Trifle Recipe | Trifle Pudding | Fruit Trifle
Sweet, vibrant, and delicious. This easy and tasty trifle recipe (a.k.a trifle pudding or fruit trifle) is the perfect dessert to brighten up your dinner table. It is made with mixed fruits, an eggless sponge, and whipped cream. Make this mouth-watering fruit trifle recipe in 30 minutes and serve it chilled.
About This Trifle Recipe
Trifle pudding is a stunning dessert choice as it is bright, colorful, and delicious. It is also very easy to make and is perfect if you have leftover sponge cake. Plus you only need 5 ingredients to make it!
This fun layered dessert is English and it is traditionally made with fruit, alcohol-soaked sponge cake, and custard. The great thing about trifle pudding it can be made in so many different ways to suit your taste. My recipe is alcohol-free and includes custard, whipped cream, and fruits such as pomegranates, bananas, apples, and fresh figs.
Trifle was the first dessert I learned how to make in my cooking school. Before then, I never knew that this pudding existed. The flavors and textures were superb so it soon became a favorite.
The first time I made a trifle for my parents at home, I bought the sponge cake from a bakery but now I make the Sponge Cake from scratch at home and it tastes so much better. To this day this famous English dessert is still a favorite with my family and it has also been requested by some of our readers.
What are the layers of a trifle?
A trifle is a layered colorful dessert that is pleasing to the eye as well as the palate. It consists of various layers and they are:
- Vanilla cake or Sponge Cake cubes
- Custard
- Jelly
- Whipped cream
- Mixed fruits
In my recipe, except for the fruit jelly all the layers are there. I did not add jelly as the ready-made jelly packs contain gelatin. And if I have to make any fruit jelly at home with agar agar, it will take a lot of time. So I skipped the jelly.
If you can get the ready vegetarian jelly pack, then you can make the jelly a day before and then use it. You can also set the jelly liquid in the pudding itself. Though this way, making the pudding will take time as you will need to refrigerate it for the jelly to set.
Trifle pudding makes for an excellent dessert at parties. It is quite easy to assemble, chill and then serve. You can also make individual portions of the layers in dessert glasses and bowls. This is a kid-friendly recipe as I have not used sherry or any other alcohol.
How to Make Trifle
This fruit trifle recipe has the following four steps:
- Step 1 – Make custard
- Step 2 – Whip cream
- Step 3 – Prep fruits and cake
- Step 4 – Assemble trifle
So lets begin. Shall we?
Make Custard
1. Warm 3 tablespoons of milk in a microwave or in a small steel bowl on a stovetop. Then add 3 tablespoons of custard powder to the warm milk and set aside.
2. Stir the mixture and make sure the custard powder is fully dissolved in the milk. There should not be any lumps. Set the custard powder slurry or milk aside.
3. Add 1.5 cups of whole milk to another pan or saucepan. Then add 4 tablespoons of sugar or as needed.
Tip: Feel free to add more or less sugar to suit your taste.
4. Heat and stir the mixture on low heat. Bring to a boil then stir consistently and make sure that the sugar is dissolved.
5. Bring the flame to low heat. Then add the custard powder paste and stir quickly using a wired whisk. The mixture should be smooth and lump-free.
Continue to stir the mixture until it thickens. The custard sauce should coat the backside of a spoon. Turn off the heat when the custard sauce has thickened well enough.
I prefer to make the custard thick for trifles but if you want a slight medium consistency, you can use that too.
Leave the custard to cool at room temperature and bear in mind that the custard will thicken more as it cools.
Whip the Cream
6. In another bowl, pour in ½ a cup of chilled or cold cream. I have used here light cream with 25% milk fat. But you can use whipping or heavy cream with 36% to 50% fat. Then add ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
7. Use an electric beater or stand mixer to whip the cream until you get soft peaks.
8. The image below shows soft peaks. Store the whipped cream in the refrigerator. Then slice and chop the fruits. You can use any seasonal fruits. Just avoid citrus fruits and melons.
Prep Fruits and Cake
9. Slice 250 grams of Vanilla Cake or sponge cake into cubes. For this recipe, I used homemade and spongy Applesauce Cake.
Then rinse, peel and chop the fruits. I have used a mix of apples, banana, fresh figs and pomegranate. Feel free to include fruits that you prefer.
You can also make a berry trifle with a berry jam or preserve and a layer of one type of berry or a mix of various berries.
10. Line half a portion of the sponge cubes in a serving bowl.
Tip: You can make individual portions of the trifles in bowls or dessert glasses.
Assemble Trifle
11. Opt to spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of a thick mango pulp or puree on the cake. If you are using mangoes, as a layer of fruit, then there is no need to add the mango pulp.
Alternatively, you can brush some fruit juice or sherry wine on the sponge layer but be careful not to pour too much as you don’t want the sponge to become soggy.
Tip: I prefer to add a layer of fresh mangoes instead when they are in season.
12. Next add a layer of chopped mixed fruits. I decided to add apples, bananas and fresh figs but you can use berries too.
13. Add pomegranate arils.
14. Next, spread a layer of half of the custard over the pomegranate arils.
15. Remove the whipped cream from the fridge and spread the third layer with the cream.
16. You need to repeat all of the layers again. So start by adding the second batch of the eggless sponge cubes.
17. Add mango puree and another layer of mixed fruits.
18. Add the custard layer again. Then lastly add the remaining whipped cream.
19. Smooth and even out the final layer of cream using a spatula. Then decorate the top as you desire. You can add fruits, berries or even chocolate shavings to decorate or you can leave the whipped cream plain.
20. I decorated with pomegranate arils.
21. Cover the finished trifle with a foil or a lid and leave it to set in the fridge for 4 to 5 hours. Serve trifle pudding cold as a dessert.
Expert Tips
- Cake: You can use lots of different cakes to make trifle recipe. My Applesauce Cake, Eggless Vanilla Cake and Eggless Chocolate Cake are some great options. You can also use day old cake or buy cake from the supermarket or bakery.
- Custard sauce: There are various ways to make custard. Use custard powder or cornstarch (known as corn flour in India). If you are adding corn starch then add vanilla extract or essence to flavor the custard and use the same amount of corn starch as that of custard powder mentioned in this recipe. If you decide to use custard powder then there is no need to add vanilla extract or essence.
- Mixed fruits: Add your favorite fruits to the trifle pudding! Fruits like apples, mangoes, papaya, chikoo (sapota), figs, pomegranate are my go-to options. I sometimes add berries too to give the trifle more flavor and texture. According to Ayurveda you should avoid combining citrus fruits and melons with milk. It is also believed that the combination of bananas and milk cause lethargy, but I still added bananas as they taste delicious in this recipe.
- Whipped cream: Feel free to use light cream or whipping cream for this trifle. I only have access to light cream here, so I have used that instead. Alternatively, you can use clotted cream (cream floating on top of milk). Whip ½ a cup of cold clotted cream until it becomes smooth and has soft peaks.
- Additions: You can add dry fruits and nuts to the trifle. Plus any fruit purees, berry coulis and jam of your choice.
FAQs
What are the layers of trifle?
The layers in trifle are cake, custard, jelly, fruit and cream from top to bottom. Most trifles include at least three layers of these ingredients in that order. The sponge cake and fruits can be varied depending on the type of trifle being made.
Can a trifle be made the day before?
Yes, a trifle can be made the day before. After the trifle is assembled in a bowl it should be chilled in the fridge for at least 4 hours so preparing it the day before is fine too.
Can I freeze trifle instead?
No, avoid freezing trifle as it may ruin the texture of the ingredients. It is always best to refrigerate the trifle.
What do I do if my custard is too runny?
If the custard mixture is too runny then add cornstarch, arrowroot or tapioca to thicken it. Avoid using watery custard as it will run through the other layers in the trifle making the layers soggy and watery.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
For Custard Sauce
- 3 tablespoons custard powder – swap 3 tablespoon cornstarch + ½ teaspoon vanilla extract/essence for custard powder
- 3 tablespoons whole milk – warm
- 1.5 cups whole milk – at room temperature or cold
- 4 tablespoons sugar or add as required
For Whipping Cream
- ½ cup light cream – 25% to 35% or whipping or heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract – optional
More Trifle Ingredients
- 250 grams Eggless Sponge Cake or 1 small eggless sponge cake
- 2 to 2.5 cups chopped mix fruits – apple, banana, figs, pomegranate or your preferred fruits or berries
- 4 to 5 tablespoons mango pulp or any thick fruit puree or pulp or a fruit or berry jam or preserve
Instructions
Making custard sauce
- Warm 3 tablespoons of the milk in a microwave or in a small steel bowl on the stove top. Then add the custard powder to the warm milk.
- Stir and dissolve the custard powder very well in the milk. There should be no lumps. Keep this slurry or paste aside.
- In another pan, take 1.5 cups milk. Then add sugar.
- Stir and heat this milk and sugar solution on a low to medium flame. Just bring to a gentle heat and stir so that the sugar dissolves.
- Reduce the heat to its lowest. Then add the custard powder slurry or paste and stir quickly with a wired whisk, so that no lumps are formed.
- Keep on stirring till the custard thickens and the raw taste of the custard powder is not there. The custard sauce should coat and form a layer on the back of a spoon. Switch off the heat.
- Allow the custard to cool at room temperature.
Whipping cream
- In another bowl, take cold or chilled cream. Add vanilla extract.
- With an electric beater or in a stand mixer, whip the cream till you get soft peaks.
- Keep this whipped cream in the refrigerator.
Prepping fruits and cake
- Now slice 250 grams or a small block of plain eggless vanilla cake or eggless sponge cake into even sized cubes.
- Also rinse, peel and chop fruits that you plan to include in the trifle.
- You can use any seasonal fruits. But avoid citrus fruits and melons.
Making fruit trifle
- Line half a portion of the sponge cubes in a serving bowl. You can also make individual portions of the trifles in bowls or dessert glasses.
- Now spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of thick mango pulp or puree on the cake. This is optional. You can also brush a bit of fruit juice or sherry wine on the sponge layer. But just make sure the sponge does not become soggy. If without fruit juice, spread a thin layer of a fruit jam or berry jam on the cake pieces.
- Note that if you are using mangoes, in the fruit layer, then no need to add the mango pulp.
- Now layer half of the chopped mixed fruits. Here I used apples, bananas and fresh figs. You can use berries too.
- Also added some pomegranate arils.
- Spread half of the prepared custard in a layer.
- Remove the whipped cream from the fridge and make a layer of the cream.
- Again repeat all the layers, starting with some more eggless sponge cubes.
- Then add the mango puree and another layer of mix fruits.
- Make the custard layer again. Then lastly make whipped cream layer again.
- Make the top cream layer even with a spatula and start to decorate the top layer. You can use fruits, berries or even chocolate shavings to decorate the top layer.
- Cover with a foil or lid and keep the trifle pudding in the fridge to set for 4 to 5 hours or overnight.
- Serve the chilled trifle pudding as a dessert.
Notes
- Skip the mango pulp or puree completely due to unavailability. Instead you can top the sponge cake cubes with any fruit jam or preserve.
- Use your preferred choice of fruits, but do not add melons or citrus fruits as they are not compatible with dairy products.
- Make a berry trifle by just one type of berry or a mix of various fresh berries. Do not forget to layer the cake with a berry jam or preserve if using berries.
- The mango pulp or puree has to be thick. Do not add mango juice or puree with a runny consistency as this can make the cake pieces go soggy.
- This trifle pudding recipe can be easily halved or doubled.
Nutrition
This Trifle recipe from the archives first published in April 2015 has been republished and updated on 6 May 2022.
Your recipes are awesome anything I want to prepare I always perhap your site to find the recipe and my family members loved that food . You are a true friend for me because u help me out in any kind of food I want to prepare nd my hubby loves it nd that means me a lot????
Thanks a lot
thank you ankita for this lovely comment. i am glad that the recipes on the website are helping you to cook tasty food. most welcome and happy cooking.
Hi Dassana
Can you try posting an eggless and non alcoholic version of tiramisu?
Also I’d love to learn a few more options of desserts. Please do come up with more.
Thanks.
thanks garima. i have an eggless non alcoholic version of tiramisu in drafts. i will add its recipe. a few days back my laptop crashed and it is still in the repairs. so could be in a week or so i will add the recipe. of course i plan to add more desserts too gradually.
Very nice recipe
Thanks
welcome and thanks.
Hi amit I have made trifle on Tuesday night and served on Wednesday lunch as dessert and it was fantastic I have no words to tell you how awesome it was…..so my whole menu is your recipes only karahi mashroom, veg handi , dal tarka and this trifle and trust me all of them were fantastic specially trifle and veg handi…..
your recipes are fantastic now I am not afraid off cooking actually I love it and all thanks to you and your recipes keep it on
very pleased to know this urvashi, thanks for trying so many recipes from our blog. glad you liked them, thanks for positive views, keep cooking.
Hey I froze it by mistake!!!wat to do???
benazir, keep it out or keep it in the refrigerator.
The pictures help a lot. Thanks! I’ve kept mine to chill overnight,, will be serving it morrow.
welcome benazir and enjoy the trifle pudding 🙂
nice
Thanks for d lovely recipe
Every1 loved it..!! :):)
welcome sunaina 🙂
A HUGE fan of your recipe!
Thanks for all your time and keep up the great work.
thankyou so much vaishnavi god bless you.
hey…can we use melted icecream instead of whipped cream here in this trifle ?
safa, yes you can use.
Hey..just wanted to ask whether it will be ok if we freeze the dessert for about 2 hours..?
Thanks
avoid freezing. refrigerating is fine.
Hi..
I just did a search on walmart and found these creams.. Can you please suggest if they can be used directly without whipping??
http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/great-value-whipped-topping/6000191275502
http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/great-value-light-whipped-topping/6000191275506
I’m sorry if my question is silly or annoying.. I have never used cream and I’m really confused..
Thank you so much for your patience and your wonderful recipes…
Lalita
no question is silly 🙂 we all learn. i checked both the links and they look like ready whipped cream. meaning you do not have to whip them. just use them directly on the cake or dessert.
Thank u so much! We all really love u!!!
welcome lalita
Hi..
I love your website! Thank you so much for all the effort you put in for helping us with your wonderful and easy recipes..
Can I double this recipe? I’m planning to make this party and want it for around 15 people.. Also I have never used cream before. I don’t have a blender either. So can you please let me know if I can get some cream where I don’t have to use a blender.. I’m in Canada..
Thank you so much
thanks lalita. yes you can double as well as triple this recipes. for the cream part, i have already replied to your second query. we do get whipped cream and in india also we get whipped cream now in major cities, but all of them are exported and expensive.
I like ur receipe….
Bht easy way mein explain krte hai aap.
thnk u
thanks and welcome nisha.
Hi Dassana
The recipe looks very easy, especially with the lovely photographs. You had mentioned using fruit jelly. Please could you tell me how to incorporate it in the recipe. Also is it possible to avoid cream totally? Thanks.
hi bandeep, cream is essential part of the recipe. without it something will be missing. but still you can try making without cream. just add more custard instead. after you place the fruits on the sponge cake pieces, you pour jelly solution. cover and let it set in the fridge. once it sets, add the add the custard and repeat the layers. here you can add jelly once more, but it will mean you have to allow it to set again. so just add all the jelly in one layer only. another easy way is you first allow the jelly solution to set in the fridge. then just slice the set jelly. then add the jelly cubes on the fruit layer followed by the custard layer. repeat the layers.
Hi Dassana, while I am yet to try this recipe, it reminds me of cassata ball. Can you please share the recipe for the same? Thanks!!
welcome maneesha. i know about chocolate ball ice cream but not heard about cassata ball. i know about cassata ice cream.
I loved ur Al the recipes. ..all are rly easy to understand and try.. .Wowww.. .keep teaching us..
thanks mona
Thanks a lot for such a awesome recipes. This trifle pudding is really good and very easy to make.Great job
welcome aqsa. nice to know that you liked the recipe.
hi dassana, well i did make the pudding successfully .. did not have custard powder so used the corn flour and vanilla essence.. could whip the cream with hand blender .. once i kept it in the fridge it did become thick … wow feels so nice… thank you so much dassana … i never thought i could do all this …
thanks and regards
marina
thats good to know. i wonder how you managed whipping cream with a hand blender. i have done that before and sometimes amul cream just does not whip well with a wired whisk or hand blender. after keeping in the fridge, the cream will thicken. thank you marina.
Hey, tasted great, my son enjoyed it, thumps up ! That’s what he did. I used the hand blender in which manually rotate the handle.(egg beater). Initially the cream was not so thick. But somehow I managed. Thanks a lot for reverting on all my queries.
Regards
Marina
welcome marina. good to know this. i thought you are using the wired whisk. thanks again for sharing positive feedback.
hey dassana, i want to make this trifle pudding.. now i dont have a stand mixer nor a hand blender .. can i use the churner or wire whisk instead .. ..thanks
marina
welcome marina. if you are using low fat cream then you won’t be able to whip it up. but if you use heavy cream then you can use a wire whisk.
Ever since I got married the only website I am using and suggesting all my friends is yours. I follow your recipes blindly from the easy to difficult one. . . Every time I share my food, I get a lot of appreciation and they deny to believe that I am all new to the kitchen. Thanks a lot for this great work!
thanks a lot alice. feels good.
awesome blog with lot of veg varieties i would try this pudding its awesome ….thanks for the mouth watering photos…..
welcome deepthi
i tried whipping amul cream.. but i was not able to whip it.. at one moment, it became a lil thick but again it became runny. and in the above pic, the texture of your cream seems quite thick.. then i searched the internet and came to know that fat content must be high in the cream in order to whip the cream. how were you able to whip the same cream with the same fat content?
i used chilled cream.. where did i go wrong?
And i just love your website. not even once has it failed me.. 🙂 everytime the end product is awesome
thanks neda, i have used amul cream. so can’t say where you have gone wrong. i use amul cream for all desserts. till now i don’t had any issues. could be because of the shelf life which is nearing the expiry date. just guessing.
hey!!..jus read ur comment… u shud not whip chilled cream because it often gets spoiled or does no whip at all…so u shud leave the cream outside fr a while and then u cn whip it when it has become warm 🙂
yogitha, on the contrary i always whip chilled cream and had no issues at all. in fact chilled cream whips better.
hi mam can i add strawberry pulp instead of mango..urgnt reply i want t make it asap..custurd react with strawberry pls suggess me
yasmeen, yes you can add strawberry pulp instead of mango. it will work.
D, the trifle looks lovely and so easy to make… I just have one Q, does the cream not need any sugar. Will it not taste too plain and the other layers much sweeter?
thanks parul. there is enough sweetness because of the fruits and the cake. the cream combines very well with the fruits. if you add sugar in the cream then the trifle will become very sweet.
Dear mam im not able to whip the cream properly.Please help me.
gayatri, which cream you are using and how you are whipping it ?
use very cold cream
or in another bowl take some ice cubes and put the cream bowl on top and then beat
Dassana – this looks awesome !! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I can’t stop salivating….
Cheers,
Aarthy
welcome aarthy
Very yummy looking..
Sounds easy to prepare..
I will try…
thanks sneha