Carrot Cake Trifle
Carrot cake to feed a crowd! Fix this layered carrot cake trifle in mason jars or in a large trifle dish. It’s easy, creamy and delicious!
Aren’t trifles the prettiest desserts? The textured and contrasting layers in pretty glass dishes always catch my eyes.
This carrot cake trifle recipe has been one of our favorites for years. It’s quick and easy, plus it is pretty and will look fabulous on your Easter dinner table!

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe:
- It feeds a crowd.
- Make individual servings or one large trifle.
- It’s a great make-ahead dessert.
- Classic carrot cake flavor paired with fluffy cream cheese.
🥕 How to Make Carrot Cake Trifle
Make the cake:
Start by choosing your favorite boxed carrot cake and making it according to the package directions. It doesn’t matter what pan you make it in because you will be cubing the cake anyway.
Then make the whipped filling:
- Using an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is light and fluffy. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar, ½ a cup at a time, until it is thoroughly mixed.
- Add the vanilla and beat the frosting on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Gently fold in the Cool Whip until it is completely mixed in.
Assemble the trifle:
In a trifle dish or glass dish, place down a layer of cake, then a layer of the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle walnuts on top of the cream cheese. Repeat the layers until your trifle dish is full, ending with the walnuts on top.
Cover and refrigerate the trifle until serving, and be sure to refrigerate any leftovers as well.

⭐️ Recipe Variations:
- Use a gluten free or sugar free cake mix.
- Add a layer of caramel ice cream topping over the whipped filling.
- Sprinkle cinnamon chips in between the layers.
- Add vanilla or cheesecake pudding.


Carrot Cake Trifle
Carrot cake to feed a crowd! Fix this layered carrot cake trifle in mason jars or in a large trifle dish. It's easy, creamy and delicious!
Servings 16
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 box Betty Crocker carrot cake mix (prepared according to package directions into a 9×13 cake)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 3/4 cup butter (softened)
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 16 ounces Cool Whip
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Prepare the carrot cake and bake according to the package directions for a 9×13 cake. Allow the cake to cool, then cut it into cubes.
- Using an electric mixer, mix the butter and cream cheese, scraping down the sides as needed, until the mixture is light and fluffy. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar, ½ a cup at a time, until it is thoroughly mixed.
- Add the vanilla and beat the frosting on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Gently fold in the Cool Whip until it is completely mixed in.
- In a trifle dish or glass dish, place down a layer of cake, then a layer of the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle walnuts on top of the cream cheese. Repeat the layers until your trifle dish is full, ending with the walnuts on top.
- Refrigerate until serving.
Notes
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 16 people, with 1 serving being 1/16 of the recipe. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Nutrition
Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 365mg | Potassium: 176mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 508IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 2mg
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use homemade carrot cake?
Yes! This works great with homemade carrot cake. Here is our favorite recipe.
I don’t like Cool Whip. Can I use homemade whipped cream instead?
Yes, but if you are not using it right away, you might want to stabilize the whip cream with gelatin so that it doesn’t deflate.
Can I use low fat cream cheese?
Yes. You can use low fat or fat free if you’d like.
Can I make ahead of time ? A day or 2?