Making trifle means making layers. Orange Cinnamon Pecan trifle combines layers of pound cake soaked with Grand Marnier (or orange juice), vanilla pudding, cinnamon streusel crumb topping, toasted pecans, and an orange-flavored whipped cream. Full of flavor and texture, this trifle comes together in a flash for a simple, yet elegant and delicious dessert!
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[January, 2022: I've reworked the recipe and updated this post with all new pictures. Enjoy!]
Why this recipe works
- Trifle offers endless opportunities to combine different flavors and textures into an elegant dessert, so it's adaptable to any holiday or season
- Assembly takes just a few minutes, especially if you make (or buy) the components ahead of time
- You can make a large amount in a trifle bowl, or use glasses for personal parfaits
When I think about layers, several different images pop into my head.
The scientist part of me immediately goes to sedimentary rock, layers upon layers of compressed silt and mud from ancient sea beds, trapping and fossilizing plants and animals alike.
The mother in me thinks about layering clothing, as in “I’m cold, put on a sweater.”
But the chef in me holds the title. I think about the gooey goodness of lasagna and moussaka. I think about slicing into a delicious layer cake. And I think about trifle, a creamy dessert concoction that is all about the layers.
Trifle is more delicious than the sum of its parts. If you're a fan of textures (as I am), then you'll love this trifle.
The orange-scented pound cake has a buttery goodness, the vanilla pudding is smooth and creamy, and the cinnamon streusel crumbs and pecans add the right amount of spice and crunch. The orange flavor here is subtle and the booziness of the Grand Marnier is really toned down (you don't use that much).
Give the recipes for pound cake, pudding, and cinnamon streusel crumbs a try, then use it in this delicious trifle. Put it all together and you have one luscious dessert. Happy layering!
Recipe Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients to make this Orange Cinnamon Pecan trifle recipe:
Ingredient Notes
The main distinction about a trifle is its presentation, colorful and contrasting layers in a (usually) straight-sided glass trifle bowl. There really isn’t a recipe needed to make a trifle, just guidelines. You can adapt a trifle to fit most any season, holiday, or celebration.
Because of the simple nature of the components, quality is key here. I encourage you to make what ingredients you can from scratch. For the baked goods, of course yours will be better than store bought. You don't use preservatives at home!
Baked goods: Used to add texture. Pound cake is traditional (plain or flavored), but any sort of tea bread, brownies, or cookies (whole or crumbled) would work as well. You can even include chopped nuts for additional flavor and crunch.
Something creamy: Usually pudding and/or whipped cream. You can use ready-made whipped cream, boxed puddings, but homemade pudding is so good, and easy to make. Some suggestions would be vanilla (pudding and pastry cream), chocolate, and butterscotch pudding.
As for the whipped cream, c’mon, do you really want all those additives and stabilizers in your diet when you can literally whip up a cup of heavy cream in a couple of minutes? You can also flavor the whipped cream using vanilla extract or another flavored extract, like mint, almond, lemon, or Fiori di Sicilia (an orange vanilla extract).
Fruit: Adds color and texture. Chop it into bite-sized pieces.
Sweetness intensifier: Think about fruit jams or preserves, or a dessert sauce (like chocolate syrup, butterscotch sauce, or English toffee sauce) that will complement the trifle's component flavors.
Juices or liqueurs: You can drizzle complementary liquors or juices on the baked goods to soften them and add more flavor.
Toppings: Top the trifle for a pretty presentation. Sliced fruit, chopped nuts chocolate shavings, or crunchy streusel are all excellent options.
Another benefit of trifle is that it is scalable, i.e., you can make a full batch in a large trifle bowl, or make trifle’s younger sister, the parfait, in as many individual serving containers as you need. Low ball glasses work well here, like with this Cranachan trifle (a Scottish raspberry dessert).
You'll be the best judge for how much of each item you'll need based on what type of glass container you use and how many servings you want. By the way, making parfaits is a great way to use up leftover tea breads!
The pound cake trifle recipe below is for an Orange Cinnamon Pecan Trifle. See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and measurements you'll need.
Use what you have on hand for trifle
Classic British trifle is made with vanilla pudding, berries (strawberries or raspberries) and matching jam, pound cake brushed with a liqueur (like rum), and whipped cream.
But how about bananas, and banana bread and vanilla cookies instead? Butterscotch pudding, pumpkin butter, pumpkin bread, and butterscotch sauce? Or chocolate pudding, raspberries, whisky brownies, chocolate cookie crumbs, and chocolate syrup. The mind boggles.
How to make trifle
The beauty of trifle is how you present all these ingredients to make a picture-worthy dish.
The idea is to try (as best you can), to place the pudding, fruit, jam, liqueur-soaked cake, and whipped cream into the bowl so the layers are clean and separate, then decorate the top layer (usually the whipped cream and a garnish) to finish off your masterpiece.
However try as I might, I always mess up the layers when I assemble the trifle in the requisite trifle bowl. I’ll drizzle the jam on the walls of the glass bowl, then make a smear when I try to clean it up, or the fruit will sink into the pudding so I have to keep adding more and more to try and even it out until one side sinks down like a reverse geyser into the lower layers. ** SIGH **
Now, as good as a chef as I am, I’m also a klutz, hence my guiding principle: if it tastes good, forget if it doesn’t look Pinterest-perfect!
Step 1: Prepare the pound cake
Brush the pound cake slices with Grand Marnier or orange juice using a pastry brush, then slice into 1-inch cubes and set aside (photo 1).
Step 2: Prepare the whipped cream
In a medium chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream until it just starts to thicken, then add the Fiori di Sicilia. Whip the cream with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form (don't over-whip or you'll get orange-flavored butter).
Step 3: Assemble the trifle
Place a few cubes of pound cake in a low ball glass to cover the bottom, then add a layer of pudding (photo 2).
Sprinkle some of the cinnamon streusel crumbs, then some pecans. Top it all with a layer of whipped cream (photo 3).
Repeat the layers, finishing with the whipped cream. Garnish with berries and a few more streusel crumbs (photo 4).
Storage and make-ahead instructions
Storage instructions: You can store a trifle in a refrigerator, well wrapped, for up to 3 days. Freezing a trifle isn't recommended because the texture will change and the baked components will get soggy.
Make-ahead instructions: You can make all the major components ahead (the baked goods, pudding and/or whipped cream, and toppings, if necessary) and assemble the trifle about 30 minutes before serving, chilling the trifle just long enough for the cake to soften and the whipped cream to firm up.
Questions asked and answered
Here are some questions you might have...
That's going to depend on the size of your serving container. For large trifle bowls, you can get as many as three to four repetitions of layers. Individual parfaits made in glasses can hold two to three repetitions of layers.
Traditional English trifle uses sherry. Alternatives are rum, brandy, port wine (a fortified wine), and the many types of fruit or coffee liqueurs available. It's best to select a spirit that will complement the flavor profile of the components.
While the baked components will soften, they shouldn't become too soggy for about 2 to 3 days. Still, it's best to make the trifle close to when you want to serve it.
I hope you like this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions, and don't forget to leave a comment and rating. Thanks!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
- Tammy
More trifle cake recipes to try
Recipe
Orange Cinnamon Pecan Trifle
Equipment
- hand mixer
- 4 low ball glasses
Ingredients
- 4 slices pound cake, homemade or store bought
- 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, or orange juice
- 2 cups vanilla pudding, homemade or store bought
- ½ cup cinnamon streusel crumb topping
- ½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia
- berries, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare the pound cake: Brush the pound cake slices with Grand Marnier or orange juice, then slice into 1-inch cubes and set aside.
- Prepare the whipped cream: In a medium chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream until it just starts to thicken, then add the Fiori di Sicilia. Whip the cream with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form (don't over-whip or you'll get orange-flavored butter).
- Assemble the trifle: Try and be as neat as possible as you make the layers. Place a few cubes of pound cake in a low ball glass to cover the bottom, then add a layer of pudding.
- Sprinkle some of the cinnamon streusel crumbs, then some pecans. Top it all with a layer of whipped cream.
- Repeat the layers, finishing with the whipped cream. Garnish with berries and a few more streusel crumbs.
- Refrigerate until ready to eat, taking them out about 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
- Storage instructions: You can store a trifle in a refrigerator, well wrapped, for up to 3 days. Freezing a trifle isn't recommended because the texture will change and the baked components will get soggy.
- Make-ahead instructions: You can make the pound cake, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream ahead and assemble the trifle about 30 minutes before serving, chilling the trifle just long enough for the cake to soften and the whipped cream to firm up.
charandtheweb says
I was first introduced to trifle when I lived in the UK and I've been a fan ever since. I love that you can just throw everything in there, layer it and you're good to go. Anything with yogurt and fruit, some crumble, banana and caramel is my favorite.
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