Stunning Easter Trifle Dessert Recipe

Colorful Easter Trifle: A Joyful Spring Recipe Everyone Loves

Spring celebrations bloom with vibrant flavors in this tantalizing easter trifle dessert that combines layers of pure indulgence.

Creamy textures and delicate sweetness dance together in every delightful spoonful.

Soft sponge cake nestles between rich custard and fresh seasonal berries, creating a dessert that truly sparkles.

Pastel-colored layers promise a stunning visual feast that delights both eyes and palate.

Each carefully crafted bite tells a story of traditional Easter elegance and culinary creativity.

Elegant yet approachable, this trifle will become the centerpiece of your holiday gathering.

Prepare to savor a dessert that captures the joy and renewal of the season.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Calories: 360 kcal

Servings: 13

Ingredients Used In Easter Trifle Dessert

For Cake Base:
  • Yellow Cake Mix: Select a premium mix for a tender, moist foundation that creates a festive pastel canvas.
  • Gel Food Coloring: Choose vibrant pastel shades for creating delightful, eye-catching cake layers with smooth color distribution.
For Creamy Layers:
  • Vanilla Pudding Mix: Delivers silky, sweet filling that binds the dessert and provides a luxurious texture.
  • Cold Milk: Ensures pudding sets perfectly with rich, smooth consistency.
  • Heavy Cream: Creates airy, cloudlike whipped topping that adds elegant richness.
  • Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and stabilizes whipped cream for perfect volume.
  • Vanilla Extract: Enhances overall dessert flavor with warm, aromatic notes.
For Decorative Toppings:
  • Shredded Coconut: Transforms into grassy green garnish for playful Easter presentation.
  • Mini Chocolate Eggs: Adds festive charm and whimsical chocolate crunch.
  • Sprinkles: Provides colorful, cheerful finishing touch to elevate visual appeal.

Tools To Make Easter Trifle Dessert

  • Large Mixing Bowls: Essential for preparing cake batter, pudding, and whipped cream with plenty of mixing space.
  • Whisk: Perfect for blending pudding mix and creating smooth consistencies.
  • Electric Mixer: Crucial for whipping cream to soft, fluffy peaks quickly and easily.
  • 9×13-inch Baking Dish: Needed for baking colorful cake layers evenly.
  • Trifle Dish or Individual Glasses: Ideal for layering and showcasing the beautiful dessert.
  • Measuring Cups and Spoons: Necessary for accurate ingredient measurements.
  • Spatula: Helpful for folding ingredients and spreading layers smoothly.
  • Toothpick: Used to check cake doneness by testing the center.
  • Cutting Board and Knife: Required for cutting cake into neat cubes.

How To Build Easter Trifle Dessert

  • Craft Colorful Cake Layers

Mix cake batter and divide into four separate bowls. Add pastel gel food colors creating pink, yellow, blue, and green sections. Bake in greased pan at 350F for 25-30 minutes until fully cooked. Allow cake to cool completely.

  • Whip Up Creamy Pudding

Blend pudding mix with cold milk, whisking thoroughly. Refrigerate for quick setting.

  • Prepare Fluffy Topping

Beat heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.

  • Build Stunning Dessert Landscape

Cut cooled cake into fun cubes. Layer trifle dish with alternating cake colors, creamy pudding, and whipped cream. Create beautiful visual patterns while stacking ingredients.

  • Add Festive Finishing Touches

Sprinkle green coconut to mimic grass. Scatter mini chocolate eggs and colorful sprinkles across the top. Refrigerate for one hour to allow flavors to blend and dessert to set perfectly.

Easter Trifle Dessert Tips And Tricks

  • Easter Egg Hunt Cake Trick: Use pastel-colored cake cubes randomly to create a playful, festive rainbow effect in each spoonful.
  • Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare all components up to two days ahead and assemble just before serving to keep layers crisp and textures perfect.
  • Gluten-Free Swap: Replace regular cake mix with gluten-free cake mix and ensure pudding mix is gluten-free for celiac-friendly version.
  • Lighter Dessert Option: Substitute whole milk with almond milk, use sugar-free pudding mix, and replace heavy cream with Greek yogurt for a lower-calorie treat.
  • Dairy-Free Delight: Use coconut milk for pudding, dairy-free whipped topping, and plant-based cake mix to create an inclusive Easter dessert everyone can enjoy.

How To Serve Easter Trifle Dessert Pretty

  • Pastel Paradise Plating: Use clear glass trifle dishes or individual mason jars to showcase the beautiful layers of colorful cake, creating a stunning visual display that highlights the vibrant pastel colors.
  • Egg-cellent Easter Garnish: Scatter chocolate mini eggs, pastel candy pearls, and delicate edible flowers on top to create a festive Easter-themed decoration that brings springtime cheer to the dessert.
  • Texture Temptation: Mix in some crunchy elements like crushed sugar cookies or sliced almonds between layers to add an unexpected textural contrast to the smooth pudding and creamy whipped cream.
  • Brunch Buddy Pairing: Serve alongside a light mimosa or spring-inspired fruit punch to complement the sweet and creamy trifle, making it a perfect centerpiece for an Easter brunch gathering.

Storing Easter Trifle Dessert The Smart Way

  • Fresh Flavor Maintenance: Refrigerate the trifle in an airtight container for up to 3 days, keeping the layers crisp and creamy.
  • Smart Serving Strategy: Cut individual portions just before serving to maintain the beautiful layered appearance and prevent soggy textures.
  • Freezing Wisdom: Wrap the trifle tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for maximum 2 weeks. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying, understanding the whipped cream might slightly separate.
  • Make-Ahead Magic: Prepare cake and pudding components 1-2 days in advance, assembling the final dessert several hours before your event to let flavors meld and texture develop perfectly.
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Stunning Easter Trifle Dessert Recipe

Stunning Easter Trifle Dessert Recipe


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4.7 from 16 reviews

  • Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
  • Yield: 13 1x

Description

Sweet layers of Easter trifle delight taste buds with classic British charm. Creamy custard, fresh berries, and sponge cake create a festive centerpiece you’ll savor to the last delectable spoonful.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 box vanilla or white cake mix
  • Eggs (specified on box)
  • Oil (specified on box)
  • Water (specified on box)
  • 2 (3.4 oz / 96 g) boxes instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 3 cups cold milk
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 (8 oz / 226 g) tub Cool Whip (optional alternative)
  • Gel food coloring (pastel pink, yellow, blue, and green)
  • ½ cup shredded coconut (optional, can be dyed green for grass)
  • Easter sprinkles
  • Mini chocolate eggs
  • Jellybeans

Instructions

  1. Color Preparation: Divide cake batter into four bowls, gently incorporating soft pink, tender yellow, pale blue, and gentle green gel food colorings to create a pastel palette.
  2. Baking Process: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and carefully distribute the tinted batters to create a vibrant color mosaic, then bake in a preheated oven at 350F (175C) for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
  3. Pudding Creation: Whisk pudding mix with cold milk for two minutes, then refrigerate to achieve a smooth, firm consistency.
  4. Cream Preparation: Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until soft, billowy peaks form, creating a cloud-like topping.
  5. Assembly Technique: Transform the cooled cake into playful cubes, mixing pastel colors. Layer the cubes in a trifle dish or serving glasses, alternating with generous spreads of vanilla pudding and airy whipped cream.
  6. Decorative Finishing: Garnish with coconut “grass”, delicate mini eggs, and festive sprinkles, then refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to harmonize and set.

Notes

  • Color Blending Technique: Gently fold food coloring into cake batter to prevent overmixing and maintain a soft, even pastel tone.
  • Cake Cooling Strategy: Allow cake to cool completely at room temperature to prevent moisture condensation and maintain structural integrity for cubing.
  • Whipped Cream Stabilization: Add a tablespoon of cornstarch or cream cheese to whipped cream for longer-lasting, firmer peaks that won’t deflate quickly.
  • Dietary Adaptation: Substitute dairy ingredients with coconut cream, almond milk, and vegan pudding mix to create a lactose-free or vegan-friendly version of the Easter trifle.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Desserts
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: British

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 13
  • Calories: 360
  • Sugar: 22 g
  • Sodium: 180 mg
  • Fat: 20 g
  • Saturated Fat: 12 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 42 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 4 g
  • Cholesterol: 80 mg
Olivia Bennett

Olivia Bennett

Co-Founder & Content Creator

Expertise

Nutritional Analysis​, Dietary Accommodations​, Food Writing and Blogging​,

Education

University of Texas at Austin

  • Degree: Bachelor of Science in Nutrition
  • Focus: Emphasis on dietary planning, food science, and the relationship between nutrition and health.​

Institute of Culinary Education, New York, NY

  • Program: Plant-Based Culinary Arts Certificate
  • Focus: Specialized training in vegetarian and vegan cooking techniques, emphasizing whole foods and sustainability.​

Olivia Bennett is Cooking Crusade’s go-to expert for nutritious, feel-good food. Based in Austin, she blends her degree in Nutrition from the University of Texas with plant-based culinary training from the Institute of Culinary Education.

Olivia’s recipes are all about balance: vibrant, wholesome, and easy-to-love dishes that work for all kinds of eaters. Her mission is simple: to make healthy eating approachable and genuinely tasty, with tips that support your lifestyle, not complicate it.

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