Coffee and Donuts Trifle

This recipe is from Chapter Six of The Easy Baked Donut Cookbook

One of my very favorite desserts is tiramisu. The traditional Italian dessert consists of espresso and masala wine-soaked ladyfinger cookies layered with lightened mascarpone custard, finished with a generous dusting of cocoa powder. Consider this trifle the easier, Americanized version; coffee-soaked donuts and no-cook espresso cheesecake mousse alternate in a trifle bowl under a final layer of lightly sweetened whipped cream. Don’t be deterred by the various components, this decadent dessert is extremely easy to make, feeds a crowd, and looks stunning when finished.

You can either make this recipe as written in one large trifle bowl, or divide the ingredients among individual serving cups as pictured.

Makes one 4-quart trifle, 20 to 24 servings

Ingredients

Ingredients

Cake Donuts:

6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, softened
4 teaspoons (20ml) canola oil
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup (125ml) whole milk, at room temperature
2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Coffee Soak:

1 cup strong brewed coffee
2 tablespoon (25g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (15ml) brandy or cognac (optional)

Espresso Mousse:

20-ounces cream cheese, softened (2 1/2 blocks)
1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups (1000ml) heavy cream, cold

Whipped Cream Topping:

1 cup (125ml) heavy cream, cold
2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting

Instructions

1. First, prepare the donuts. This can be done up to 2 days prior to assembling the trifle.
2. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray a 12-cavity donut pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Place the melted butter, canola oil, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, sour cream, and milk in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth.
4. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt to the bowl. Continue whisking until the mixture is combined into a smooth batter.
5. Pipe or spoon the batter evenly between the prepared donut cavities. Transfer the pan to the middle rack of the preheated oven.
6. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a donut comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven.
7. Allow the donuts to cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan. Carefully remove the donuts from the pan using the tip of a paring knife, and transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Once cool, cut the donuts or break them into 1-inch pieces and set aside until you’re ready to make the trifle.
8. To make the soak, whisk together the brewed coffee, sugar, and brandy (if using) in a measuring cup and set aside.
9. To make the mousse, place the cream cheese, sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is completely smooth.
10. Add 1 cup of the heavy cream to the bowl. Beat on low speed to incorporate it into the cream cheese mixture, then add the remaining cream. Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the cream holds stiff peaks. Do not over beat.  
11. To make the whipped cream topping, pour the 1 cup of heavy cream into a separate large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cream holds soft peaks. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue beating for 1 to 2 minutes more, until it holds medium-stiff peaks.
12. To assemble the trifle, arrange 1/3 of the donut pieces in a 4-quart trifle bowl. Sprinkle 1/3 of the coffee soak evenly over the donuts. Layer with 1/2 of the espresso mousse. Top the mousse with another 1/3 of the donuts, followed by 1/3 of the soak, and 1/2 of the mousse. Arrange the final 1/3 of the donuts over the mousse and sprinkle with the remaining soak. Spoon the whipped cream topping onto the donut layer, then spread it to cover the donuts, using the back of a spoon to create pretty swooshes.
13. Dust the cocoa powder evenly over the whipped cream using a fine-mesh sieve. Refrigerate the trifle at least 1 hour before serving.