Ambrosia Trifle

This coconut and fruit filled trifle would make a lovely dessert for Easter. The cake turns our light and airy and can also be used as a sheet cake, layer cake or jelly roll. Using the cream mixture as the filling and frosting.
I'll let you in on a little secret. I was to bring a dessert to a friends 60th birthday tea and thought a spring like jelly roll would be a perfect choice. I baked this cake in my jello roll pan and had all the fillings ready to go. It's turned out perfect other times...but on this occasion the cake began to really crumble and rolling became impossible. Whatever you do, don't panic when this happens. Grab your trifle bowl, or any pretty glass bowl and turn your crumbling cake into a trifle masterpiece. It's your secret...unless you tell....as I did.

Cake:

• 1 white cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix well. 
2. Pour batter into greased and parchment lined 9x13 pan.
3. Bake as directed on cake mix box.
4. While cake is cooling make the following filling.

Filling and Cream:

• 1 8 ounce tub cool whip dessert topping
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups fine sweetened coconut
• 2 284ml cans mandarin orange segments, drained well
• 1 398ml can crushed pineapple, drained well
• 3 cups whipping cream
• 1 tsp coconut extract (or vanilla extract)
• 2 tbsp white sugar

1. Stir together cool whip, sour cream, coconut, oranges and pineapple. 
2. Whip cream together with extract and sugar until stiff.

Assembling trifle:

1. Cut cooled cake into cubes. 
2. Layer the cake, filling and cream alternately into trifle bowl ending layers with the cream.
3. Decorate with more sweetened whipped cream, a sprinkle of fancy coconut and mini coloured marshmallows, or decorate with fresh fruit. 
4. Cover well and place in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or over night. 

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