Witches Brew Spumoni Trifle (with jello worms): A Halloween Potluck Dessert

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.  And then there was the book we read back in elementary school, "How to eat fried worms" The title alone completely repulsed me - I couldn't even get through the entire book (just too many horrifying descriptive worm-eating depictions. ) So, when I was thinking about making a gross Halloween dessert, worms immediately sprung to mind. And then a Witches Brew Trifle to put them in!

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)

📖 Variations

• You can use gummy worms in place of Jello worms (but they don't look as realistic)
• 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!
• Or you can make this Earth Day Recipe !

💭 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! *** Make the worms a day in advance, as they need to set overnight

🍽 Equipment

You don't need any special equipment to make this recipe, 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. 

In the end, I did win the "best Halloween food" 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 looking for more witch-themed Halloween potluck recipes, then give this Melting Witch Punch a try!

And if you're looking for additional Halloween Potluck Recipes, check out this post!

⭐ Reviews

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📋 Witches Brew Spumoni Trifle Recipe

This Witches Brew Spumoni Trifle is the perfect dessert for your Halloween potluck. A trifle consisting of layers of cake, pistachio pudding, whipped cream and cherry almond cream cheese, topped with mint eyeballs, bubbles and jello worms, this dessert is both scary -looking and delicious!

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: Halloween, trifle, witches brew

Servings: 30 people

Calories: 89kcal

Author: Terri Gilson

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

making worms (setting time): 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

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/

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

*** Make the worms a day in advance, as they need to set overnight (see recipe below)

Spumoni Trifle:

• Make pistachio pudding, as per package instructions.
• 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. 

Notes

💭 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! *** Make the worms a day in advance, as they need to set overnight

*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!

🍽 Equipment

You don't need any special equipment to make this recipe, 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. 

My Amazon Recommendations (affiliate links)

 

Nutrition Facts

📋 Witches Brew Spumoni Trifle Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 89 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 29mg10%

Sodium 10mg0%

Potassium 29mg1%

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Vitamin A 320IU6%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 20mg2%

Iron 0.1mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 89kcal (4%) | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fat: 8g (12%) | Saturated Fat: 5g (31%) | Cholesterol: 29mg (10%) | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 29mg (1%) | Vitamin A: 320IU (6%) | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 20mg (2%) | Iron: 0.1mg (1%)

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🎃More Halloween Recipes!

• No Bake (Inside out) Boston Cream Moon Pie
• Halloween Phantom Pierogi Pizza Pockets
• Boo Batter Ice Cream (no churn)
• Halloween Jack o'lantern Bucket Cupcakes
• Salted Toffee Halloween Caramel Apples
• Melting Witch Halloween Punch (non-alcoholic)