using the rim of your trifle dish as a pattern, lightly press it into the cake.
  • Remove and then use the sharp knife to cut out the circle. You may need to cut it a little smaller so it fits into the trifle dish easily.
  • Add cake to the trifle dish.
  • Then pipe in the pudding.
  • Next, add Cool Whip on top of the pudding.
  • Decorate with sprinkles and candy, if desired.

SERVE:

  • Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator up to 1 day before serving.

Notes

  • Trifle Dish/Containers: Any container will work, but glass is best so you can see the layers. The number of servings you get will depend on the size of your container. I used small-footed trifles and got five servings with leftover cake.
  • Baking Sheet: You can also bake the cake in a 13×9 pan; the cake layer will be thicker in your container. You can also break up the cake into small pieces instead of cutting it into circles.
  • Pastry Bag: You can use a spoon to add pudding and whipped topping to the trifle; however, using a pastry bag makes the process easy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.25cup | Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 518mg | Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Calcium: 196mg | Iron: 3mg

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Chocolate trifles decorated with Halloween candies.

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6 Comments

  1. Beth Sachs says:

    What a fantastic idea for a Halloween dessert. My kids are going to love this!

  2. These are so festive and fun! Let my niece and nephew decorate the tops and we had a blast!

  3. Emily Flint says:

    I always love the way trifles look and hardly ever make them. I don’t know why because they are so easy! I’m so glad I found your Halloween version, I made it last weekend for my girlfriends and they all loved it!

  4. Mandy Applegate says:

    I’m having a Halloween party and the kids (and adults) will love these!

  5. These are so fun and creative! Perfect for a Halloween party or to bake with the kids!

  6. I am going to make these Christmas themed with red velvet cake, green food coloured vanilla pudding and whipped cream with Christmas sprinkles on the top. Thank you for the idea