This easy Cranberry Trifle Recipe has soft cake layered with sweet-tart cranberries and a creamy homemade custard. Trifles are best made ahead of time making them the perfect desserts for potlucks or holiday meals!
Between the combination of sweet creamy custard and fresh tart cranberries, this beautiful trifle is perfect for any time of year!
What is a Trifle?
A trifle is a traditional British dessert containing layers of soft cake and custard. Trifles often contain layers of fruit and/or liquors and are topped with whipped cream.
Trifle Preparation
I love serving trifles for dessert, especially when I am cooking for a crowd! They’re always gorgeous, easy to make and the best part is that you make them ahead of time!
This cranberry trifle features a homemade sweet-tart cranberry sauce and a from-scratch custard layered with your favorite cake! You can assemble this up to 2 days ahead of time but I’d recommend adding the whipped cream & decorations just prior to serving.
How to Make a Trifle
So this trifle can be prepared by making each layer from scratch or using store-bought pound cake, vanilla pudding, and cranberry sauce. To be honest, it’s best made homemade. If you are short on time, the most important part is the cranberry sauce as it’s more tart and fresh than a store-bought version.
- Prepare cake
- Prepare cranberry sauce
- Prepare custard (learn how to temper eggs here)
- Layer and refrigerate
You’ll want to allow at least 4 hours for the trifle refrigerate. This allows the cake layers to soak up the sauces a bit and all of the flavors to blend.
Toppings for Trifle
I don’t add toppings until just before serving which keeps it fresh and pretty! You can use whipped cream, whipped topping or even shaved white chocolate and fresh cranberries as a topping. I topped this recipe with Sugared Cranberries and added a little bit of orange peel to make it pretty.
Of course this trifle can be made in any bowl, pan or dish but a trifle bowl is my favorite way to layer it. Trifle bowls are inexpensive but allow you to see all of the layers which makes a beautiful presentation. We use our trifle bowl for all kinds of desserts, snacks and even for layered salads so it doesn’t just sit in the cupboard!
More Cranberry Recipes You’ll Love
- Cranberry Feta Pinwheels
- Sour Cream Cranberry Bars
- Cranberry Waldorf Salad
- Easy Cranberry Sauce
- Millionaire Cranberry Salad
- Frozen Cranberry Bars
Cranberry Trifle Recipe
Ingredients
Cranberry Layer
- 24 ounces fresh cranberries 2 packages
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
Custard Layer
- 1 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 ½ cups milk
- 9 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon butter
Cake
- 14.25 ounces white cake mix 1 box, baked, cooled and cubed
- whipped cream for decorating
- Sugared Cranberries for decorating
Instructions
Cranberry Layer
- Combine all cranberry layer ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook uncovered about 10 minutes. Cool completely. Discard cinnamon stick.
Custard Layer
- Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large saucepan. Whisk in milk. Stir over medium-high heat until mixture reaches a boil, let boil 2 minutes while stirring.
- Whisk egg yolks in a small bowl. Slowly add 1 cup of the hot milk mixture at a time to the eggs while whisking. Return the mixture to the sauce pan and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Let boil 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
- Cool in the saucepan for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour into a large bowl and place plastic wrap on the surface. Refrigerate until completely cooled.
Assembly
- Place half of the cake cubes on the bottom of a trifle bowl. Top with half of the cranberry mixture and half of the custard. Repeat layers.
- Top with whipped cream and candied cranberries if desired.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
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Can I use frozen cranberries for the sauce? I can’t find fresh.
Absolutely, frozen will work perfectly in this recipe.
Just a quick note to let you know that the Cranberry Trifle I made by your recipe yestetday was a hit! I used sugared cranberries as a topping and placed a little Santa Claus in between the berries. So Christmas-ish!! The flavours are perfect together as well. Thank you very much!!
So glad you loved it Mieke! Merry Christmas!
Real tasty and worthy to try. Yummy!
Loved this recipe, rave reviews from family! I can send a pic too!
So glad you loved it Yvonne!
Just came back from a party where I took the trifle. It was a hit. Everybody loved the balance between sweet and tart. I’ll be making this recipe again for sure!
So happy to hear it was such a hit Fred!
My custard is thick but not as thick as a pudding. Will it thicken as it cools?
It’s more like a gravy consistency.
Yes, it should thicken as it cools.
Could you use an angel food cake made from the whites you’ll have after making the custard? Or would it be too soft and sponge-y to support the layers?
I haven’t tried this with angel food cake so I can’t say for sure. It might be a little bit too soft to hold up. If you try it, please let us know how it goes!
I made this for a tea-party bridal shower I hosted, and it went over fabulously! Besides the scones, this was the only thing I didn’t have any left of. Everyone asked for the recipe! It was delicious and so easy to make. Thank you!
A spectacular dessert for the Christmas table! Beautiful and it tasted so good; the cranberry complimented the sweetness of the custard and cake. I will make this again.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
The sauce is a too tart. Can I reheat the sauce and add more sugar?
You can add more sugar if you’d like. Keep in mind the cream and the cake are both sweet as well. :)
Can I use cream. Cheese frosting instead of custard
Custard is more like pudding and not as sweet as frosting. I would worry that cream cheese frosting would be far too sweet in this recipe
Has anyone tried this with strawberries instead????
Can you sub cranberry juice for the water?
Will cranberry juice instead of water make a difference?
I haven’t tried it that way. Please let us know how it works out for you if you do try it.
So, the pound cake should be frozen when it’s cut and assembled into Trifle? It shouldn’t be defrosted first?
It can be defrosted before cutting.
would you be able to use a pudding mix or custard mix instead of making from scratch
Yes, that would work just fine in this recipe.
What kind of whip cream did you use? Do u have a recipe? Thanks can’t wait to try this!!
Here are some tips for making whipped cream: https://www.spendwithpennies.com/make-perfect-whipped-cream-every-time/
I would suggest 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar (you can double this to make more whipped cream).
When are the vanilla and butter added
Sorry, I have updated the recipe. They are added once the custard has thickened.
Is this ok made the day before?
Most definitely! It’s great made the day before!
Can you substitute the 2%milk for almond milk?
I’ve only made this recipe as written but I’m sure it would work. You’ll just want to ensure it had a nice thick pudding-like texture.
I’ve never had one and was wondering how do you serve this to your guests. I’m assuming that you cannot serve like a nice piece of cake..?
No, it can’t be cut like cake. You serve it in a bowl, it’s a little less pretty in the bowl but very delicious.