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Festive Christmas Lasagna Dessert

This Christmas lasagna dessert is a classic Christmas treat made with colorful layers of red velvet cake, white cheesecake, green pudding, and topped with another white layer of whipped cream.

This layered dessert lasagna is perfect for your next Christmas party this holiday season.    

Christmas Lasagna cake with sprinkles on white plates

This no-bake dessert recipe is so much more than your usual vanilla-flavored cake. It’s filled with creamy layers that are easily adjustable to fit your tastes and preferences. 

Serve chilled this Christmas season at gatherings, after a special Christmas eve dinner, or on Christmas day.  It would look great paired with our Santa Gnome cookies!

What is Christmas Lasagna? 

This fun holiday dessert starts with a bright red layer of red velvet cake. The next layer is tinted green pudding and the third is a peppermint cheesecake layer.

Finally, comes the creamy layer of whipped cream and sprinkles. It’s layered like a classic lasagna, but for dessert!

Ingredients: 

Here are the ingredients to make this Christmas cheesecake dessert.

You can easily find them at your local grocery store. 

ingredients to make christmas dessert lasagna

You will need:

  • Red velvet cake box mix 
  • Butter 
  • Egg 
  • Cream cheese 
  • Confectioners sugar 
  • Candy canes 
  • Milk 
  • Cool Whip 
  • Vanilla instant pudding mix 
  • Green gel food coloring 

How to make it

Here’s a brief overview of how to make this holiday delight. See the recipe card below for the specific recipe instructions. 

First, preheat the oven and grease a large baking pan. 

In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, butter, and egg.

Christmas Lasagna red velvet cake layer

Pour the cake mixture into the pan and bake for 15 minutes. 

While the cake layer is cooling, blend cream cheese and sugar together in a large mixing bowl, and then stir in the milk.

peppermint cheesecake layer

Fold in one container of Cool Whip and the crushed candy canes and spread it evenly over the cooled cake layer and place the baking dish in the refrigerator.

red velvet layer with cheesecake spread on top

In a medium bowl, whisk the milk and the instant pudding mixture together. Add a few drops of green food coloring.

Pour the pudding over the cream cheese layer and place the pan back into the refrigerator to set for at least four hours.

Pudding layer

When you’re ready to serve, top with the rest of your Cool Whip and top with sprinkles or crushed candy canes. 

Whipped topping layer

Slice and enjoy. 

Variations: 

Here are a few tips for success and variations you can use to make this easy recipe for Christmas lasagna.

Christmas Lasagna Dessert with Sprinkles

Cake layer: 

For the first layer of red velvet cake, you can add red food coloring to make it even more vibrant. 

Instead of using cake mix, try using a red velvet shortbread cookie crust, golden oreo crust, or chocolate oreo cookie crust. 

Cream cheese layer: 

Add crushed peppermint candy canes or peppermint extract to this layer to get a stronger peppermint flavor. 

Pudding layer: 

Make this into a white chocolate pudding layer by adding melted white chocolate chips. It can still be a green layer by adding green food coloring to the white chocolate pudding. 

Whipped cream layer: 

Add cocoa powder to the last layer of Cool Whip on top of the lasagna for a chocolatey finish.

Make your own whipped topping 

Instead of using Cool Whip, you can make your own whipped topping from scratch with heavy cream. 

Combine two cups of heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar and whisk or blend until stiff peaks form. 

Carefully spread the topping over the chilled pudding layer of this cake. 

If you don’t have Cool Whip at home, making your own is the best option!  

Do the layers need to be chilled?

Yes! For best results, chill each layer before adding another. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Be sure to get a head start on making this chilled holiday cake in order to allow it to rest for the appropriate amount of time before adding each layer. 

Christmas Lasagna on plates with pan in the background

This is important otherwise the layers will blend together and you won’t get that distinct, beautiful color separate in each slice.  

Make this lasagna into a trifle dessert 

If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to make this layered treat for a Christmas gathering or Christmas dinner you can make it into a trifle instead. 

There’s no need to wait for each layer to cool for this method. 

Tear the baked cake into chunks and put them in a large glass trifle bowl. Pour the pudding and cream cheese mixture over the top of the cake. Top with whipped cream and sprinkles or crushed candy canes.

This method is still pretty, but it’s a bit more rustic-looking.  

How to store Christmas lasagna dessert:

Refrigerator: Keep the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can serve it cold right out of the fridge. 

Freezer: This cake does beautifully as a frozen dessert. Place it in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes unwrapped to harden the Cool Whip. Then, wrap it in plastic wrap and put it back in the freezer until you’re ready to eat it.

It can also be served frozen without thawing.  

Christmas Lasagna Dessert Sheetcake

FAQs: 

Can I leave out the peppermint?  

If you’re not a fan of peppermint flavor, you can certainly leave it out of the layers and toppings. 

What other toppings can I use? 

Some other tasty and pretty options to top this cake with are mini marshmallows, white chocolate curls, crumbled Oreo cookies, Christmas M&Ms, crushed candy canes, or rainbow or red and green sprinkles. 

How much food coloring should I add?

Start by adding 5-6 drops of green or red gel food coloring. Stir in the color and if you want to add more, do it one drop at a time until you’re satisfied with the color. 

Related Recipes You’ll Love…  

Want more Christmas recipes? Try these!

Print the Recipe

Christmas Lasagna Dessert Recipe

Christmas Lasagna Dessert

Andrea Updyke
This fun and festive Christmas lasagna dessert is made with red velvet cake, cheesecake, pudding, and topped with whipped cream and sprinkles.
5 from 2 votes

Be sure to check out my tips and tricks in the post. Scroll up to read!

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Chilling Time 4 hrs
Total Time 4 hrs 25 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 18 slices
Calories 365 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box Red Velvet Cake mix
  • 1/2 cup butter melted
  • 1 egg
  • 16 oz cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1/4 cup crushed candy canes
  • 2 3/4 cups milk divided
  • 16 oz Cool Whip
  • 2 boxes Vanilla Instant Pudding
  • Green gel food coloring to desired color
  • Christmas themed sprinkles and crushed candy canes for topping to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 13×9 pan.
  • In a large bowl, mix cake mix, butter and egg.
  • Press dough into the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
  • Bake in oven for 15 minutes.
  • While the red velvet layer is cooling, beat cream cheese and sugar together and add 1/4 cup milk.
  • Fold in one container of Cool Whip and the crushed candy canes.
  • Spread evenly over the cooled cake layer and place in refrigerator.
  • In a large bowl, whisk milk and the pudding mixes together and add green gel color until happy with the shade.
  • Pour the pudding over the cream cheese layer and place back into the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours.
  • When ready to serve, top with the 2nd container of Cool Whip and top with sprinkles. Serve immediately.

Notes

Cake should be served chilled. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container or pan covered in plastic wrap. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 365kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 5gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 421mgPotassium: 203mgFiber: 1gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 614IUCalcium: 137mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is estimated. For the most accurate info, always doublecheck with your ingredients.

Recipe Rating




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