Rustic Fruit Cocktail Trifle
One of the simplest AND most delicious sweet treats you can adorn any party dessert table with. For birthdays, graduations, special occasions and any other reason to indulge, this rustic, perfectly imperfect trifle is too good for words to describe. And it is actually very fun to make! All you need is vanilla pudding, fresh custard, good quality vanilla + chocolate pound cake, some Jell-O, whipped cream and canned fruit cocktail + pineapples + mandarin oranges. Oh and a pretty trifle bowl to show off the gorgeous colors and textures. Tastes lusciously divine-almost as if you spent the entire day preparing it (but in fact, it only takes less than half an hour to assemble), refrigerate overnight and serve! Easy entertaining at its best. Now that is something for you and your guests to smile about!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb pound cake *I used half chocolate and half vanilla flavored pound cakes
- 1 box Jell-O Instant Pudding mix *vanilla flavored, prepared per package instructions (whisked in 3 cups cold milk)
- 1 cup custard *prepared per package instructions
- 3 oz whipped cream *I used Cool Whip, extra creamy
- 15 oz fruit cocktail *2 cans, I used Del Monte brand, drained
- 4 oz pineapple chunks *canned, syrup removed
- 4 oz mandarin oranges *canned, drained, from concentrate
- 2 pineapple slices *canned, syrup removed, Dole brand, cut into smaller pieces for topping
- fresh strawberries *sliced, for topping
- fresh raspberries *for topping
Instructions
- Make custard per package instructions and let cool. Once cool, add one can (approximately 7.5 oz) of fruit cocktail (strained, almost all juice removed) and gently mix to combine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, make Jell-O instant vanilla pudding mix, per package instructions. Add one can of strained fruit cocktail and approximately 4 oz of canned pineapple chunks (also strained). Gently mix to combine. Set aside.
- Slice pound cake to desired thickness. Loosen Jell-O cups with butter knife around edges and turn upside down to remove. Slice in half (or to desired thickness). Set aside. Let Cool Whip cream come to room temperature (soften so it's easy to spread as topping).
- In a trifle bowl, place sliced vanilla pound cake, ladle vanilla pudding + fruit mixture on top of cake, place slices of Jell-O, add another layer of pound cake (chocolate), ladle custard + fruit on top, add more slices of Jell-O, add a final layer of pound cake, ladle remaining vanilla pudding mixture on top. Using a spatula, spread Cool Whip on top of final vanilla pudding layer. Place strained mandarin oranges, pieces of sliced pineapples, fresh raspberries and fresh sliced strawberries on top of whipped cream layer. Gently cover with saran wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.
- Stunning, super moist, creamy and delicious Rustic Fruit Cocktail Trifle is now ready to serve. The only sweet treat you will need to make your guests so very happy! I usually make two full trifle bowls (just double the recipe because it will disappear fast AND everyone will return to your dessert table for seconds AND thirds....Enjoy! Nosh Farma'aiye.