Strawberry Trifle Recipe

Perfect for summer, this easy strawberry trifle recipe stars layers of strawberry jelly, Prosecco-soaked strawberries, sponge cake, custard and whipped cream.

A strawberry trifle recipe – perfect for summer parties

We have had the most extraordinary summer weather of late – people are going to be talking about that weekend we had in Shetland recently, where temperatures reached as high as 22.7 degrees Celsius on our remote islands. Car thermometer temperatures were reading up to 30 degrees! Shorts weather, two days in a row!

Such weather means al fresco dining with friends and family, and so, inspired by the heaving crop of ripe strawberries in my patio boxes, I’ve created this rather decadent strawberry trifle recipe should such an occasion ever recur!

For this recipe, I’ve started with a layer of strawberry jelly spooned into the base of a rather fabulous vintage glass trifle bowl I picked up at our local charity shop. This is topped with a layer of Prosecco-soaked, perfectly imperfect strawberries. Next, I added a thick-cut layer of my grandmother’s traditional Madeira loaf cake recipe (slightly adapted, of course), drizzling some of the strawberry-infused Prosecco over for extra flavour. 

Next, a layer of custard (yes, this was from a tin!), the remaining Prosecco-soaked strawberries, a layer of sweetened whipped cream and decoration of more strawberries with mint leaves to garnish.

You’ll need

• 500 grams fresh strawberries
• 125 ml Prosecco
• 135-gram packet strawberry jelly
• 1/2 Madeira loaf cake
• 400 grams custard
• 400 ml double cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• mint leaves, to garnish (optional)

Ingredients for Madeira loaf cake for trifle

• 225 grams butter
• 225 grams caster sugar
• 3 large free-range eggs
• 320 grams self-raising flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 lemon, zest only
• 2-3 tbsp full-fat milk

How to make Madeira loaf cake – step-by-step instructions

1. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
3. Add the lemon zest.
4. Sift over the flour and salt.
5. Mix until combined, adding enough milk to make a soft dropping consistency.
6. Spoon into a lined 2 lb loaf tin and bake for 55-60 minutes in a preheated 170°C/150°C fan/ gas 3 oven.

What is Madeira cake?

Madeira cake does not originate in Madeira, as commonly mistaken. Rather, it is a firm, yet light, sponge cake which was popular in British cookery in the mid-1800s. It was named after Madeira wine, a Portuguese wine commonly served with the cake, and is traditionally flavoured with lemon. 

Why use Madeira cake in a trifle?

The texture of Madeira cake, which is similar to pound cake, means it will hold its shape and texture in a trifle, even after drizzling with alcohol. Even three days later it’s still good.

How to assemble a strawberry trifle

1. Place a layer of chilled strawberry jelly in the bottom of your trifle bowl.
2. Top with a layer of cut strawberries that have been soaking in Prosecco for a few hours.
3. Add a layer of thickly sliced homemade Madeira cake and sprinkle with the reserved strawberry-infused Prosecco.
4. Spoon over a layer of custard and top with more Prosecco-soaked strawberries.
5. Finish with a layer of double cream whipped with a little icing sugar and vanilla.
6. Decorate as desired, and chill until needed!

Why is a trifle called a trifle?

The word ‘trifle’ is derived from the French word ‘trufle’, which means something whimsical or of little consequence. The first written reference of the English trifle dates back to a cookery book written in 1585. Jelly wasn’t added to the mix until the 1800s.

In Scotland, there’s a variation called ‘tipsy laird’ which uses whisky or Drambuie as the alcohol.

Can I make trifle the day before?

Yes! You can either make the cake and components the day before (or up to three days, in the case of this Madeira loaf cake) and assemble on the day, or assemble it the day before, chilling it in the fridge overnight to allow the flavours to mingle. Personally, I would assemble everything else and add the whipped cream and decorate the trifle on the day itself for the best flavour and texture.

How long will homemade trifle keep?

The trifle will keep for up to three days covered in the refrigerator, although the texture of the cream and custard will not be as nice by the end of day 3 as it is on day 1 and 2.

Strawberry trifle make-ahead tips

• make the Madeira cake up to three days in advance
• the strawberry jelly can also be made the day before, as can the custard
• make sure you’ve baked/cooled/assembled all of the components of the trifle before you begin assembly
• keep your trifle cold, and don’t allow it to sit at room temperature for more than two hours

Fruit trifle variations

• replace the Prosecco for sherry, and garnish with toasted sliced almonds
• use orange zest in the recipe, replace the Prosecco with Grand Marnier and use sliced oranges instead of strawberries
• replace the strawberries with cherries, use chocolate custard and kirsch for a black forest trifle. Garnish with chocolate shavings.
• use tinned fruit cocktail and omit the alcohol for a child-friendly trifle

What’s your favourite fruit trifle recipe? Let me know in the comments!

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