These Mini Caramel Pecan Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifles have layers of cheesecake filling, moist pumpkin cake, brown sugar caramel, and toasted pecans. Heaven!
Prep Time35 minutesmins
Cook Time37 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr12 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Author: Garnish and Glaze
Ingredients
For the Cake:
2cupsall-purpose flour
2teaspoonsbaking powder
1teaspoonbaking soda
1teaspoonsalt
1teaspooncinnamon
1teaspoonpumpkin pie spice
1 1/2cupsgranulated sugar
115 ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie)
3/4cupvegetable oil
1/4cupwhole milk
3eggs
For the Caramel Sauce:
4tablespoonssalted butter
1cupbrown sugar, packed (light or dark)
1cupheavy whipping cream
1/2teaspoonvanilla extract
For the Nuts:
3/4cuppecan pieces
16pecan halves
For the Cheesecake Filling:
1 1/2cupsheavy whipping cream
18 ounce block cream cheese
1/4cupgranulated sugar
1teaspoonvanilla
Instructions
For the Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x9 inch cake pan.
In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
In another bowl, beat sugar, pumpkin, oil, milk, and eggs together. Mix in the dry ingredients until combined and then pour into the greased pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean.
Let cake cool completely. Cut into bite size squares when cooled.
For the Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce:
Heat butter, brown sugar, and whipping cream in a 2 quart pot over medium heat, gently stirring with a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula. Once it comes to a boil, cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and let cool slightly before pouring into a jar. Store in fridge until ready to use.
For the Nuts:
Place pecans on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
For the Cheesecake Filling:
Beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add the whipping cream and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. Place in a piping bag for assembling the trifles.
For Assembling the Trifles:
Pour about a teaspoon of caramel into the bottom of each dish/cup. Add a layer of cubed pumpkin cake followed by a layer of filling. Sprinkle on about a tablespoon of pecan pieces and then drizzle with more caramel.
Repeat the layers until you get to the top of your dish/cup. End with a drizzle of caramel and pecan halves.
Serve immediately or if making in advance, hold off on your last drizzle of caramel and pecans and store in the fridge overnight. Drizzle on caramel right before serving.