Christmas Trifle

This Christmas trifle is made with layers of sponge cake, eggnog pastry cream, poached cranberries, and whipped cream for a festive holiday dessert that is made ahead!

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Trifle is the best dessert to serve at a holiday party because you can make it ahead of time, and it feeds a crowd easily! Some like to include a layer of fruit-flavoured Jell-O or a jelly of sorts. My family prefers to make it with layers of sponge cake, custard, whipped cream, and fruit. This gelatin-free trifle is a festive treat!

Christmas Trifle Ingredients

You probably have most of the ingredients you need to make this holiday trifle. Here’s what you’ll need:

• milk—use whole milk (3.25 % fat) for both the pastry cream and the sponge cake
• butter—either salted or unsalted will work in the cake, but if you use salted, omit the salt
• vanilla—pure vanilla extract and vanilla bean paste make this dessert special. Use the vanilla bean paste in the whipped cream topping so you can see the lovely flecks of seeds. Use the vanilla extract in the cake batter and pastry cream
• eggs—use large eggs and egg yolks
• sugar—use granulated sugar, not brown sugar because we don't want the sugar to impart a flavour in any of the components
• flour and cornstarch—use bleached all-purpose flour, though unbleached will also work in this recipe
• leavening—use baking powder, not baking soda in the cake. Read about baking powder versus baking soda if you aren't sure of the difference between these two leavening agents
• salt—use Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
• ground nutmeg—I like to freshly grate nutmeg whenever I can for the best flavour, though you can get away with ground nutmeg
• alcohol—classic trifle recipes usually feature sweet Sherry wine (like Bristol Cream), but we are using spiced rum to complement the nutmeg and give the pastry cream and trifle a taste similar to eggnog
• whipping cream—use a high-fat whipping cream or double cream with at least 35 % fat
• icing sugar—you may need to sift it before using it to make sure there are no lumps in your whipped cream
• white chocolate shavings—I get white chocolate curls already done and ready to use at my local bakery. So much easier than making your own!

See the recipe card for exact ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions and Variations

There are a few simple components to make when creating a trifle. Here are a few shortcuts and substitutions that you can take along the way:

• For the cake, I make my mom's hot milk cake from scratch, the same cake that she used to make all her trifle desserts. Feel free to buy a sponge cake from your local bakery if that is easier! You could also try using lady fingers like in a classic tiramisu.
• For the cranberries, I used fresh cranberries, but you can also use frozen cranberries. Don't defrost them. Alternatively, you could use fresh raspberries, but skip the poaching step as they quickly turn mush. Amarena cherries would also be excellent in this dessert. Strain them before assembling the trifle. You may use some of the syrup from the jar to soak the cake layers (taste it first and adjust it with sugar, water, or rum if needed).
• For the alcohol, I used spiced rum, but you can also try brandy or dark rum. You can also skip the alcohol in this recipe entirely. The taste will be a little different, though.

How To Make It

For this recipe, you will need a sponge cake. I always make my mom's hot milk sponge cake, as she did whenever she made trifle. I baked it in a 9-inch springform pan. The recipe is included below, but please read all about the hot milk sponge cake if you need the step-by-step photos. The cake must be made in advance and cooled completely before slicing it into layers and assembling the trifle.

Step 1: Make the pastry cream first. Heat the milk with part of the sugar and freshly grated nutmeg (image 1). Meanwhile, whip the egg yolks with the sugar, flour, and cornstarch (image 2). Pour the hot milk over the whipped egg yolks to temper the eggs (image 3), then pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook the pastry cream until it boils and has thickened (image 4).

Step 2: Take the hot pastry cream off the stove, add the vanilla and rum (image 5), then strain the pastry cream onto a plastic-wrapped lined quarter sheet pan (image 6). Smooth it out before topping it with more plastic wrap and chilling overnight (image 7).

Tip: Chilling pastry cream on a sheet pan is a trick I learned in pastry school! It chills much faster, especially given how much this recipe makes. Faster chilling means safer chilling for pastry cream, which spoils quickly if you aren't careful.

Step 3: Combine the sugar and water for the cranberries in a medium saucepan (image 8) and heat it on the stove until the mixture is clear and the sugar dissolved (image 9). Add the cranberries (image 10) and poach them until they are just starting to burst (image 11). Remove them from the heat and store them in a sealed container in the fridge until cold.

Step 4: When you are ready to assemble your trifle, transfer the pastry cream to a large bowl and whisk it until smooth and loose (image 12). Strain the cranberries (image 13) to separate them from the poaching syrup, then add a little rum to a portion of that liquid (image 14) to use as your trifle-soaking liquid. Whip the cream until thick before sweetening with icing sugar and a little vanilla bean paste (image 15).

Step 5: Slice your sponge cake into layers (image 16) (or into small chunks). Add a single layer of the strained cranberries at the bottom of your trifle dish (image 17), then smooth a thin layer over them to anchor them and level the bottom (image 18) before gently pressing half the cake over the base (image 19).

Step 6: Brush the cake with enough syrup that it is soaked through from edge to edge (image 20), then top with half the cranberries (image 21), half the pastry cream (image 22), and half of the whipped cream (image 23).

Step 7: Repeat the layering process with the second layer of cake, the syrup, the cranberries, the pastry cream and the whipped cream. Save a few cranberries as garnish if you can! Refrigerate the trifle until it's time to serve it (at least a few hours).

Tip: Reserve a few poached cranberries to use as garnish to decorate the top of the assembled trifle!

Step 8: garnish the trifle with white chocolate curls, poached cranberries and freshly grated nutmeg before serving (image 24).

I get white chocolate curls from my local bakeries and chocolate shops. You could also shave a bar of white chocolate using a peeler but the effect won't be quite the same.

Note: You can also make individual trifles in wide-mouth Mason jars if you prefer. You'll get about a dozen mini trifles with this recipe.

Top Baking Tip—Make Trifle Ahead

You can make the components of this dessert ahead of time. Even though English trifle recipes may seem complicated with too many steps, spread the work over a few days so it's not overwhelming! You can do most of the steps a few days before assembling and serving. Here's the breakdown of the schedule:

• up to one month ahead: make the warm milk sponge cake and freeze it. Defrost it in the fridge a day before you plan on assembling the trifle
• two days before serving: make the eggnog custard and the poached cranberries
• a few hours or up to one day before serving: assemble the trifles
• just before serving: garnish the trifle with white chocolate curls, any remaining poached cranberries, and freshly grated nutmeg.

Other Eggnog-Flavoured Desserts

The custard layer is a classic pastry cream flavoured with nutmeg and rum. It tastes just like eggnog! Looking for an even easier eggnog treat? Try these:

• eggnog bundt cake with eggnog in the cake batter and topped with a crunchy rum glaze
• eggnog milkshake, which is ready in minutes
• quick and easy homemade eggnog that doesn't need to age for months before drinking!

If you tried this Christmas Trifle recipe (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

📖 Recipe

Christmas Trifle

AuthorAuthor : Janice Lawandi

Learn how to make the best Christmas trifle for the holidays with layers of rum-soaked sponge cake, eggnog pastry cream, cranberries, and whipped cream. This festive, make-ahead holiday dessert is stunning and a real treat!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Chill time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 7 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine British

Servings 12

Calories 593 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  OXO balloon whisk
• ▢
  5-quart KitchenAid Artisan mixer
• ▢
  9-in springform
• ▢
  Mini offset

Need measurements in CUPSUse the button options below to switch from Metric to US measurements! It's that easy!

Ingredients

 

MetricUS

 

0.5x1x2x3x

For the poached cranberries

• ▢ 400 grams granulated sugar
• ▢ 500 mL water
• ▢ 680 grams fresh cranberries or frozen

For the eggnog custard

• ▢ 750 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
• ▢ 150 grams granulated sugar
• ▢ 3.75 mL ground nutmeg
• ▢ 6 large egg yolk(s)
• ▢ 24 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• ▢ 24 grams cornstarch
• ▢ 45 mL spiced or dark rum
• ▢ 7.5 mL pure vanilla extract

For the sponge cake

• ▢ 125 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
• ▢ 15 grams unsalted butter
• ▢ 5 mL pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 large egg(s)
• ▢ 200 grams granulated sugar
• ▢ 125 grams bleached all-purpose flour
• ▢ 5 mL baking powder
• ▢ 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt

For the trifle syrup

• ▢ 60 mL spiced or dark rum
• ▢ 188 mL cranberry syrup from poaching the cranberries (chilled and strained)

For the whipped cream

• ▢ 500 mL whipping cream (35 % fat) 1 cup
• ▢ 50 grams icing sugar

Optional garnishes

• ▢ White chocolate curls I got the white chocolate curls at my local bakery
• ▢ ground nutmeg

Instructions

 

Poach the cranberries (up to 2 days before assembling and serving)

• In a large saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• When the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup is hot, add the cranberries and poach them until soft (the skins will begin to burst, but shouldn't turn. tomush!).
• Take the pan off the heat and let it cool down. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.

Make the eggnog custard (up to 2 days before assembling and serving)

• Have a strainer ready and a plastic wrap-lined baking sheet nearby.
• Whisk together the milk, nutmeg, and half the sugar over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with the rest of the sugar until lightened and pale, then add the flour and cornstarch. Whisk to combine everything and get rid of the lumps. The mixture should be smooth.
• When the milk is steamy and hot, pour it over the egg mixture and whisk to temper the yolks. Pour everything back into the saucepan.
• Heat the custard, whisking constantly, until it boils, then boil for 3 minutes.
• Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the vanilla and the rum.
• Strain the custard over the plastic wrap-lined baking sheet and smooth into a thin layer. Top with another layer of plastic wrap, directly in contact with the pastry cream. Wrap tightly. Cool completely in the fridge.

Make the sponge cake (up to a month ahead of time)

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175 °C). Grease the bottom of a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan and line it with a round of parchment paper.
• Warm the milk with the butter to melt them together in the microwave or a small saucepan. Add the vanilla and set this aside to cool.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (I have also done this successfully with the paddle attachment or in a bowl with an electric hand mixer), beat the eggs and sugar until they are light and fluffy and creamy coloured (this takes a good 5 minutes of beating), then add in the salt.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into a separate bowl.
• Add the flour mixture, alternating with the warm milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour.
• Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan and bake until golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. This takes 30 to 35 minutes.
• Unmold after 10 minutes onto a wire rack to cool completely. Carefully run a thin, serrated knife or a pairing knife between the pan and the cake to loosen it. I leave the cake out overnight on a wire rack before assembling. It may dry out a little on the edges, but this means it will absorb the syrup more easily!

Make the trifle syrup

• Strain the poached cranberries over a bowl, saving the syrup and the cranberries.
• Combine 188 mL (¾ cup) of the reserved cranberry syrup with 60 mL (¼ cup) rum.

Whip the cream

• Whip the cream to soft peaks then add the icing sugar before you finish whipping.

Assemble the trifles (4 hours to 1 day before serving)

• Split the cake into two layers using a large serrated bread knife.
• Transfer the chilled custard to a bowl and whisk vigorously to loosen it up and smooth it out before using it to assemble the trifles
• Assemble the trifle in a large glass trifle dish that has at least a 9-inch (23 cm) diameter and 4-inch (10 cm) height.
• Scatter a few poached cranberries on the bottom of the dish and top with a few dollops of pastry cream, smoothing it out. This is to create an even base if your dish is rounded on the bottom.
• Place one layer of cake, gently pressing it into place to anchor it. Brush generously with approximately half the syrup (or as much as the cake can soak up).
• Scatter roughly half the poached cranberries in a single layer and top with half of the pastry cream, smoothing it out from edge to edge.
• Spread half the whipped cream over the top in an even layer.
• Repeat the steps, laying down the second cake layer, brushing with syrup, then topping with cranberries (reserving a few to use as decoration), pastry cream, and whipped cream.
• Store the trifle in the fridge until you are ready to serve it (at least 4 hours).
• To decorate the trifle, scatter the reserved poached cranberries and white chocolate curls on top and grate a little nutmeg.

Notes

• Tips and tricks:
  • For this recipe, I used large Canadian eggs.
  • Chilling pastry cream on a sheet pan is a trick I learned in pastry school! It chills much faster, especially given how much this recipe makes. Faster chilling means safer chilling for pastry cream, which spoils quickly if you aren't careful.
  • I used a 9-inch springform pan for the cake because my trifle dish has a 9-inch diameter. Feel free to bake this recipe in a different-sized pan to accommodate your trifle dish! Adjust the baking time accordingly.
  • When assembling the trifle, reserve a few poached cranberries to use as garnish to decorate the top to make it pretty!
  • You can assemble this Christmas trifle in a large trifle dish (with a volume of at least 4 L) or smaller wide-mouth Mason jars (500 mL) for individual desserts. This recipe will make about a dozen individual trifles, but have extra jars on hand, just in case.
  • I get white chocolate curls from my local bakeries and chocolate shops. You could also shave a bar of white chocolate using a peeler but the effect won't be quite the same.
• Substitutions:
  • You can replace the cranberries with Amarena cherries soaked in syrup. Strain them and use them directly when you are assembling the trifle. You may use the syrup to soak the cake layers. Taste it first and adjust it with alcohol, water, or sugar.
  • You can make the sponge cake as written or use a store-bought plain sponge cake if you are short on time.
• Make ahead instructions and tips:
  • Cake: after it's cooled completely, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze it for up to a month. Defrost in the fridge two days before serving.
  • Pastry cream and poached cranberries: make them up to 2 days before you plan to serve the trifle. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
  • Whipped cream: prepare it before assembling the trifle. It's not as stable unless you add gelatin.

Nutrition

Calories: 593kcalCarbohydrates: 90gProtein: 8gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 183mgSodium: 60mgPotassium: 269mgFiber: 2gSugar: 74gVitamin A: 971IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 160mgIron: 1mg

Give backIf you enjoy the free content on this website, buy me a pound of butter to say thanks!

Egg Farmers of Canada offered me financial compensation to develop a recipe with Canadian Grade A eggs. As always, please know that I wouldn’t work with a sponsor or product if it wasn’t worth it. And since I cannot live without eggs (or eggnog custard), this just makes sense!