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A trifle is a delicious dessert that layers cake, pudding, fruit, and whipped cream in a beautiful glass dish. This trifle recipe is perfect for one or two servings, making it ideal when you want a sweet treat without making a large dessert. We use a small white cake as the base, then add creamy pudding, macerated strawberries, and homemade whipped cream. It’s easy to make and looks stunning, making it great for any occasion.
Looking for more dessert recipes that are perfect for one or two people to enjoy? You’ll love our rich and creamy Cheesecake Bars, delightful Mini Italian Cream Cake, sweet Thumbprint Cookies, chewy Blondies, and decadent Mini French Silk Pie.
Why You’ll Love This Individual Trifle Recipe
- Perfect Size: This recipe makes just enough for one or two servings, so you won’t have leftovers lingering in the fridge.
- Customizable: Use our white cake recipe or substitute with lemon cake, ladyfingers, cookies, gingerbread, pound cake, or store-bought cake.
- Easy to Make: Simple steps and common ingredients make this recipe accessible for any home cook.
- Beautiful Presentation: Layering in clear glasses makes this dessert visually appealing and ready for any celebration.
- Fresh Flavors: The combination of homemade pudding, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream brings a burst of freshness with each bite.
This trifle for one or two is just right for those moments when you crave a sweet treat without making a huge dessert. What sets this trifle apart is the rich, homemade pudding made with real ingredients, not packaged pudding or custard mix. The pudding adds a luxurious, creamy texture that enhances every bite. Additionally, the macerated strawberries—simply strawberries mixed with sugar—draw out the natural juices, creating a sweet, syrupy liquid that perfectly complements the layers. With its beautiful presentation and delightful flavors, this trifle is a standout dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients
The ingredients shown and listed here are for making this trifle with our homemade white cake, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream. However, feel free to use this recipe as a guide and choose any cake you prefer, including any one of our mini cake recipes or even a store-bought cake. You can also use boxed pudding or try our chocolate pudding or butterscotch pudding recipes. For the fruit, use whatever you like best—blueberries, bananas, peaches, and others work great!
- Butter: Adds richness to the cake. I use salted butter but feel free to use unsalted butter if that’s what you have.
- Sugar: Sweetens the cake, pudding, strawberries, and whipped cream.
- Egg Whites: Provides structure to the cake. Hang onto the egg yolks and consider using them to make a small batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies, a French Breakfast Puff, or Potato Gnocchi.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavors.
- Self-Rising Flour: Simplifies the cake-making process. If you don’t have it, use 1/2 cup all-purpose flour with 3/4 teaspoon baking powder and a pinch of salt (less than 1/8 teaspoon).
- Heavy Cream: Used in the cake, pudding, and whipped cream for a rich texture. Consider using leftover cream in Chocolate Ice Cream, Peanut Butter Pie, or Fettuccine Alfredo.
- Whole Milk: Gives the pudding a creamy consistency.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the pudding.
- Strawberries: Adds fresh, fruity flavor. Use other berries or fruits like peaches or mangoes if preferred. Have extra strawberries? Use them to make a Strawberry Crisp, Strawberry Shortcake or use our Strawberry Pie Filling recipe to enhance the layers of your trifle.
Recipe Variations
There are countless ways to customize this trifle. Here are some variations to try:
- Chocolate Trifle: Use chocolate cake and chocolate pudding.
- Berry Trifle: Mix different berries like blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
- Citrus Trifle: Add a layer of lemon curd or use lemon cake.
- Peach Trifle: Substitute strawberries with peaches for a summery twist.
- Banana Trifle: Use our Bananas Foster recipe to add deliciously caramelized bananas and a layer of the rich caramel sauce to your trifle.
- Gingerbread Trifle: Perfect for the holidays with gingerbread cake.
- Tropical Trifle: Use mango, pineapple, and coconut for a tropical flavor.
How To Make A Trifle
Here’s what we use to make a trifle. You can follow our cake and pudding recipes shown below and in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, or use a store-bought cake and pudding mix if you prefer.
These step-by-step photos and instructions will help you visualize how to make an individual trifle for one or two. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full instructions.
Bake the Cake
To make the cake for your trifle, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and lightly butter a 10-ounce ramekin. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, egg whites, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the flour, then add the cream and mix until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared ramekin and place it on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack, then slice it into cubes.
Make the Pudding
To make the pudding, warm the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat, then add sugar and salt. Once the milk begins to steam, mix cream and cornstarch in a separate bowl until smooth. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the warm milk and continue stirring as it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and keep stirring until the pudding thickens. Remove from heat, then stir in butter and vanilla until the butter melts. Transfer the pudding to a bowl to cool, allowing it to thicken further.
Macerate the Strawberries
To macerate the strawberries, slice them and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle the strawberries with sugar and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Assemble the Trifles
To assemble the trifles, layer half of the cake cubes in two dessert bowls, followed by half of the strawberries and half of the pudding. Repeat the layers, then top with whipped cream. Garnish with extra strawberries and fresh mint if desired. For extra creaminess, you can add whipped cream between the layers.
Expert Tips
- Chill Time: Let the assembled trifles chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
- Presentation: Use clear glasses or small jars to show off the layers.
- Storage: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, store-bought cake works perfectly.
You can assemble the trifle up to one day in advance.
Yes, just halve the ingredients and assemble in one dish.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this easy trifle recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Easy Trifle Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 4 tablespoons butter -melted (salted or unsalted)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup self-rising flour
- ¼ cup heavy cream
For the Pudding
- ½ cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Macerated Strawberries
- 7-8 strawberries -hulled (leafy green tops removed)
- ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
For the Whipped Cream
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly butter a 10-ounce ramekin and set it aside.
- Mix the Batter: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar, egg whites, and vanilla until smooth.Stir in the self-rising flour until well combined.Pour in the cream and stir until the batter is smooth.
- Pour Batter: Pour the cake batter into the prepared ramekin. Place the ramekin on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any possible spills.
- Bake: Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Place the cake on a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, slice the cake into cubes.
Make the Pudding While the Cake Cools
- Warm the Milk: In a 1-quart saucepan, warm the milk over medium-low heat for about 1 minute.
- Add Sugar and Salt: Add the sugar and salt to the milk, stirring occasionally. Heat until the milk begins to steam, about 5 minutes.
- Prepare Cornstarch Mixture: In a small bowl, whisk the cream and cornstarch together until smooth.Once the milk is steaming, stir in the cornstarch mixture. Keep stirring frequently as the mixture starts to boil.
- Thicken Pudding: Reduce the heat to low and continue stirring for about 5 minutes, until the pudding thickens.
- Finish and Cool: Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla until the butter is completely melted. Transfer the pudding to a bowl and let it cool. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
Macerate the Strawberries While the Pudding Cools
- Slice the Strawberries: Slice the strawberries and place them in a bowl.
- Add Sugar: Sprinkle the strawberries with sugar.
- Let Sit: Allow the strawberries to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Make the Whipped Cream
- Using an electric hand mixer or a balloon whisk, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until soft peaks form.Note: As you whip the cream, sugar, and vanilla together, you'll start to see the mixture increasing in volume. The cream will begin to thicken, become smooth, and leave trails in the mixture. When you lift the beaters or take the whisk out of the cream, the peaks are soft and will curl downwards and melt back into themselves almost immediately.
To Assemble the Trifles
- Layer the Cake: Place half of the cake cubes into two dessert bowls.
- Add Strawberries: Top with half of the strawberries.
- Add Custard: Spoon half of the pudding over the strawberries.
- Repeat Layers: Add another layer of cake cubes, strawberries, and pudding.Note: Feel free to add whipped cream between the layers for extra creaminess.
- Top with Whipped Cream: Finish with a generous dollop of whipped cream on top.
- Garnish: Garnish with extra strawberries and fresh mint if desired.
Notes
- Chill Time: Let the assembled trifles chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
- Presentation: Use clear glasses or small jars to show off the layers.
- Storage: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
- Feel free to use this recipe as a guide and choose any cake you prefer, including any one of our mini cake recipes or even a store-bought cake. You can also use boxed pudding or try our chocolate pudding or butterscotch pudding recipes. For the fruit, use whatever you like best—blueberries, bananas, peaches, and more work great!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This recipe has lots of possibilities. You could make a cherry trifle by substituting 10-12 cherries, halved, for the strawberries. And you could make butterscotch pudding instead by substituting 2 tablespoons brown sugar for the white sugar. If you wanted chocolate pudding instead, you could add 2 tablespoons cocoa to the vanilla pudding.
Great recipe.
Thank you!