Paula's Pumpkin Trifle

I've been snapping pictures here & there of food for some time now, telling myself I'd get around to posting them eventually (post-baby, when I do blog, I tend to write about my cutie patootie instead of food)... well, when I finally sat down to go through some food pics, I found this Paula Deen Pumpkin Trifle from Thanksgiving 2009!  Ha, told ya I was behind... I do remember it was pretty darn good though, so here it is...  xoxo to the lovely Paula Deen :)

*My version pictured above has notes in blue: 

Ingredients:

• 2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix *too much work, I bought 2 loaves of pumpkin bread from the bakery!
• 1 (5.1-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
• 1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
• 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping *I did make my own whipped cream, 1 pint of heavy whipping cream plus 2T powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla... yum
• 1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional *not optional, the crunch is so good!

Preparation:

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely. *or do what I did and buy cake already made :) Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle of the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.