Layers Of Love Angel Food Trifle

PointsPlus value: 7

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

1 package angel food cake, 12 servings (yields total 24 cupcakes)

1 ¼ Cup water

½ Cup cocoa powder

Strawberry Filling:

3 Cups strawberries, fresh, sliced (approximately 1 pint)

1 ½ Tbsp sugar

2 Tsp lemon juice

Citrus Maple Cream Cheese:

8 Tbsp light cream cheese, room temperature

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1 Tsp fresh orange zest

1 pinch of salt

Chocolate Sauce:

3 oz dark chocolate chips, (72% cacao)

3 oz heavy whipping cream

Instructions:

Cupcakes:

Set the oven rack to its lowest setting. Line muffin pans with cupcake liners. Whisk the water and cocoa powder gently for 30 seconds until incorporated. Combine cake mix and water in a large bowl. Beat with mixer on medium speed for 1 minute or whisk by hand. Do not overbeat. Pour batter into cupcake liners, filling about 2/3 full, making 24 total cupcakes. Bake for 25-30 minutes until there is a golden brown crust atop of the plain angel food cakes. Remove cupcakes from the baking pans and transfer to a cookie sheet, allowing them to cool slowly.

Strawberry Filling:

In a small bowl, mix the sliced strawberries, sugar and lemon juice together. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Citrus Maple Cream Cheese:

In a small bowl, whisk cream cheese, maple syrup, fresh orange zest and a pinch of salt together. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Chocolate Sauce:

Place the chocolate chips in a small metal or glass bowl. Heat the whipping cream in a sauce pot until it begins to steam, and then pour over the chocolate chips. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let stand for 5 minutes. With a fork, gently stir the warm chocolate mixture together, then re-cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

To Assemble:

Build the angel food cake trifle using an 8 oz canning jar. With paper liners removed, begin with 2 cupcakes, sliced horizontally. There should be a total of 4 flat slices of cupcakes per serving. Place one slice of cupcake in the bottom of the jar. Next, add one heaping tablespoon of strawberries followed by 1 heaping teaspoon of cream cheese mixture. Next place a slice of white cupcake atop of that, followed by one heaping tablespoon of strawberries followed by 1 heaping teaspoon of chocolate sauce. Repeat these steps until the last slice of white cupcake reaches the top. Pour some of the strawberry juice onto the top layer then drizzle with remaining chocolate sauce and garnish with a strawberry slice.