Colossal Caramel Apple Trifle

I need to save all my apple recipes that we like since we have an apple tree and so it would be nice to have all our favorite apple recipes in one place.  I really should do the same for pumpkin and zucchini too!

I made this as one of the treats for my Dad's birthday yesterday and it turned out yummy!  A great treat for a crowd!  It was super easy to put together.  I baked the cake the night before and assembled it that next morning and kept it in the fridge until the dinner.

The original recipe is for a HUGE crowd--it makes 42 servings!  So I changed it up a bit to fit my IKEA bowl.  It tastes great and looks pretty too--I'll definitely be trying this one again!

COLOSSAL CARAMEL APPLE TRIFLE
(original Taste of Home recipe found here)

Ingredients
•1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix (bake whole cake but only use 1/2 or little more of it total)
•4 cups cold milk
•2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
•1 teaspoon apple pie spice (I used 1/2 t. cinnamon, 1/4 t. nutmeg & 1/4 t. allspice)
•1/2 jar (12-1/4 ounces) caramel ice cream topping
•1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
•1 can (21 ounces each) apple pie filling (or 1 homemade quart jar)
•1 carton (16 ounces each) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions
• Prepare and bake cake according to package directions.
• In a large bowl, whisk milk, pudding mixes and apple pie spice for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set.
• Put 1/2 of the cake (in pieces) in bottom of trifle bowl*; gradually pour a third of the caramel* topping over cake. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup pecans and spread with half of the pudding mixture.
• Spoon half of pie filling over pudding; spread with half carton of whipped topping.
• Top with remaining cake and repeat layers. Drizzle top with remaining caramel topping and sprinkle with remaining pecans. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: about 21 servings

*We aren't using the whole cake, remember?  So when I say put 1/2 of the cake in the bowl, it really means 1/4 of the whole cake (or a little more if you want.)  Does that make sense?

*We don't use the whole caramel jar either, so you are putting 1/3 of 1/2 the jar at this step (I guess that's 1/6 of the jar.)  Sorry if this is so confusing.  Make it anyway, it's worth it!