This Coconut Cream Cake Pan Trifle recipe is filled with homemade vanilla pound cake, a coconut cream drizzle, a luscious coconut cream filling and it's topped with glorious billows of whipped cream. Toasted coconut is the crowning touch giving it just a bit of crunch and toasted goodness on top.
Easy Coconut Cream Cake Pan Trifle Recipe
Trifles are one of my favorite desserts to prepare. They're super versatile and flavor combinations abound. Trifles are easy to make-ahead of time and make the most divine edible centerpieces. My obsession with trifles has contributed to my collection of different shapes and sizes of pretty trifle bowls but, sometimes I'd like to make trifle in a dish that transports more easily to a family potluck, church or office party.
How to Make the Best Coconut Cream Cake Pan Trifle
The presentation in a cake pan makes it easier to transport to your next office, community or family potluck meal and it's delicious to the very last spoonful. The coconut cream flavor in those cake pan trifle does particularly well when layered this way as the creamy filling and coconut drizzle are both able to permeate all of the cubed pound cake pieces.
- Ingredients you'll need to make this homemade Coconut Cream Trifle in a cake pan: One million dollar pound cake (a vanilla pound cake) or buttermilk pound cake baked, cooled and cubed. For the filling you'll need sweetened flaked coconut, half and half, instant coconut cream pudding, sweetened condensed milk, cream of coconut, whipped cream cheese and thawed whipped topping or fresh whipped cream.
- You can use fresh whipped cream for the topping if you prefer. Please note, fresh whipped cream isn't as stable and should only be added to the top on the day you plan on serving the trifle.
- Make it up to one day in advance, cover and chill in the refrigerator until serving.
- If you have a trifle bowl and you'd like to adapt this recipe for layering in a trifle bowl you can. Divide the filling and cake into thirds and finish with whipped cream and toasted coconut.
- Store leftover coconut cream trifle in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Southern Style Trifle Recipes to Make
Trifles are my happy place I simply adore making and serving them. This is fully demonstrated in the recipe index with all kinds of spectacular trifles to enjoy. More trifle recipes you may like to try:
- Outrageous Lemon Lovers Trifle is a fan favorite and goes viral every single Spring here on Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen.
- No worries about ice cream melted when you make my Banana Split Trifle recipe.
- Boston Cream Doughnut Trifle is a simple way to serve the flavors of a chocolate frosted pastry cream filled doughnut to a crowd.
- Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle is a strawberry shortcake dream dessert to make.
- Blueberry Lemon Trifle is a classic flavor combination that doesn't disappoint.
- You may also enjoy this recipe for Chocolate Lasagna Parfaits from Center Cut Cook.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Coconut Cream Cake Pan Trifle
Ingredients
- ½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 15 oz can cream of coconut (Not coconut milk)
- 1 14.5 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 3.8 oz boxes instant coconut cream pudding
- 4 cups half & half
- 1 16 oz container whipped cream cheese, softened
- 1 vanilla pound cake OR 1 15.25 oz box White cake mix prepared, cut into cubes
- 1 16 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided (OR 4 cups fresh sweetened whipped cream)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the flaked coconut on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Toast for 6-8 minutes stirring periodically until golden. Set aside to cool completely.
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together the cream of coconut and sweetened condensed milk.
- In a separate medium-size mixing bowl use an electric mixer to beat together the pudding mix and half & half until thickened but, still pourable.
- Lower the speed of the mixer and beat in the cream cheese. once smooth, fold in 1 cup whipped topping by hand mixing until combined.
- To assemble: In a deep 13 x 9-inch baking dish or cake pan layer ⅓ cubed pound cake, drizzle the cake with ⅓ coconut cream drizzle then spread with ½ coconut cream pudding filling.
- Repeat ⅓ cubed cake, ⅓ coconut cream drizzle then remaining pudding filling. .
- Top with remaining cubed cake and coconut cream drizzle.
- Frost the top with the remaining whipped topping.
- Refrigerate covered with plastic wrap until serving.
- Garnish with the toasted coconut just before serving.
Notes
- Million Dollar Pound Cake recipe was used for this trifle
- Cream of coconut is usually found with the drink mixers in your local grocery store.
Deb
Melissa, I have always admired your trifles but, didn't have a trifle bowl so, I never made any. Until today. Thank you for showing me there's an option to make a trifle without a bowl! I love this recipe and now plan to make all of the others you've shared. My family can't wait!
Tina
you say used 1 8oz. cream cheese and 16oz. of whipped cream cheese, do I use both or just one, you do not say in the instructions .
Melissa
You need one 16 oz cream cheese for this recipe.
Doris Higgins
I don't see cream cheese in the ingredient list so this is a little confusing. How much cream cheese?
Thanks and looking forward to giving this recipe a try.
Melissa
You'll need 8 oz of softened cream cheese for the filling.
Linda P.
Can you use regular cream cheese rather than the whipped?
Melissa
It will change the texture but, you can if you prefer.
Alan
I love the old baking dish you used here. It gives the whole recipe a comfort feel.
Melissa
Thanks Alan, I'm quite the dish hoarder. (In a good way ☺)
Pam Steeves
I would like your recipe for No bake crunchy chocolate Peanut butter bars, they look yummy.
Melissa
Find them in the recipe index here
Pat
I'm drooling...right here on the keyboard! 🙂 This must taste heavenly and I can't wait to make it. Thanks so much for sharing!
xo
Pat
Melissa
My pleasure, Pat.