Trifle
A trifle is a layered dessert that is typically made with sponge cake, fruit, custard, and whipped cream. The earliest known recipe for a trifle dates back to the 16th century. This recipe, which is found in The Good Huswife's Jewell, calls for cream, rosewater, currants, and ginger.
The trifle became a popular dessert in the 18th century. At this time, the recipe evolved to include layers of sponge cake, fruit, custard, and whipped cream. This version of the trifle was mentioned in several 18th century cookbooks, including The Art of Cookery by Hannah Glasse and The Complete Confectioner by Frederick Nutt.
The 19th century saw the rise of the jelly trifle. This version of the trifle included a layer of jelly, in addition to the sponge cake, fruit, custard, and whipped cream. Jelly trifles were mentioned in several 19th century cookbooks, including Mrs. Beeton's Book of Cookery and Housekeeping (1861) and The Cook's Oracle (1845).
Advice
When making trifle, the most important factor is ensuring that the dessert is well-layered. Start by spreading a layer of cake or biscuit at the base of the trifle dish. Add a layer of custard, fruit, and jelly to add texture and flavor. Finally, top with a generous layer of whipped cream. To ensure a balanced flavor, use a variety of fruits and flavors. For example, pair a tart berry with a sweet jelly, or layer creamy custard with a zesty citrus. With careful layering and a little creativity, your trifle is sure to be a hit!
Jump to: Ingredient Breakdown Insights
Recipes
Traditional English Trifle
- custard
- jelly
- raspberry
- whipped cream
- sherry
- sponge cake
- almond
- chocolate
- raspberry
Berry Trifle
- sugar
- lemon
- blueberry
- strawberry
- whipping cream
- cake
- lemon curd
- cornstarch
- vanilla extract
- raspberry
Watermelon-Rose Trifle
- ALMOND DACQUOISE
- cooking spray
- confectioners sugar
- sugar
- egg white
- TO ASSEMBLE
- rose petal
- pistachio
- rose water
- strawberry
- sugar
- ROSE CREAM
- rose water
- sugar
- heavy cream
- WATERMELON
- rose water
- watermelon
- sugar
Classic Trifle With Berries or Citrus
- FOR ASSEMBLY
- ladyfinger
- berry jam
- almond
- heavy cream
- confectioners sugar
- orange juice
- CUSTARD
- flavorings orange
- heavy cream
- sugar
- salt
- vanilla extract
- cornstarch
- milk
- egg yolk
- FRUIT
- orange
- sugar
Classic Scottish Tipsy Laird Trifle
- raspberry
- sponge cake
- double cream
- custard sauce
- whisky
Easy Rhubarb Trifle
- ladyfinger
- rose petal
- sugar
- crème fraîche
- mascarpone cheese
- brandy
- campari
- orange zest
- rhubarb
- triple sec
Chocolate Cherry Trifle
- special equipment trifle bowl
- bittersweet chocolate
- heavy cream
- milk
- black cherry jam
- cherry brandy
- sugar
- cocoa
- sour cherry
- approximately chocolate cake
- heavy cream
- bittersweet chocolate
- egg yolk
Brownie Trifle
- coffee
- fudge brownie
- english toffee
- chocolate flavor pudding
- vegetable oil
- water
- milk
- egg
- whipped cream
Quick Sherry Trifle
- sponge cake
- strawberry
- almond
- custard
- heavy cream
- sherry
Christmas Trifle
- vanilla bean paste
- punnet blueberry
- madeira cake
- vanilla extract
- cornflour cornstarch
- orange
- sugar
- sugar
- heavy cream
- punnets strawberry
- milk
- sugar
- egg yolk
- cranberry juice
- gelatine powder
Irish Trifle
- TRIFLE
- nutmeg
- heavy cream
- cream sherry
- raspberry jam
- crème anglaise
- CAKE
- butter
- butter
- egg
- cornstarch
- sugar
- salt
- vanilla extract
- cake flour
- egg white
Triple Chocolate Trifle
- chocolate cake
- chocolate pudding
- heavy cream
- sugar
- heath candy bar
Chocolate, Chestnut and Orange Trifle
- orange juice
- orange
- pound cake
- chestnut puree cook'
- sugar
- chocolate bar
- butter
- heavy cream
- orange liqueur
- bittersweet chocolate
Carrot Cake Trifle
- nonstick spray
- heavy cream
- orange melting wafer
- vanilla extract
- raisin
- walnut
- sweetened flake coconut
- whipped cream cheese
- rum
- sugar
- carrot cake
- vanilla pudding
- gingersnap cooky
- graham cracker
- strawberry
Chocolate Toffee Trifle
- devil' cake
- milk
- kahlua
- chocolate pudding
- heavy cream
- heath bar
Chocolate Pudding Trifle
- chocolate cake
- chocolate wafer crumb
- sugar
- heavy cream
- vanilla extract
- chocolate pudding
- milk
Strawberry Trifle
- heavy cream
- orange
- andquot angel cake
- sugar
- cream cheese
- powdered sugar
- heavy cream
- strawberry
Classic Berry Trifle
- strawberry gelatin
- water
- blueberry
- custard
- strawberry
- whipped cream
- cake
Easy Red Velvet Trifle Recipe
- all purpose flour
- heavy cream
- custard sauce
- egg
- baking soda
- vanilla extract
- cocoa powder
- sugar
- baking powder
- food coloring
- berry
- butter
Angel Food Cake and Berry Trifle
- juice orange
- sugar
- honey
- angel cake
- greek yogurt
- strawberry
- blueberry
- raspberry
Fruit Trifle
- bundt angel cake
- egg
- sugar
- powdered sugar
- cornstarch
- salt
- heavy cream
- vanilla extract
- milk
- fruit
Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding Trifle
- whipped
- butterscotch pudding
- banana
- snicker bar
Almond and Chocolate Whipped Cream Trifle
- cocoa powder
- raspberry
- almond liqueur
- almond
- canisters whipped cream
- ladyfinger
- bittersweet chocolate bar
Strawberry Trifle
- cake
- strawberry
- milk
- sugar
- vanilla pudding
- whipped
Gluten-Free Black Forest Brownie Trifle Recipe
- tub
- dark chocolate
- gluten brownie
- gluten cherry pie filling
- gluten chocolate pudding
Tropical Trifle With Coconut and Rum
- salt
- coconut milk
- star fruit
- vanilla extract
- dark rum
- lime juice
- light brown sugar
- sugar
- banana
- mango
- chia seed
- marie biscuit
Chopped Salad Trifle with Homemade Ranch
- salt
- apple cider vinegar
- bell pepper
- iceberg lettuce
- yellow
- mayonnaise
- sour cream
- onion powder
- cucumber
- radish
- garlic powder
- pumpkin seed
- green onion
Trifle
- heavy cream
- light cream
- vanilla extract
- cream sherry
- sugar
- x13 white
- powdered sugar
- strawberry
- butter
- raspberry jam
- sugar
- milk
- cornstarch
- egg yolk
- maraschino cherry
Brioche and Pumpkin Pudding Trifle
- sour cream
- pumpkin pie spice
- loaf brioche
- butterscotch chip
- french herbal liqueur
- honey
- cinnamon
- pumpkin puree
- vanilla pudding
- milk
Roasted Strawberry Trifles with Lemon Cream
- salt
- mint
- gluten-free flour
- basil
- smoked salt
- vanilla extract
- sugar
- lemon juice
- light brown sugar
- strawberry
- heavy cream
- granola
- butter
Caramel Banana Bread Trifle
- pecan
- an mascarpone
- vanilla extract
- loaf banana bread
- powdered sugar
- heavy cream
- caramel sauce
- butterscotch pudding
- whiskey
- pecan pie
Candy Cane Brownie Trifle
- candy cane
- powdered sugar
- peppermint extract
- whipping cream
- butter
- light colored corn syrup
- sugar
- sweet chocolate chip
- brownies xch
Gingerbread and White Chocolate Mousse Trifle
- Gingerbread
- nonstick spray
- crystallized ginger
- baking soda
- egg
- butter
- ginger
- ginger
- all purpose flour
- sugar
- molasses
- water
- salt
- nutmeg
- clove
- Caramel
- crystallized ginger
- pomegranate seed
- pomegranate juice
- lemon juice
- sugar
- Mousse
- white chocolate
- milk
- salt
- sugar
- lemon zest
- powdered gelatin
- heavy cream
- egg yolk
Raspberry Trifle with Custard and Whipped Cream
- trifle bowl
- sponge cake
- sugar
- vanilla bean
- egg yolk
- butter
- cornstarch
- orange liqueur
- salt
- heavy cream
- red luster dust
- raspberry
- sugar
- milk
Cranberry Trifle Recipe
- To Assemble
- cardamaro
- angel cake
- Cranberry Jam
- cinnamon
- orange peel
- sugar
- cranberry
- cranberry juice
- elderflower liqueur
- Whipped Mascarpone
- salt
- cinnamon
- heavy cream
- clove
- mascarpone cheese
- dark maple syrup
Berry Trifle Recipe
- lemon zest
- lemon juice
- vanilla extract
- mascarpone cheese
- heavy cream
- powdered sugar
- blackberry
- raspberry
- strawberry
- sugar
- angel cake
- macerated berry
- mascarpone cream
Strawberry and Mascarpone Trifles with Riesling Syrup
- riesling
- strawberry
- cake
- mascarpone cheese
- sugar
- bean
- heavy cream
Blood Orange Trifles
- pistachio
- lemon juice
- heavy cream
- ladyfinger
- sugar
- orange liqueur
- egg yolk
- blood orange
Boston Trifle
- heavy cream
- cake flour
- tartar cream
- dark rum
- vanilla
- half
- sugar
- unsifted all purpose flour
- chocolate
- butter
- semisweet chocolate
- egg yolk
- sugar
- egg
Almond, Blueberry, Raspberry Trifle
- trifle
- cake
- lemon curd
- fisher® almond
- lemon juice
- heavy cream
- lemon zest
- almond extract
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- packags rasberry
- blueberry
- butter
- sugar
- egg
- raspberry jam
- butter
- salt
Strawberry Shortcake Trifle
- baking powder
- driscoll' strawberry
- sugar
- salt
- vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
- baking soda
- all purpose flour
- heavy cream
- vanilla extract
- buttermilk
- driscoll' strawberry
- butter
- lemon zest
Mango-Raspberry Trifle With Toasted Coconut
- Trifle Filling
- custard
- madeira cake
- raspberry mango jelly
- vanilla extract
- sugar
- sugar
- butter
- self rising flour
- mango
- egg
- raspberry
- almond
- custard powder
- sheets gelatin
- Trifle Assembly
- coconut
- coconut cream
- mango
- raspberry
- heavy cream
- sugar
Peppermint Brownie Trifle
- peppermint candy
- white chocolate
- x13'' browny
- heavy cream
- chocolate pudding
English Trifle
- strawberry
- cake
- vanilla pudding
- almond
- sugar
- heavy cream
- milk
- cream cheese
Strawberry Trifle
- cornstarch
- salt
- heavy cream
- vanilla extract
- vanilla cake
- milk
- butter
- sugar
- heavy cream
- strawberry
- egg yolk
- strawberry glaze
Chocolate Strawberry Trifle
- mint
- chocolate ganache
- water
- buttermilk
- heavy cream
- fortified wine
- salt
- semisweet chocolate
- baking powder
- baking soda
- vegetable oil
- all purpose flour
- sugar
- vanilla extract
- egg
- heavy cream
- sugar
- cocoa powder
- strawberry jam
- strawberry
Blueberry-Orange Trifle
- mint
- orange juice
- orange
- angel bundt cake
- non yogurt
- ricotta cheese
- vanilla extract
- lemon
- light brown sugar
- sugar
- powdered gelatin
- blueberry
Chocolate Raspberry Trifle
- chocolate shaving
- milk
- sugar
- cornstarch
- dark rum
- egg yolk
- sugar
- salt
- heavy cream
- vanilla extract
- baskets raspberry
- all purpose flour
- sugar
- water
- egg
- semisweet chocolate
Lemon Berry Trifle
- baking soda
- vanilla
- all purpose flour
- sweetened whipped cream
- sugar
- greek yogurt
- vanilla pudding
- butter
- applesauce
- baking powder
- salt
- milk
- berry
- egg
- lemon juice
- lemons zest
Chocolate Strawberry Trifle
- mint
- chocolate ganache
- water
- buttermilk
- heavy cream
- fortified wine cook'
- salt
- semisweet chocolate
- baking powder
- baking soda
- vegetable oil
- all purpose flour
- sugar
- vanilla extract
- egg
- heavy cream
- sugar
- cocoa powder
- strawberry jam
- strawberry
French-Canadian Trifle
- strawberry jam
- sugar
- vanilla extract
- cake
- heavy cream
- raspberry
- milk
- cornstarch
- egg yolk
- marsala
Jaffa Cake Trifle
- orange
- jaffa cake
- orange jelly
- tin mandarin segment
- icing sugar
- dark chocolate
- double chocolate muffin
- double cream
- tub custard
Decadent Trifle
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- salt
- lemon zest
- sugar
- heavy cream
- raspberry jam
- sugar
- cognac
- blueberry
- raspberry
- kirsch
- sweet olorosso sherry
- egg
- vanilla extact
- milk
- butter
- egg yolk
- cornstarch
- dark chocolate
- white chocolate
Black Forest Trifles
- bing cherry
- kirsch
- chocolate cake
- cocoa powder
- heavy cream
- sugar
- spiced rum
- powdered sugar
- bing cherry
- chocolate curl
Margarita Trifle
- green colouring
- salt
- lime
- agave
- madeira cake
- salt
- mandarin
- tequila
- cointreau
- icing sugar
- tub custard
- double cream
Vanilla Cookie Trifle
- carton whipped
- oreo cooky
- vanilla pudding
- cream cheese
- butter
- milk
- confectioners sugar
Sweet Corn and Blueberry Trifles
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- sugar
- all purpose flour
- corn
- butter
- salt
- baking powder
- heavy cream
- powdered gelatin
- salt
- milk
- corn flour
- sugar
- ears sweet corn
- corn
- egg yolk
Twix Trifles
- powdered sugar
- vanilla extract
- heavy cream
- sugar
- salt
- water
- philadelphia cream cheese
- chocolate fudge sauce
- caramel mousse
- twix bar
- whipped cream
Raspberry Trifle
- cup sugar
- white wine
- all purpose flour
- sugar
- white wine
- lemon
- heavy cream
- milk
- egg
- pale sherry
- butter
- egg
- raspberry
Creamy Berry Trifle
- berry
- vanilla pudding
- whipped cream
- angels cake
Artusi’s Italian Trifle
- butter
- vanilla bean
- cornstarch
- sugar
- peach preserve
- milk
- alchermes liqueur
- rosolio liqueur
- ladyfinger
- egg yolk
Bavarian Cream Trifles
- amaretto cooky
- grand marnier
- orange
- milk
- sugar
- isinglass
- cream
- egg yolk
- dark chocolate
- ladyfinger
Orange Trifle
- sugar
- milk
- potato starch
- dark chocolate
- null cornstarch
- null egg yolk
- null egg
- nullc liqueur grand marnier
- nullc sugar
- null currant
- nulllb dark chocolate
- nulloz gianduja chocolate
- null powdered sugar
- nulltbsp italian flour
- nulltsp cocoa powder
- nulltsp sugar
- null whipped cream
Peppermint Bark Trifle
- peppermint extract
- angel cake
- swirled peppermint bark
- sugar
- cream cheese
- heavy cream
- milk
- peppermint candy
Bananas Foster Trifle Recipe
- Brown Sugar-Walnut Pound Cake
- cooking spray
- salt
- walnut
- baking powder
- sugar
- dark rum
- vegetable oil
- dark brown sugar
- vanilla extract
- butter
- all purpose flour
- milk
- egg
- Rum Simple Syrup
- dark rum
- cinnamon
- sugar
- Meringue
- sugar
- water
- salt
- light corn syrup
- egg white
- Bananas Foster
- dark brown sugar
- cinnamon
- dark rum
- nutmeg
- salt
- lemon juice
- banana
- butter
- Custard;
- sugar
- salt
- cornstarch
- vanilla extract
- half
- egg yolk
Mini Roasted Blueberry and Whipped Coconut Cream Trifles
- cinnamon
- vanilla bean paste
- coconut milk
- powdered sugar
- blueberry
- cake
- blueberry
Peach-Raspberry Trifle
- bourbon
- heavy cream
- sugar
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- raspberry
- vanilla bean
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- bourbon
- peach
Ingredient Breakdown
Insights
Staple Ingredients
- sugar 34%
- heavy cream 31%
Common Ingredients
- milk 16%
- vanilla extract 16%
- butter 14%
- strawberry 14%
- salt 13%
Usual Ingredients
- egg 9%
- egg yolk 9%
- raspberry 8%
- cornstarch 7%
- powdered sugar 7%
- almond 6%
- cake 6%
- lemon juice 6%
- all purpose flour 5%
- vanilla pudding 5%