Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle

Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle

1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
1 egg
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground Tone's® Ground Cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup hot water

FILLING/TOPPING:
2 cups cold milk
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground Tone's® Ground Cinnamon
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon rum extract

Directions
In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition.
Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut gingerbread into 1/2-in. to 1-in. cubes; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon; stir into pudding. In another bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and extract; beat until stiff peaks form.
Set aside 1/4 cup gingerbread cubes. In a 4-qt. trifle bowl or glass serving bowl, layer a third of the remaining gingerbread cubes; top with a third of the pumpkin mixture and whipped cream. Repeat layers twice. Crumble reserved gingerbread; sprinkle over top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Yield: 16 servings.

1 cup equals 400 calories, 19 g fat (9 g saturated fat), 57 mg cholesterol, 314 mg sodium, 55 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Originally published as Gingerbread Pumpkin Trifle in Country Woman December/January 2009, p21