Carrot Cake Trifle

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 1 (15.25 ounce) package carrot cake mix
• 1 cup water
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• Filling:
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
• Topping:
• 1 cup chopped almonds
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup toffee baking bits (such as Heath)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Beat cake mix, water, vegetable oil, and eggs together in a bowl using an electric mixer on low speed, about 30 seconds; increase speed to medium and beat until batter is evenly mixed, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 31 to 36 minutes. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Keep oven at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Beat milk and pudding mix together in a bowl until evenly combined and thickened; beat in cream cheese until filling is smooth. Fold whipped topping into filling.

Spread almonds and coconut onto a baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven until toasted and fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes.

Cut cake into bite-size pieces; spread 1 layer, 1-cube deep, into a trifle dish or glass bowl. Spoon a layer of filling, about the same depth as cake layer, over cake layer. Sprinkle a layer of almonds, coconut, and toffee bits over filling. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients.