📋 Death by Chocolate Trifle (with Kahlua) recipe

death by chocolate trifle on a blue surface with small glass bowls in the background and a tea towel with a wooden spoon on the side

5 from 1 vote

📋 Death by Chocolate Trifle (with Kahlua) recipe

Death by Chocolate Trifle with Kahlua is a decadent layered dessert that boasts layers of Kahlua soaked chocolate cake, homemade chocolate mousse, whipped cream and Skor bars! It's an easy to make dessert that's a chocolate lover’s dream come true!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Canadian, North American

Keyword death by chocolate, Skor bar, trifle

Special Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 327kcal

Author Terri Gilson

Equipment

Ingredients

9x13 chocolate cake, cut in 1 inch squares
½ cup + 4 tbsps Kahlua
2 cups chocolate chips
⅔ cup boiling water
1 cup liquid egg whites (must be pasteurized!) (from carton)
8 large Skor bars (Health bars/Toffee bars)
4 cups whipping cream/heavy cream. whipped *Do NOT use spray whipped cream - it will melt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

*Heads up - this recipe requires 8 hours in the fridge (overnight) before serving

Put cake in ½ a cup kahlua and mix together.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff
In another bowl, add boiling water, chocolate chips and the remaining 4 tablespoon of Kahlua
With an electric mixer, beat chocolate chips, boiling water and the remaining 4 tablespoon of kahlua together
Fold egg whites into chocolate chip mixture
crush Skor bars by placing them in a ziploc bag and hitting them with a hammer or running a rolling pin over them to crush.
In a large trifle bowl, layer ½ of the kahlua soaked chocolate cake.
Then add ½ the chocolate mousse, a layer of whipped cream and half the crushed Skor bars.
Repeat.
Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight

Notes

*Note: Adapted from Death by Chocolate Pg 117, Cooking with Tradition

Top tip

If you can't find a baked chocolate cake in the bakery section of your grocery store, then simply buy a McCain's deep and delicious chocolate cake in the freezer section and scrape off the icing! Depending on their size, you may need two of them.

Expert Recipe Tips:

Use High-Quality Chocolate. For the best flavor, use high-quality chocolate for both the cake and pudding. Brands like Ghirardelli, Lindt, or Callebaut offer deeper cocoa notes. If using boxed cake mix and instant pudding, enhance them with a little espresso powder (½–1 tsp) to deepen the chocolate flavor.

Cool Cake Completely. Let the cake cool completely before layering to prevent melting the whipped topping or pudding. For clean layers and texture contrast, consider refrigerating or even lightly freezing the cake cubes before assembling.

Day-Ahead Assembly: Assemble the trifle 12–24 hours in advance. It allows flavors to meld beautifully, but add whipped topping and garnishes right before serving.

Seasonal Toppers. Crushed peppermint at Christmas, mini eggs at Easter, or themed sprinkles for birthdays or holidays.

Clean Layers. Use a piping bag for pudding and whipped topping to get clean, distinct layers—especially important if you're showing it off in a clear bowl.

Portion for Serving Ease. For parties, assemble in individual mason jars or dessert cups for neat servings and easy transport.

Temperature Trick. Serve slightly chilled, but not straight from the fridge — let sit for 10–15 minutes before serving to allow the chocolate flavors to bloom.

🌡️Storage

Store leftover trifle in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also make this easy recipe a day or two in advance. This recipe does not stand up to freezing.

Nutrition