Easy Elvis Trifle with Bacon

I’m not kidding when I say this dessert is equal parts nostalgia and chaos: banana, peanut butter, chocolate, and crispy bacon layered like it’s trying to win a county fair ribbon. It’s playful, a little weird, and somehow totally comforting — the Elvis sandwich meets a trifle and they decide to be best friends.

My husband loses his mind over this trifle. He’ll wander into the kitchen under the pretense of “checking on dinner,” and then just stand there with a spoon, declaring it better than a slice of birthday cake. It started as a dare at a backyard party — I’d made mini Elvis sandwiches and someone dumped a jar of peanut butter into the dessert station — and now it’s become our weekend treat. Our kid calls it “the banana party dessert,” and if that doesn’t sell it, I don’t know what will.

Kitchen Talk

I will admit: the first time I layered this, the bacon went soggy because I naively stacked it between moist layers. Rookie move. Now I crisp it extra and sprinkle it right before serving so it stays loud and crunchy. Also — pro tip I learned by accident — a smear of peanut butter on each cake layer keeps everything from sliding around and gives the trifle that real Elvis vibe. Don’t be precious; you can totally use leftover cake or store pound cake and nobody will judge.

Shopping Tips

– Produce/Fruit: Pick bananas that are ripe but not mushy — a few brown spots are perfect for sweet flavor without falling apart.
– Baking Basics: Use a sturdy cake or store-bought pound cake so the layers hold up; avoid something ultra-shear that will dissolve into mush.
– Dairy: Heavy cream whips best for a fluffy topping; if you want lighter, try stabilized whipped cream or mascarpone for richness.
– Nuts & Seeds: Go for a natural-style peanut butter or a crunchy one if you love texture; salted peanuts or chopped peanuts make great garnish.
– Specialty Item: Bacon — pick thick-cut for maximum chew & crisp, and check for low-sugar varieties if you don’t want it overly sweet.
– Chocolate: Pick a good-quality chocolate bar to shave or chop for garnish rather than using syrup (it melts prettily and looks nicer).

Prep Ahead Ideas

– Crisp the bacon a day ahead and keep it airtight; re-crisp in a hot oven for a few minutes before serving if it softens.
– Slice bananas and toss them in a little lemon juice to slow browning, or prep them right before assembly for the freshest look.
– Whip cream or make the peanut-butter mix ahead and store in the fridge; keep cake pieces in a sealed container so they don’t dry out.
– Store each prepped element separately in clear containers so late-night assembly feels effortless.

✔Time-Saving Tricks

– Use store-bought pound cake or leftover banana bread instead of baking from scratch.
– Crisp bacon on a sheet pan while you prep other elements — hands-off, oven does the work.
– Skip the fancy piping: dollop and swirl the whipped cream with an offset spatula for a rustic, pretty finish.
– Prep peanut butter drizzle by thinning with a splash of cream or warm milk for an easy pourable sauce.

✔Common Mistakes

– Letting the bacon sit in the trifle too early so it goes limp — always add it at the end or seal it between a dry layer.
– Using under-ripe bananas that taste sour or overripe mush that makes the trifle soupy; slice when they’re just sweet.
– Over-whipping the cream into butter — stop when soft peaks form.
– I once used a too-watery whipped topping and everything slid; if your layers look sad, chill the whole trifle for a bit to set.

What to Serve It With

– Simple black coffee or espresso to cut the sweetness.
– A bright, tart fruit salad to balance the richness.
– Vanilla ice cream for anyone who wants an extra-sweet scoop on the side.
– Toasted brioche slices if you want to lean into the sandwich vibe.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Toast nuts or peanuts briefly to boost flavor; don’t skip this if you have time.
– Salt is your friend — a light sprinkle of flaky salt on top makes the peanut butter sing.
– Layer with intention: sturdy cake, peanut butter smear, banana, cream, repeat; cake to cake contact stabilizes it.
– If the trifle looks too loose, chill it — cold firms everything up.

✔Storage Tips

Leftovers keep for a couple of days in the fridge covered tightly, but the bacon won’t stay perfectly crisp — still tasty, just softer. If you love crunchy, store bacon separately and add it when serving. Cold trifle is still delicious for breakfast (no judgment here), but if it’s been sitting, give it a quick stir and add a fresh sprinkle of chopped peanuts or chocolate shavings.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Nut butter swaps: almond or cashew butter work if you’re avoiding peanuts, but flavor will be different — still good.
– Cake swaps: angel food or chiffon are too delicate; go for dense cake, banana bread, or even brownies for a chocolatey twist.
– Bacon alternatives: candied bacon is decadent, turkey bacon is leaner (and less crispy), or skip it for a vegetarian crowd and add toasted coconut for crunch.
– Dairy-free: use coconut cream and a dairy-free whipped topping; flavor will skew tropical but still yummy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Elvis Trifle with Bacon

A delicious twist on the classic dessert, combining flavors of banana, peanut butter, and crispy bacon.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups vanilla pudding make sure it's thick
• ▢ 1 cup crushed pineapple drained
• ▢ 2 medium bananas sliced
• ▢ 0.5 cup peanut butter smooth
• ▢ 0.5 cup cooked bacon crumbled

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• In a large bowl, mix vanilla pudding with the crushed pineapple until blended.
• Layer the sliced bananas over the pudding mixture.
• Spread peanut butter over the bananas and sprinkle crumbled bacon on top.
• Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with bacon on top.
• Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Notes

This trifle can be made a day in advance for easier serving.