Rummy Sponge Cake Trifle: a Festival of Flavors in Your Mouth

Sponge cake is drizzled in rum, sprinkled with almonds and dates, layered in vanilla pudding and whipped cream, and garnished with chocolate curls. It's a dessert that is so moist and sumptuous, you are sure to experience "A Bit of Heaven and a Hint of Rum." Experiment with this recipe by adding your own favorite ingredients, like lemon curd, orange zest, or white chocolate crumbles.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

•  vanilla pudding (Easy recipe below)
• 1  sponge cake, cut into 1-inch cubes (store-bought)
• 1  cup rum, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1  cup  almonds, blanced and slivered
• 1  cup pitted dates, firmly packed, finely chopped
•  whipped topping (Recipe below)
• 1 (4 ounce)  bar dark chocolate

• Easy Vanilla Pudding

• 3  cups milk
• 1⁄4 cup cornstarch
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract

• Whipped Cream Topping

• 4  cups heavy cream
• 2  teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2  tablespoons rum
• 1  cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1. Begin by making the vanilla pudding:
2. Heat 2 2/3 cups of the milk.
3. Mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt in a seperate bowl; stir in the remaining milk.
4. Add the cornstarch mixture to the heated milk and cook over low heat, continuously stirring, until smooth and thick, and the cornstarch is completely cooked (about 10 minutes).
5. Set aside to cool down to room temperature.
6. Meanwhile, layer 1/3 of the sponge cake cubes in the bottom of a footed trifle dish or deep glass bowl.
7. Drizzle the cake with 1/3 rum and sprinkle with 1/3 almonds and 1/3 dates; top with 1/3 vanilla pudding. Repeat the layers until the bowl is ALMOST full.
8. Chill for at least four (4) hours - Longer is better.
9. Meanwhile prepare the whipped cream topping:
10. In a large bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks are just about to form.
11. Beat in the vanilla, 2 tablespoons rum, and sugar until peaks form. COOK'S TIP: Do not over-beat or the cream will become lumpy and butter-like.
12. Just before serving the trifle, pipe the whipped cream over the top and run a vegetable peeler over the edge of the dark chocolate bar, letting the curls sprinkle over the cream topping.