To enjoy stress-free cake this summer, make a trifle
As a bonus, you can easily take it to-go
On the new King Arthur baking podcast, Things Bakers Know, a guest argued that birthday pies are better than birthday cakes. That’s a hard sell if you love cake, but I admit that pies—especially custard pies—are more straightforward and forgiving to make. After all, every element of a cake has to be visually and texturally perfect to be impressive. Not to mention, transporting the cake has additional stress of the frosting inevitably smooshing up against the side of the box.
For all of the cake people out there, there is an easier way to make and enjoy cake: the trifle. The trifle is a layered dessert of English origin that goes back to the 16th century. Recipes from the 18th century used various cookies (lady fingers, macaroons, etc.) topped with custard, cream, and fruit jelly. The modern version of the trifle typically has bite-sized pieces of sponge cake, fresh fruit, and whipped cream arranged in a glass dish or bowl.
My favorite part about the trifle is that you get the taste of a fresh layer cake without worrying about cake or frosting issues. Any imperfections are lost in the assembly. I made a chiffon cake and it sunk a little and also stuck to the pan. Normally, this would have been the moment for panic, but instead I just calmly cut it into small pieces. You could also easily use a cake made from box mix or something store-bought as well.
If you use assemble the trifle in mason jars, you’ll have a personal-sized portable dessert. The dessert keeps for 1-2 days in the fridge and can be easily packed in a cooler to take anywhere. I’m thinking about picnics at the park, road trip dessert, kids’ lunchboxes, or making a sad desk lunch a little more enjoyable. No need to reserve cake just for birthdays or special occasions.
The Trifle Strategy
Bake the cake according to your favorite recipe. The pan shape doesn’t matter, just make sure you have the right number of servings.
After the cake has cooled, lightly drizzle the cake with additional flavoring (optional). Don’t use too much liquid, especially if you are not planning to serve immediately.
Cut the cake into bite-sized pieces and set aside. The pieces do not need to be exactly the same size or shape.
Cut fresh fruit into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
Make your choice of cream. I like to fill a piping bag to give the cream a little more visual interest.
Fill glass jars or a large bowl or dish, alternating between cake pieces, fruit pieces, and piping small amounts cream. You can do this randomly by visual feel or with a little more attention to detail creating a distinct pattern.
The options for trifles are limitless, so look to your favorite cakes or peak-season summer fruit for inspiration. You might find some interesting or creative ingredients in your fridge or pantry. Here are a few ideas to consider:
Fraisier Cake (pictured above)
Chiffon or vanilla sponge cake
Strawberries
Diplomat cream
Black Forest Gateau
Chocolate sponge cake, lightly drizzled with cherry and Kirsch syrup
Cherries
Whipped cream
Chocolate shavings, for garnish
Coconut Tres Leches Cake
Vanilla sponge cake, lightly drizzled with coconut milk and condensed milk
Whipped cream
Shredded coconut, for garnish
Tiramisu
Vanilla sponge cake, lightly drizzled with strong coffee
Mascarpone cream
Cocoa, for garnish
OK, these are super cute. For some reason, I've always associated trifles with big fancy dinner party sculptural sorts of things, but the idea of just building them artfully-haphazardly in a mason jar for a slightly less sad desk lunch makes them so much less intimidating.
I love the idea of doing it in mason jars! I grew up eating trifle in the summer, my mum would always take it to garden parties and bring and share events and I loved it, but it's been years. This has definitely inspired me to bring it back :)