Cranberry Orange Custard and Spiced Cake Trifle

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Dear Reader,

Trifles make a wonderful dessert for a gathering. If you love a quick and easy to make dessert, they are surefire way to impress your guests. I love how absolutely delicious trifles are with saturated cake and creamy custard. There is an undeniable zing in this cherry-cranberry sauce with the addition of fresh orange juice! It’s so good, I may just have to include it in our New Year’s Eve supper!

If you are looking for a good way to wow the crowd even more, layer your trifles in a Ball® Flute Jar! I think they are so beautiful. We love to use the Flute Jars for our drinking glasses, too, but using them to display a layered dessert really brings out their fancy side, don’t you think?

where do trifles come from?

Did you know that trifles were popularized in the 18th century? This was a show stopping dessert, especially if you were entertaining guests! Trifles are originally from Britain and were designed to be an economical way of using up leftover stale cake. I think that’s rather innovative! You will find several different trifle recipes in cookery books throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, making this dessert one that was both easy to assemble and a creative way to use leftover ingredients. Commonly, trifles were served in round bowls or pedestal bowls.

tips for making cranberry sauce:

This cranberry sauce is quite similar to jam! However, it is not cooked to the high temperature like you would for jam making, otherwise it would set up too thickly. You want the sauce to be more syrupy, so it is only cooked for a few minutes.

For a delicious tasting sauce, make sure that you use fresh ingredients like fresh cranberries and freshly squeezed orange juice.

how to make dried orange slices:

Dried orange slices really make these individual dessert servings pop! I love how they incorporate the flavor of the dessert while also adding a pop of color. It’s a beautiful dessert presentation.

To dry oranges, you can follow my tutorial here. It’s really simple! If you are wanting to incorporate this element to your dessert, set aside a day to make your orange slices ahead of time. These will last for a long time if stored in an airtight container, sometimes for several years!

• How to Dry Orange Slices and Make Pomanders

tips for making custard:

Making custard for the first time can be kind of tricky! However, if you know a few little tricks, then the art of custard making can become quite simple and foolproof.

• Temper the Eggs. This is the hardest part about making custards. If the eggs become too hot too quickly, they will begin to scramble. Nobody likes lumpy bits of scrambled egg in their custard! To avoid this from happening, the eggs need to be tempered. You can do this by scalding the milk, not boiling it, and pouring a couple of tablespoons (about 30 ml) into the whisked eggs. Then, whisk immediately to bring the eggs to the same temperature as the scalded milk.

• Do Not Overheat the Custard. Once the eggs are tempered, they are then added into the pot of hot milk on the stove. You will want to continue whisking, constantly, so that the eggs do not cook on the bottom of the pot. This also heats everything more evenly. You will want to cook the custard over medium-low heat while you whisk. Overcooking may result in lumpy eggs!

• Check the Thickness. Custard is generally ready when it can coat the back of a spoon. It will steam in the pot and thicken slightly. If you run your finger through the custard on the back of the spoon, you will leave a trace on the spoon. Cooking custard really only takes about 1 to 3 minutes. You do not wait for it to become thick in the pot. It will thicken as it cools!

preparing the trifles ahead of time:

This recipe does have a long time, but most of that is waiting for things to chill and thicken on their own! That makes this recipe one that can be made way ahead of time and enjoyed on the day of your gathering. I love this recipe for a holiday treat for that reason! It’s always better when I can prep something ahead of time and not worry about it the day of my event.

To make the custard and cranberry sauce, you will only need about 30 to 45 minutes. Then, they are placed into the fridge to chill for 8 to 12 hours. These two components can be made up to 4 to 5 days ahead of time.

The cake can be made about 2 to 3 days ahead of time, for the best quality, and then left assembled in the trifle for a few days. It takes better the longer it soaks!

final thoughts:

I placed a dried orange and a little sprig of cedar in my trifles for added decoration. You can sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg for some added spice! This recipe perfectly fills six Ball® Flute Jars.

I hope that you enjoy this sweet trifle recipe! It’s wonderfully filled with winter spices and flavors, making it an excellent holiday treat. If you love the combination of orange and cranberry, it’s a perfect match for this spice cake recipe. It feels like a winter hug in a cup, and I love that it’s such a showstopper!

xoxo Kayla

Yield: 6

Author: Kayla Lobermeier

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Cranberry Orange Custard and Spiced Cake Trifles

If you are looking for the perfect easy-to-make winter dessert that will truly stun your guests, then you have found it! This Cranberry Orange Custard and Spiced Cake Trifle is as beautiful as it is delicious.

Prep time: 2 HourCook time: 1 HourInactive time: 14 HourTotal time: 17 Hour

Ingredients

Vanilla Custard:

• 2 cups (480 ml) whole milk
• 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
• 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Orange Cranberry Sauce:

• 8 oz (226 g) cherry jam
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) orange juice
• 2 cups (400 g) fresh whole cranberries

Spiced Cake:

• 1/2 cup (116 g) salted butter, softened
• 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tbsp (138 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp (14 g) baking powder
• 1 tbsp (8 g) ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tbsp (4 g) ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tbsp (3 g) ground ginger
• 3/4 tsp ground cloves
• 3/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice

Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar

Instructions

To Make the Vanilla Custard:

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the milk, cornstarch, and sugar. Place the beaten eggs in a small dish or measuring cup and set aside.
2. Scald the milk, or heat until there are bubbles beginning to form around the edges of the pan, but it has not started to boil. Whisk constantly to prevent the cornstarch from clumping. Pour a few tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) of the heated milk into the eggs and whisk immediately to temper the eggs. You do not want the eggs to cook too quickly and begin to scramble.
3. Then, return the tempered eggs into the pot of hot milk, still over heat, whisking continuously. Continue to whisk the custard until it comes to a boil and thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, take the pot off the stove, and stir in the vanilla.
4. Pour the custard into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve to collect any cooked eggs, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap touching the surface of the custard. Let it. cool to room temperature before placing it in the fridge for 8 to 12 hours or overnight. It should be quite thickened, like pudding, once fully chilled.

To Make the Orange Cranberry Sauce:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the cherry jam, sugar, orange juice, and cranberries. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and stir occasionally to prevent burning.
2. Boil for about 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour the sauce into a small bowl and cover with plastic. Let it cool to room temperature, then put the bowl into the refrigerator to chill. Refrigerate the sauce for 8 to 12 hours or overnight.

To Make the Spiced Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F (177° C). Grease and lightly flour a 9 x 13-inch (22 x 33-cm) cake pan.
2. In a standing mixer fixed with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the oil and eggs and beat for another 2 to 4 minutes or until very fluffy.
3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vanilla, and sour cream. Set this aside for now.
4. In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and spices.
5. Begin to incorporate the egg mixture and dry ingredient mixture into the creamed butter, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
6. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven or until golden brown and it tests done with a toothpick inserted in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the cake pan for about 10 minutes before moving onto a wire cooling rack. Let the cake cool completely before cutting any putting into the trifle.

To Make the Whipped Cream:

1. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream and sugar together until the mixture comes to stiff peaks, about 5 to 8 minutes.
2. Place the whipped cream into an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the trifles.

To Assemble the Trifles:

1. Begin by cutting the spiced cake into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes.
2. Place equal amounts of each component into the pint jars in the following order: spiced cake, custard, cranberry sauce. I found two layers of each worked perfectly.
3. Top the finished trifles with whipped cream. You may choose to dust the whipped cream with some nutmeg. Chill the trifles until ready to serve!

Notes

Disclaimer: Do not bake cake or put hot contents into a room temperature jar.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

1133

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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This recipe was originally published in December 2021. It has been updated in January 2024.