A Unique Pumpkin Trifle. Yes. More Pumpkin!

Apparently people aren't sick of new pumpkin recipes yet! Well this one is truly unique - in all my searching I've never found a recipe similar. It has a distinct pumpkin-ness while feeling light as a cloud and a little spicy at the same time. Even if you eat more than your pumpkin-y self should be forced to eat in one siting, it's so airy that you may not even notice.

Observe: Angel Food cake stands in for Pound cake. Pumpkin Custard takes the place of Pudding. Even the whip cream has the added twist of pulverized candied ginger - which is a real treat! It all comes together to form a gloriously Autumnal-looking dessert.
(I'm just full of hyphenations and suffixes today!)

Pumpkin Trifle
For an 8 cup bowl

1 Angel Food Cake (no judgments if you buy it. The use a LOT of egg whites)
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup corn syrup (if corn syrup freaks you out, you CAN leave it out. Substitute 1/4 cup sugar)
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup candied ginger, plus extra for garnish

1) Cut cake into slightly-larger-than-bite-sized cubes

2) Whisk together milk, pumpkin, cornstarch, corn syrup, ginger, and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until boiling and slightly thickened.

3) Whisk egg yolks with vanilla, and whisk into pumpkin mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until thick. It will thicken a bit more while it sits in the fridge, but make SURE it's still close to pudding texture at this point. Place a piece of waxed paper directly on the surface and chill for 2 - 4 hours, until completely cool.

4) Whip 1/2 cup of cream until soft peaks form - fold into cooled pumpkin.

5) Pulse sugar with ginger in a food processor until very few lumps remain. Whip remaining cream with ginger sugar until thick peaks form.

6) Layer 1/2 cake, 1/2 pumpkin, 1/2 cream. Repeat. 

7) Chop up remaining ginger into small pieces and use to garnish. Refrigerate until serving!

Look how pretty!!

I used a toothpick to make swirly designs in the whip cream. I still can't decide whether I like it or not.