By Dan Pelosi
Published May 24, 2024
- Total Time
- 3 hours (includes at least 2 hours’ cooling and chilling)
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 45 minutes, plus cooling and chilling
- Rating
- 4(181)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Death by Chocolate, which by name suggests that it’s so rich and decadent that it may cause one to simply expire, commonly takes the shape of a trifle dessert. It consists of layers of crumbled brownies or chocolate cake, chocolate pudding and whipped cream, plus a fourth layer that is either crumbled chocolate sandwich cookies or chopped up chocolate toffee bars. The assembled trifle is placed in the fridge to rest in peace until served cold. While often made with boxed cake, pudding mixes and Cool Whip, this recipe contains easy homemade versions of all three.
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Ingredients
Yield:8 to 10 servings
- Softened butter or nonstick baking spray for the pan
- 2cups/256 grams all-purpose flour
- 2cups/402 grams granulated sugar
- ¾cup/71 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2teaspoons baking soda
- 1teaspoon baking powder
- ½teaspoon kosher salt
- 1cup/240 milliliters hot coffee
- 1cup/240 milliliters buttermilk
- 1cup/240 milliliters vegetable oil
- 2large or medium eggs, lightly beaten
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
- ¾cup/71 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼cup/32 grams cornstarch
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- 4cups/960 milliliters whole milk
- 4tablespoons/57 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1pint/475 milliliters heavy whipping cream
- 1tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1cup chopped chocolate toffee bars (such as Skor or Heath) or 1 cup crumbled chocolate sandwich cookies (such as Oreo)
For the Cake
For the Pudding
For the Whipped Cream
For the Crunch Layer
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
868 calories; 55 grams fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 25 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 91 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 60 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 686 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with softened butter or spray with baking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, and then grease the paper with softened butter or spray with baking spray.
Step
2
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in coffee, followed by buttermilk and vegetable oil. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely, about 2 hours.
Step
3
Meanwhile, make the pudding: In a medium saucepan, whisk to combine the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Set the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly as the mixture heats up and thickens. When thick and bubbling all over, about 12 minutes, remove from the heat. Immediately add the butter and vanilla and whisk until butter is fully melted. Pour pudding into a heat-proof bowl and cover the top of the pudding with plastic wrap, gently pressing it directly onto the surface so that it does not form a skin. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Pudding can be refrigerated up to 2 days.)
Step
4
Make the whipped cream: Add heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat at medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping the bowl with a spatula a few times and stopping when stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Step
5
Assemble the trifle: Cut the cake into 2-inch squares. Arrange half of the pieces in a pile at the bottom of a 4-quart trifle dish or a large bowl, avoiding large gaps between pieces. Don’t worry if they crumble. Spread half of the chocolate pudding on top of the cake, gently pushing down as you go. Next, add half of the whipped cream on top of the pudding, then sprinkle half of the crunch layer pieces evenly on top. Repeat layering once more, until you have filled the trifle dish. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Serve chilled, directly from the fridge.
Ratings
4
out of 5
181
user ratings
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Cooking Notes
Yaela Ettlinger
I would be tempted to add some fruit as in a classic trifle, either fresh or frozen, unsweetened raspberries or cherries (bing or sour) to add a tart component to the overall flavor range. Perhaps this identifies me as someone not quite as devoted to chocolate as Monsieur Desaulniers but I can't help it! To quote Popeye "I yam what I yam."
Jeff
Oh, there is no such thing as homemade Cool Whip my friend. That's like homemade McDonald's french fries. I've sent mixers to the grave making real whipped cream. But Cool Whip is its own thing. It's a unique food product. There is no substitute. To be clear, I am encouraging no one to actually eat Cool Whip...
Jeff
Oh, there is no such thing as homemade Cool Whip my friend. That's like homemade McDonald's french fries. I've sent mixers to the grave making real whipped cream. But Cool Whip is its own thing. It's a unique food product. There is no substitute. To be clear, I am encouraging no one to actually eat Cool Whip...
Jennifer
Easy to follow and put together. I'm thinking I'll add some raspberry next time to relieve the richness.
Brian
Or slightly overcook the chocolate cake and give it a good sprinkling of Chambord when placing in the bowl.
Megan Elizabeth
Don’t wimp out!! Fold in melted chocolate to the whipped cream ! If I’m gonna die by chocolate, let me die properly by chocolate.
a2zmom
You made me laugh but I agree!
Susan T.
Can you use store-bought cold brew, or would that be too strong?
Grey
store bought is just fine. Just to be careful to read the labels that it is cold brew but not a cold brew concentrate.
Potluck Stunner
Made this for a summer potluck and it was a clear winner, even on a dessert table laden with contenders. Used gluten free brownies in place of the cake but otherwise followed the recipe to a T. Totally delish.
Yaela Ettlinger
I would be tempted to add some fruit as in a classic trifle, either fresh or frozen, unsweetened raspberries or cherries (bing or sour) to add a tart component to the overall flavor range. Perhaps this identifies me as someone not quite as devoted to chocolate as Monsieur Desaulniers but I can't help it! To quote Popeye "I yam what I yam."
LindaKay
If you want powered sugar without cornstarch, just whirl regular sugar in a food processor or high speed blender until it reaches a powdered texture. This recently saved me when I ran out but needed some for icing!
MAW
Made this for a bbq party for husband’s birthday yesterday. Since he is lactose intolerant, made the pudding (2 days in advance) with lactose free milk, the cake (the night before) with kefir instead of buttermilk, and whipped coconut cream. Had crushed toffee bars, Butterfingers, and luxardo cherries as optional toppings. It was delicious, not too sweet and great for a crowd. It was also delicious for breakfast this morning!
William Wroblicka
The cake component of this recipe is a slight variation on the one that appears on the back of a can of Hershey's cocoa and which Ina Garten popularized in a version she called Beatty's Chocolate Cake, both of which are excellent. However, the recipe here calls for twice as much oil as Hershey and Ina do (1 cup vs. 1/2 cup). The extra 1/2 cup here is both caloric and unnecessary.
GreyNYC
did you make the two cakes and compared them side by side? how did you know that is "unnecessary'? this recipe has 1/4 cup more flour and a whole cup more of coffee. This is a more liquidy batter which in turns will change the cake texture outcome. I would say these are not "slight" variations ...
Susan
As a child, my son called this Chocolate Thunder, and the name stuck.
Linda
I’ve been making a death by chocolate recipe for over 30 years, That’s a big hit no matter where I take it, but instead of making the cake layer by scratch, use a family size box of brownie mix baked in a 9 x 13 pan and when it comes out, you poke holes all over the top and then pour a quarter cup to a half a cup of Kahlúa on top. I used to be able to find a chocolate mousse box mix, but now I either make the mousse from scratch or use a chocolate pudding mix lightened up with Cool Whip.
Mama cooks
I've been making this for years and it's definitely a family favorite. I use a good quality chocolate cake mix, 2 large cook-n-serve chocolate pudding mixes, one large tub of Cool Whip, drizzle Kahlua over the cake layers and top each pudding layer with broken up Skor or Heath bars - buy 6 for this recipe. Save a few pieces to sprinkle on top of the final Cool Whip layer.I think it might be more enjoyable if you don't have to put so much work into making all the layers from scratch!
Amy
Was excited to make it but surprised that I didn’t like it. Not sure how it could be bland, but it was! Would much prefer the simple cake (which is delicious and not too sweet) with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. The pudding and whipped cream did nothing for it.
jarvis
What’s the origin of this dessert?
LaurelMomof2
My mother would drizzle Kahlua liqueur over each layer of cake in her version of this trifle. It was always a hit!
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