Mini Fruit Custard Trifle Cups aren’t just a dessert; they’re a delightful masterpiece that is effortless to make but sure to satisfy dessert cravings. The delectable layers of pound cake, fruit, custard, and cream are a wonderful blend of flavors and textures. These custard trifle cups are sure to be a party stunner!

Fruit Custard Trifle Cups served in a pretty golden tray.
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Are you struggling to decide what sweet treat to serve for your special celebration? You’re in luck because I have a fantastic answer for you! These Mini Fruit Custard Trifle Cups are a deliciously mouthwatering dessert.

A recipe that is both easy and fancy, great for any event, and full of delicious tastes. I love to combine simple Indian desserts such as custard, gulab jamun, shrikhand, ladoo, etc, to make fusion desserts.

Check out these Gulab Jamun Shrikhand Bowls, Motichoor Ladoo Cheesecake Cups, and Gulab Jamun Custard Jars.

I recently made these Fruit Custard Trifle Cups for a party, and they were an instant hit. Everyone loved them and asked for the recipe, so here it is! So if you’re looking for an easy Indian fusion dessert, give this one a try!

Watch How to Make Mini Fruit Custard Trifle Cups

What is a Trifle?

Trifle is a traditional British treat with many layers of tasty things inside. Traditionally, it is made with sponge cake or ladyfingers soaked in fruit juice or sherry and then topped with custard, whipped cream, and different kinds of fruit. It’s more than just a treat; it’s a stunningly beautiful, colorful, and irresistibly tasty dish with different tastes and textures.

Typically, trifle is made in a large round glass bowl so you can see all the wonderful layers. Now, there are variations to make trifles in mini cups, which is what we will be making here.

Why You’ll Love These Mini Trifle Cups?

  • Easy to make
  • Easy to customize
  • Crowd-pleaser
  • Perfect for entertaining
Mini Trifle Cups with Custard for Diwali

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Fruit Custard Trifle

  • Fruits: I used strawberries and blueberries, but feel free to use fruits of your choice.
  • Pound Cake: I used pound cake. You can also use Angel Food Cake or any Vanilla Cake. The cake forms the sturdy base of your trifle cups. It soaks up the delicious flavors from the custard and fruits, giving each bite a soft, spongy texture and a mild sweetness.
  • For whipped cream: You can use Cool Whip or make it from scratch; you’ll need heavy cream and powdered sugar. 
  • Garnish: To garnish, you’ll need pistachios and dried rose petals.

For the Custard:

  • Custard powder: It’s a blend of starch and flavorings that helps create a velvety texture.
  • Milk: It creates a smooth and thick custard layer. 
  • Sugar: Adds the sweetness to the custard.
  • Cardamom powder: This is optional. But adds a subtle hint of warmth and an exotic aroma to the custard and final dish.
  • Saffron: This is optional. But if you add it, you’ll need crushed saffron strands. It will add a lovely golden color to the custard and an exotic aroma. 
Mini fruit custard trifle cups ingredients

How to Make Custard?

  • Put the custard powder and 1/4 cup of milk in a small bowl and mix them. Set this mixture aside.
  • Put the rest of the milk and sugar in a pot and heat it over medium-low. Bring it almost to a boil.
  • Pour the custard and milk mixture into the pot while whisking the mixture all the time. Stir it all the time until it gets thick and boils.
  • Add cardamom powder and crushed saffron. Let it cool down.
  • As it cools, the custard will get thicker. You can put it in the fridge for one to two hours or overnight.
  • You can also make the custard a day before to make it easier to put together the dessert.

Also, I am sharing here the detailed recipe for Custard.

custard in a red bowl

How to Make Whipped Cream?

Add the heavy cream and sugar to the steel bowl of your stand mixer. Use the wire whisk attachment (or use your hand mixer), and beat the heavy cream with powdered sugar until it forms peaks. Make sure not to overbeat, or else the cream will separate.

If you are short of time, you can use store-bought Cool Whip in place of homemade whipped cream.

How to Assemble Custard Trifle Cups?

This dessert can be assembled in mini jars or in mini glasses.

I used glass jars, but similar mini plastic clear cups would work great if you are making them for a large crowd for a dinner party. Here is another good option for mini clear cups

You can also use shot glasses with about 4oz capacity to assemble this. Or use mini mason jars.

This trifle dessert is super easy to assemble:

  • Slice the pound cake into 3/4-1 cm layers, then cut it into small cubes.
  • Cut the strawberries into small pieces.
  • Start by filling the bottom of your cups with a spoonful of custard.
  • Then top with pieces of pound cake. Ensure that the pound cake forms a nice layer at the bottom of the cup. Fit in more cubes if needed.
  • Now, evenly distribute a tablespoon of custard over the top of the cake.
  • Arrange a layer of strawberries over the custard.
  • Top the strawberries with another layer of custard. This layer needs about two spoonfuls of custard.
  • Next, we add the blueberries. To make the layer visible, arrange the blueberries along the cup’s rim.
  • The whipped cream is the last layer. To make it look prettier, you can use a piping bag.
  • Garnish with chopped pistachios and, if you like, some dried rose petals.
  • Repeat these layers in each cup and chill them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Custard Trifle Cups For Diwali decorated with dried rose petals and chopped pistachios.

Pro-tips

  • Cups: You can use various types of cups or jars to assemble this dessert. Square plastic mini cups, cylinder mini cups, glass jars, or mini mason jars all work well.
  • Cream: If you prefer, you can use store-bought CoolWhip instead of making homemade whipped cream.
  • Cake: You can make a pound cake or vanilla cake at home or buy store-bought to make the dessert easier to put together.
  • Custard: I used homemade custard for this recipe. If you like, you can use store-bought custard or vanilla pudding.
  • Fruits: Use fruits of your choice. I prefer to use a variety of fresh berries.
Custard Trifle Cups For Parties served on a pretty golden tray.

How to Store?

It is best to prepare the ingredients and store them separaely if you want to prepare ahead for a party.

Once they are assembled, you can store these mini trifles in the refrigerator for maximum upto a day. Just cover each assembled jar with plastic cling wrap.

Making Custard Trifle Cups for a Party

As I mentioned, I recently made these Trifle Cups for a party. I made over 30 cups, and it took me just over an hour to put them together on the day.

I made the custard a day before. Sliced the cake, chopped the strawberries and made the whippe cream in the kitchenaid stand mixer.

Mini Fruit Custard Trifle Cups being made for a party

The last layer is always the fun one. I garnished with dried rose petals and crushed pistachios. If you like, you can top with fruits.

Custard Trifle Cups ready to serve at a party

A blurry picture, but here is me ready to make the mini trifle cups to the Diwali party.

Meeta taking a tray of mini custard trifle cups for a party

These cute little jars will be a hit at your Diwali or Holi party or your Indian Thanksgiving dinner. I hope you give them a try!

More Dessert Recipes

5 from 2 votes

Mini Fruit Custard Trifle Cups

Mini Fruit Custard Trifle Cups are a delightful dessert that is effortless to make but sure to satisfy those dessert cravings. The delectable layers of pound cake, fruit, custard, and cream are a wonderful blend of flavors and textures. These custard trifle cups are sure to be a party stunner!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 10

Video

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound Strawberries, cleaned and dried
  • 1 pint Blueberies, cleaned and dried
  • 6 ounce Pound Cake , or angel food cake, or any vanilla cake
  • 1 tablespoon Pistachios , slivered, to garnish, or other nuts of choice
  • Dried rose petals, for garnish, optional

For the custard

For Whipped Cream or use CoolWhip

  • 1 cup Heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoon Powdered sugar, icing or confectioners' sugar

Instructions 

Make the custard

  • To make the custard, in a small bowl, combine custard powder and 1/4 cup milk. Give this a good mix and set it aside.
  • In a saucepan over medium heat, add the rest of the milk and sugar. Bring this to a slight boil, then pour the custard and milk mixture into the saucepan. Keep whisking till the mixture comes to a boil and becomes thick. Add cardamom powder and saffron to the mixture.
  • Let it cool down. The custard thickens as it cools. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. You can also make the custard a day before and refrigerate.

Make Whipped Cream

  • Add the heavy cream and sugar to the steel bowl of your stand mixer. Use the wire whisk attachment (or use your hand mixer), and beat the heavy cream with powdered sugar until it forms peaks. Make sure to not overbeat, else the cream will separate.

Prepare the Cake and Fruits

  • Slice the pound cake into a 3/4-1 cm layer. Then, cut it into small pieces.
  • Cut the strawberries into small pieces.

Assemble the jars

  • Add a spoonful of custard to the base of the cup. Place a layer of pound cake. Then, add a spoonful of custard on top. Make sure it spreads on the cake.
  • Add a layer of strawberries. Then, top with a layer of custard. This layer is about two spoonfuls of custard. (adjust based on the size of the cups you use)
  • Now, arrange the blueberries on top along the rim of the cup, so the layer is visible.
  • The final layer is whipped cream. You can just spread it on the top of the blueberries. If you have a piping bag, use that to make the top layer look rprettier.
  • Garnish with chopped pistachios and dried rose petals.
  • Repeat with the remaining jars. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Options for jars/cups to assemble this dessert: Here is a square plastic mini cup or a cylinder mini cup. You can also use mini mason jars
Storing: You can keep the jars after assembling them for one day in the refrigerator. Cover each assembled jar with a plastic cling wrap.
Whipped Cream: Use store-bought CoolWhip or make whipped cream as suggested in the recipe above. 
Custard: You can make custard ahead a day before which will help to have it chilled and ready when you want to put together the dessert cups. 

Nutrition

Calories: 248kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 144mgPotassium: 264mgFiber: 2gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 503IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 1mg

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Fusion, Indian
Diet: Vegetarian
Tried this recipe?Mention @pipingpotcurry or tag #pipingpotcurry!

About Meeta

I strongly believe that each one of us has a chef inside us, we just need to explore the ingredients and create great food. My passion is to share easy, healthy, and wholesome recipes made using Instant Pot & Air Fryer, that are well tested, so you can cook with confidence.

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5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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