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American

Berry Trifle Cups

Cake cubes, vanilla pudding, and berries layered in cups so every spoonful gets crust, cream, and fruit. The pudding is cooked, then chilled, so the cups hold a shape.

Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Total
30 min
Servings
6
Difficulty
Easy
Jump to recipe
A glass cup of berry trifle with cake and pudding.

Why you’ll love it

  • Individual cups are easier to serve than a huge bowl.
  • The pudding is milk, cornstarch, and vanilla, not only a box.
  • Berries keep it from being all cake.
  • You can assemble them a few hours ahead.

Ingredients

Servings6

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Whisk the milk, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolk in a saucepan until the cornstarch dissolves.

  2. 2

    Cook over medium heat, whisking, until the pudding thickens and a few bubbles break the surface, about 6 to 8 minutes. It should coat a spoon.

  3. 3

    Take it off the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla. Press plastic wrap against the surface and chill until cold, at least 1 hour.

  4. 4

    In six cups, layer cake, pudding, and berries. Repeat once.

  5. 5

    Chill 30 minutes if you want cleaner layers, or serve sooner.

Pro tips

  • Keep whisking once it starts to thicken. Cornstarch can lump on the bottom.
  • The wrap on the surface stops a skin.
  • If the pudding is too thick to spread, whisk in a splash of milk.

Easy substitutions

Pound cake
Ladyfingers or leftover muffin cubes
Mixed berries
Sliced strawberries
Whole milk
2 percent milk, and the pudding will be a little lighter

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate up to 2 days. The cake softens, which is what trifle does.

Reheating

Serve cold. Do not heat.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
290
Protein
6 g
Carbs
42 g
Fat
11 g
Fiber
3 g

Moderate · Stovetop · Vegetarian

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients