Let’s get started! Here’s a detailed, step-by-step guide:

Part 1: Make the Carrot Cake

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with baking spray with flour. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the two long sides, and spray the parchment paper with baking spray.

2. Combine Cake Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the cake mix, oil, buttermilk, and eggs until well combined, about 2 minutes.

3. Fold in Walnuts and Carrots: Fold in 3/4 cup of the chopped toasted walnuts and the grated carrots.

4. Bake Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake according to the package directions. The cake should have a few moist crumbs on a toothpick inserted in the center, and the edges of the cake should begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.

5. Cool Cake: Cool the cake completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.

6. Cube Cake: Once cool, cut the cake into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

Part 2: Make the Pudding

1. Whisk Pudding: Meanwhile, prepare the pudding according to the package directions, using the 3 cups of whole milk.

2. Add Food Coloring: Add 1 or 2 drops of red food coloring and 1 or 2 drops of yellow food coloring to the pudding. Mix until the colors are well distributed and continue adding color, 1 drop at a time, until the desired orange color is reached.

3. Chill Pudding: Chill the pudding for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Part 3: Make the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Beat Cream Cheese and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.

2. Gradually Add Cream and Vanilla: Reduce the speed to medium and gradually add the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract.

3. Whip Until Combined: Beat until the cream is whipped and well combined with the cream cheese, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl. Be careful not to overwhip.

Part 4: Assemble the Trifle

1. Fold Pudding into Frosting: Fold about 1 cup of the whipped cream cheese frosting into the chilled pudding.

2. Crush Cookies: Place the speculoos cookies in a zip-top bag and coarsely crush them with a rolling pin. Set aside 1/4 cup of the crushed cookies for topping.

3. Layer Trifle: Place a single layer of cake cubes snugly in a large trifle dish (13 to 16 cubes). Top with half of the pudding mixture, sprinkle with 1/2 of the remaining crushed cookies, and top with half of the whipped cream cheese frosting. Repeat the layers once more. (There may be extra cake cubes; reserve those for another use.)

4. Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the top with the reserved crushed cookies and the remaining 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts. Decorate with candied carrots, if you like. Serve immediately.

Part 5: Make the Candied Carrots (Optional)

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 225°F (107°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Make Carrot Ribbons: Run a vegetable peeler down the length of the peeled carrots to make long, flat ribbons.

3. Make Simple Syrup: In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of water and the 1 cup of granulated sugar to a boil.

4. Simmer Carrots: Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the carrot ribbons to the saucepan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are cooked and slightly translucent, about 15 minutes.

5. Strain and Dry: Strain the carrots from the simple syrup, reserving the syrup for cocktails, if you like.

6. Bake Carrots: Lay the carrot ribbons out on the prepared baking sheet, making sure none are touching. Place in the oven and bake until almost dry, 20 to 25 minutes.

7. Form Spirals: Working quickly, roll the carrot ribbons around a round wooden spoon handle or a straw to create spirals.

   • Let cool and they are ready to use.