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Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifle

Mike’s late Uncle Jim made incredible trifle’s. It was actually because of him that I requested a trifle bowl on my wedding registry. Before he passed, we talked about creating a Pumpkin Trifle for Thanksgiving. Today’s recipe is dedicated to him . . . we miss you Uncle Jimmy.

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Ingredients

5 cups milk
1 package Betty Crocker Pumpkin Bar mix
1 egg
2 sticks of butter
Box of Jello no-bake real cheesecake
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
2 – 3.4oz boxes Jello instant vanilla pudding
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
12 oz. tub thawed whipped topping
Trifle Bowl

Directions

  1. Bake Pumpkin Bars according to package instructions (you will use 1 egg and 1 stick of butter from the ingredient list).  Set aside to cool.  Once cooled, cut into small squares.
  2. Prepare vanilla pudding using 3-1/2 cups of milk.  Set aside.
  3. Prepare filling of Jello no-bake cheesecake with 1-1/2 cups of milk.  Set aside.
  4. Prepare graham layer of trifle using the contents of the crust package from the no-bake cheesecake, 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup of sugar and 1 stick of melted butter.  Set aside.
  5. Prepare cool whip layer by combining 1/2 cup pumpkin and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie filling with thawed whipped topping.  Set aside.
  6. Wait until the pudding and cheesecake portions of the trifle are set before you begin to layer the trifle.  Stir to soften as you go.
  7. In trifle bowl layer approximately 1/3 of the cubed pumpkin bars.  Add 1/2 vanilla pudding, 1/2 graham cracker mixture, 1/2 cheesecake filling, and 1/3 whipped topping mixture.
    NOTE:  The cheesecake mixture will be the hardest mixture to spread over the trifle, but it will be easier if you start dropping spoonfuls of the mixture from the center and spread out to the edges of the bowl as you go.
  8. Repeat for a second layer.
  9. Sprinkle additional graham cracker crumbs over the trifle to finish.
  10. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to eat.

You will have a small amount of cubed pumpkin bars and whipped topping left after completing the trifle.