English Trifle
This traditional layered English dessert was originally made with day old pound cake, but many variations of the recipe are made today. Make the cake ahead of time and be sure it is completely cool before putting together the dessert. Some people like to eat it right away while others like to refrigerate it and let the flavours of the layers mingle before eating it.
Preparation time: varies by ingredients chosen
Cake
1 prebaked cake – traditional pound cake, white or yellow cake. We like to use chocolate cake to give more flavour and color to the layers of the dessert.
3-4 cups of custard or pudding – use Bird’s Custard Powder or vanilla pudding, instant or cooked, and 3 or 4 cups of milk. Follow package directions.
Whipped cream or whipped topping – use a purchased topping or whip your own cream. To whip your own cream you will need:
Variations:
Directions
This traditional layered English dessert was originally made with day old pound cake, but many variations of the recipe are made today. Make the cake ahead of time and be sure it is completely cool before putting together the dessert. Some people like to eat it right away while others like to refrigerate it and let the flavours of the layers mingle before eating it.
Preparation time: varies by ingredients chosen
Cake
- Cake mix takes 5 minutes to mix and 30-40 minutes to bake, followed by 1 hour to cool
- Five minutes for instant vanilla pudding mix, longer for cooked puddings and custards
- Five minutes for home whipped cream
- 10 minutes to wash and/or slice fruit
1 prebaked cake – traditional pound cake, white or yellow cake. We like to use chocolate cake to give more flavour and color to the layers of the dessert.
3-4 cups of custard or pudding – use Bird’s Custard Powder or vanilla pudding, instant or cooked, and 3 or 4 cups of milk. Follow package directions.
Whipped cream or whipped topping – use a purchased topping or whip your own cream. To whip your own cream you will need:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream (cold)
- 4 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- Mix cream and vanilla, then whip the cold cream until fluffy and stiff, gradually add sugar
Variations:
- Some recipes spread the cake with raspberry or strawberry jam before cubing it
- Some recipes include jelly or jello as one of the layers in the dessert
Directions
- Make and cool the cake ahead of time. Cut the cake into 1-2 inch cubes and set aside.
- Make, set and cool custard or pudding ahead of time.
- Whip cream ahead of time.
- If adding jelly or jello as a layer, make this ahead of time as well.
- Wash and slice or prepare fruit ahead of time.
- Using a large glass bowl, add half the cubed cake to the bottom of the bowl.
- Add a layer of pudding or custard.
- Add a layer of jelly or jello.
- Add a layer of whipped cream.
- Add a layer of sliced fruit.
- Repeat these layers with whipped cream and sliced fruit on the top.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.