Do you remember the song, "Nobody likes me... Everybody hates me... I'm gonna eat some wor-rr-ms..."? When I was feeling sorry for myself as a kid, my Mom used to try to cheer me up by singing that song to me. I guess she was attempting to make me realize how silly and trivial I was being. It usually worked. But still, I just couldn't get past the thought of eating worms.
So, when I was thinking about making a gross Halloween dessert for a Halloween potluck, worms immediately sprung to mind. And then a Witches Brew Halloween Trifle to put them in! This Halloween Trifle is not only fun, it's sure to win for grossest food at the party, just like this one did! This dessert trifle is popular during Halloween season and ideal for Halloween parties
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For the last couple of years, we've had a contest at our Halloween potluck at work with a prize for "best Halloween themed food." This year I was determined to put in some real effort and win that prize! And since the grossest-looking entry (the kitty litter cake) won last year and my cute little Phantom Perogy Pizza Pops just didn't cut it, I decided to go for repulsive this time round.... A witches brew trifle with worms, dirt, and eyeballs was sure to garner some revulsion!
Have you ever made anything that looks too gross to eat? As a cake decorator, food blogger, and food photographer, this really goes against my grain, with my goal consistently being to make food look mouth-watering! So, creating something that looked disgusting was a bit of a stretch for me.
However, it's one thing to make something that looks cool and creepy, but it's an entirely different thing to make it taste good as well. But this spumoni trifle is the best of both the spooky, cool-looking, and delicious worlds. If you are looking for Halloween potluck ideas for work that actually taste good, then this is your Halloween dessert!
🥘 Ingredients
For this Halloween potluck recipe, you'll need:
- cake * red velvet or chocolate
- pistachio instant pudding
- cherry pie filling
- cream cheese * I use light
- sliced almond
- whipping cream
- granulated sugar
- green scotch mints
- white scotch mints
- edible markers
- candy eyes
- Oreo baking crumbs
- jello worms (optional)
*See printable recipe card for quantities
📖 Variations
- Worms: You can use gummy worms in place of Jello worms (but they don't look as realistic)
- Whipping cream: you can use Cool Whip instead of homemade whipped cream
- Spring dessert: Although this witch's brew dessert recipe is a Halloween dessert, it's also perfect for a scary birthday party or oddly enough, a spring garden theme party. Seriously. Layer it in a clear trifle dish and you have yourself a spring color-themed trifle, complete with worms! Just skip the eyeballs and bubbling cauldron mint toppings, add a gardening tool and you're good to go!
- Earth day: Or you can make this Earth Day Recipe !
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👪 SERVING SIZE
This easy Halloween dessert recipe makes 30 servings, so it's the ideal Halloween potluck food. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust. You could also build it in individual trifles (as shown below) using mini trifle bowls or mini cauldrons (affiliate link).
🌡️STORAGE
You can store this Halloween trifle covered in plastic wrap for a day or two if you want to make it in advance (but put the mint eyeballs, dirt and worms on just before serving). *NOTE: if mints are left on the trifle the mint flavor will seep in to the dish . If you like mints, then you can put them on in advance. If you do not like mints, then put them on just prior to serving!
I recommend Glad Press N' Seal (affiliate link) because it creates a better seal, is thicker and stronger.
Store leftovers of this delicious treat in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
💭 Top tip
The worms take an investment of prep time, but they are well worth it if you are going for that gross look. In fact, I consider them the crowning glory on this Halloween trifle! But if you don't have time, you can use gummy worms.
*** Make the worms a day in advance, as they need to set overnight
🍽 Equipment
You will need an electric mixer, but you don't need any special equipment to make this fun dessert, but it definitely makes it look even cooler when you use a cauldron! (affiliate link). If you can't get your hands on a cauldron, then you could use a trifle bowl. I used a wooden spoon for the pot stirrer.
In the end, I did win the "best Halloween food" for this delicious trifle at the potluck this year and scored an excellent foodie prize - a restaurant gift card! At least I don't have to feel sorry for myself and go eat some worms. But I think I will anyway- they really are delicious!
Happy gross, scary, spooky cooking!! If you are heading out to a Halloween party and looking for more witch-themed Halloween potluck recipes, then give this Melting Witch Punch a try - its sure to be a huge hit! And if you're looking for an easy, fun and no bake dessert, try my Halloween Cheesecake!
Or these Halloween Blood Bag Drinks! They are easy to make and fun to serve:
And if you're looking for additional Halloween Potluck Recipes, check out these Halloween Potluck Ideas!
Comments & Reviews
Did you know that commenting and⭐rating recipes is one of the best ways to support your favorite recipe creators? If you loved this recipe, please comment and rate it in the recipe card or share photos on social media using the hashtag #foodmeanderings or tagging @foodmeanderings !
📋 Witches Brew Halloween Trifle Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Spumoni trifle
- 1 -8 inch chocolate cake or red velvet cake use store-bought or mix or homemade
- 2 -99 g pkgs pistachio instant pudding
- 1 -540 ms can of cherry pie filling
- 1 - 8 oz pkg cream cheese I use light cream cheese
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 2 tablespoon white granulated sugar
Toppings:
- large green mints (scotch green mints) (20- 25)
- white mints for eyeballs (scotch white mints) 5 approximately - or use Jumbo candy eyes
- black edible marker
- red edible marker
- small candy eyes 5-10
- oreo cookie crumbs sprinkling
Jello worms: (Optional) https://foodmeanderings.com/jello-worms-and-dirt-cup/
Instructions
*** Make the worms a day in advance, as they need to set overnight (see recipe below)
Spumoni Trifle:
- In a large bowl, make pistachio pudding, as per package instructions.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat whipping cream to soft peaks and then add white granulated sugar. Beat to stiff peaks.
Toppings:
- Beat cream cheese for 30 seconds, then add cherries and beat until smooth. Add almonds
- Assemble: break the cake up and put in bottom of cauldron or trifle dish. Add ½ the pistachio pudding, then top that with cream cheese cherry mixture. Add all the whipped cream, then top with remainder of pistachio pudding.
Worms: (Optional) https://foodmeanderings.com/jello-worms-and-dirt-cup/
Assembly:
- Draw black circle on white mints with edible black markers. Draw red lines for bloodshot eyes, if desired. Or use jumbo candy eyes.
- Add green mints and small candy eye mints to the top of the trifle.
- Add a little oreo cookie crumbs under the worms and sprinkle a little on top, if desired. Serve.
lindsey
i was just wondering if i used vanilla flavored pudding and dyed it green if it would work the same, also are the nuts optional?
Terri Gilson
Hi Lindsey,
Yes, you can use vanilla pudding and dye it green, but the green will likely look a bit different. Nuts are in spumoni and it's a spumoni flavor, but they are optional. It will still taste great!
Enjoy!
Terri
Anita
This looks amazing! I am going to make this for a Halloween party coming up. Not sure if I will be able to find the scotch mints $30 online!?!? I may use green grapes instead. Hope mine turns out looking like that!!!
Terri Gilson
Hi Anita,
Great- hope you enjoy it! I found the mints at my local Grocery store for much cheaper!
Daire
This is so creepy and fun! I just featured this recipe in my Halloween Foods roundup on my blog!
Terri Gilson
Thank you 🙂 I'll check it out!
Redawna
Very cool Halloween dessert!
The worms add that nice gross touch.
Definitely worthy of the win.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Charlotte
I'm so glad you won the potluck contest this year! These trifle is definitely spooky and I can't stop looking at those worms but I'm also super excited to make it next year.
Terri Gilson
Hi Charlotte - Thanks! I hope you enjoy it when you do get a chance to make it!