Pimm's Strawberries and Cream Trifle

Pimm's Strawberries and Cream Trifle

This one is pure summer in a bowl. We made this Pimm's Strawberries and Cream Trifle for a garden party a couple of years back and honestly it stole the whole show. You've got fluffy vanilla sponge soaked in Pimm's, a jammy strawberry compote, layers of cream, and fresh berries on top. It's indulgent, a little boozy, and completely plant-based. If you need one dessert to impress people this summer, make this one.

Cook: 35 min
Serves 8

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 180°C
  • Large baking tray lined with parchment
  • Cooling rack
  • Trifle dish
  • Electric mixer or hand whisk
  • Piping bag (optional)

Ingredients

  • 100g plant-based butter
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 100g plant-based yoghurt
  • 100ml plant-based milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 200g self raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 500g strawberries
  • 100ml - pimm's
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 800g plant-based custard
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 300ml plant-based cream
  • 1 tbsp icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1

Bake the sponge

  • In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until combined
  • Add the yoghurt, milk and vanilla, then stir in the flour and baking powder mixing until you have a smooth batter
  • Spread the mix in the baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until a skewer comes out clean and the top of the cake springs back when touched
  • Turn out and leave to cool on a cooling rack
2

Make the strawberry compote

  • Hull the strawberries and slice in half
  • Save a handful to decorate the sides of the trifle dish and place the rest in a saucepan with the pimms, sugar lemon juice and cornflour
  • Bring to a simmer for 5 until the strawberries have softened but not completely broken down and the liquid has thickened
  • Leave to cool
3

Make the custard

  • Pour the custard into a saucepan
  • Mix the cornflour and water together in a small bowl to make a slurry and stir through the custard
  • Bring to a simmer, whisking continuously for a few minutes until the custard thickens
  • Transfer to a bowl, cover the surface with cling film and leave to cool
4

Whip the cream

  • Place the cream, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until it forms stiff peaks. You can use a hand whisk or electric mixer to whip
5

Assemble the trifle

  • Slice the sponge into fingers and arrange in the base of a trifle dish
  • Spoon the compote over the sponge
  • Top with half the custard, arrange the remaining strawberries around the sides of the trifle dish and spoon half the whipped cream in the middle
  • Top with the remaining custard and finish with the rest of the cream, using a piping bag if you want a more refined look

Tips & Variations

  • Make it ahead: This trifle actually gets better after a few hours in the fridge, so we'd always build it the night before and let everything settle together. It makes party prep so much easier too.
  • Go easy on the Pimm's (or don't): We use enough to soak the sponge nicely but if you want more of that Pimm's flavour coming through, brush on an extra splash before you layer up. Trust us on this one.
  • Whip the cream to soft peaks: Don't over-whip your plant-based cream or it can go a bit grainy when you spoon it in. Soft and billowy is what you're after here, it looks way better in the glass too.

Why This Works

The trick here is letting the sponge really soak up the Pimm's before you build the layers. Don't rush that step, it makes the whole thing taste like a proper grown-up trifle rather than just a sponge cake in a bowl. The strawberry compote also adds this gorgeous jammy depth that fresh strawberries alone just can't give you.