Commencement to Cooking in 2012

Okay so I decided- it's a new year- it's time for a new letter. Perhaps you haven't noticed, but every one of my post titles has started with "B". I've decided to go alphabetically on to "C". Yes, yes, I know I forgot the "A"... but...well.... oh, well. ;)
So to start the new year right- I give you another baking post.

Pumpkin Cream Trifle So- this is a bit of a late post... I did it around Thanksgiving, but pumpkin is for all seasons of life.
I made this for a potluck at church so I did everything before hand for easy assemblage (cool word, right?) for Sunday morning. You can't make a Trifle too early- the cake gets mushy.

These are both needed things- Starbucks White Mocha and a recipe.
We start with the spice cake.
While you do use box spice cake mix you don't really follow the box directions.
Add one package of Cheesecake pudding mix. The recipe actually calls for Vanilla pudding mix but all I had was Cheesecake flavored.
Add 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 vegetable oil.
and 3 eggs
and 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Add one cup pumpkin puree (You could make your own but well.... it's easier to just used the canned version)
Pour this into a lightly grease pan and cook in a 350* oven for 45 to 50 minutes.
And that's really the only cooking that this takes. Next we mix together the cream stuff. And yes, I tend to not wash out my dishes if I can get away with it. In this case, I can because it will only give the cream a bit of color and variety..... and well.... I can.
This is super easy-
cheesecake pudding mix 2 cups cold milk
and 2 cups whipped topping(or, you know... a couple big spoonfuls) Then you just keep this in a container until you're ready to put it together.

Assemblage (yep- it was so cool I had to use it twice)
Cut the cake into about 1 in squares.
Layer the cake on the bottom level.
Then smooth a layer of the cream on top of this.
Add butterscotch chips
and Heath pieces. (I was going to put nuts in this but... kinda forgot and then... well... didn't feel like getting them.)
Keep layering until dish is full. Add butterscotch chips and Heath pieces on top for decorations. I also added carmel whipped topping (the kind in a can) but this melts off pretty quickly, so only add it right at the end.
And there you have it.
Here's the full recipe in case you want to make this yourself:

1 (18.25 oz.) spice cake mix
1 (3.4 oz.) vanilla (or cheesecake) flavored pudding mix
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup water
1/2 vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Mix ingredients together and pour into lightly grease 9x13 pan. Cook in a 350* oven for 45 to 50 minutes.

2 cups cold milk
1 (3.4 oz.) cheesecake flavored pudding mix
2 cups whipped topping
Mix together until smooth. Keep refridgerated

Butterscotch chips
Heath pieces
Layer these with cream mix and cake.

Trying to catching up with posts,

Ti-Ti