Happy New Year! 2020 was a tough year and I’m excited to be moving forward and welcoming in a new year with this fun and light treat. This Hidden Mickey trifle has layers of soft sponge cake, vanilla pudding, and fresh strawberries. Of course, I also added a touch of my favorite mouse in hopes that this coming year will have a bit of extra magic.
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Trifles are usually made in one large bowl but I thought individual portions would be easier to manage so I made this Hidden Mickey Trifle in wine glasses. You could also use small bowls or if you’d like one large trifle, the recipe makes enough for that too. All of the parts of the trifle are pretty straight-forward to make, but it does require chilling time. I’d recommend making everything the day before you’d like to serve it so that you have enough time for the trifle to rest in the refrigerator after it’s assembled.
To start, make the sponge cake. You could also substitute a white cake if you want something a little lighter and fluffier. To make the sponge, first combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the sugar, butter, and eggs, and beat for about 2 minutes, until smooth.
Divide the dough between two greased and lined round cake pans, making sure to smooth the tops. For these, I used a 9-inch round cake pan but you could also use a 10-inch round cake pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cakes are well-risen, golden, and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
Next make the vanilla pudding. This process is a bit similar to making a pastry cream. First, place the beaten egg in a medium heat-safe bowl. Then, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the milk and vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened and bubbly.
Remove the mixture from the heat and pour a little bit into the egg , whisking constantly. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and return to the heat. Cook for 2 minutes. Transfer the pudding mixture into a large heat-safe bowl. Add the butter and gently whisk until combined. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the top of the pudding and place in the refrigerator to chill, about 2 hours.
When you’re ready to assemble, gently fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the vanilla pudding. If desired, transfer the remaining whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. This can be used for decorating the top of the trifle. Whipped cream is not my favorite, so I didn’t put it on all of the trifles I made. Instead, I put some extra pudding and strawberries.
Next, cut the cakes into small rounds using a round cookie cutter. Make sure to use a size that fits into the glass or bowl you’re using. If you’re making a large trifle, just trim the edges to fit into your trifle bowl. Combine the rum and sherry in a small bowl.
Spread a thin layer of red raspberry preserves on the bottom each glass or bowl you’re using. Then, place a cake round, crust side up, into the bowl. Brush the top of the cake with some of the rum and sherry mixture. Top with a scoop of vanilla pudding and slices of fresh strawberries. Repeat this step until you have 3-4 layers of trifle. If desired, decorate the top of the trifle with the remaining whipped cream. Once assembled, let the trifle rest for 8 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
To make the Mickey garnish, take 1 large strawberry round and 2 small strawberry rounds. Attach the small rounds to the large round using a toothpick that’s been broken in half. Cut a slit into the bottom of the large round and place the strawberry Mickey on the edges of the trifle glasses just before serving.
I hope you enjoy this Hidden Mickey Trifle! Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and magical New Year!
Hidden Mickey Trifle
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ⅜ teaspoons salt
Vanilla Pudding
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Assembly
- 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
- 2 tablespoons seedless red raspberry preserves
- 2 tablespoons dark or aged rum
- 2 tablespoons sherry
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, rinsed and dried
Equipment
- 2 9 or 10 inch round cake pan
- round cookie cutter
- piping bag
- star piping tip
- pastry brush
Instructions
Sponge Cake
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Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and a line cake pans with parchment paper.
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Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the eggs, sugar, and butter. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
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Divide the cake batter between the two prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops with an off-set spatula.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cakes are well-risen, golden, and springy to the touch.
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Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Pudding
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Place beaten egg into a medium heat-safe bowl. Set aside.
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In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the milk and vanilla extra and stir to combine.
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Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Let cool for 2 minutes and remove from heat.
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Pour a small amount of the hot mixture into the bowl with the beaten egg, whisking constantly. Add the egg mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes.
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Remove mixture from the heat and pour into a large heat-safe bowl. Add the butter and gently whisk until combined.
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Press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding and place in the refrigerator to chill, about 2 hours.
Assembly
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Gently fold 1 cup of whipped cream into the cooled vanilla pudding. If desired, transfer remaining whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. This can be used for decorating the top of the trifle.
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Slice strawberries into rounds. Set aside.
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Combine the rum and sherry in a small bowl. Set aside.
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Using a small spaulta, spread a layer of red raspberry preserves on the bottom of each trifle dish (ex: wine glass, small bowl, etc).
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Use a small round cookie cutter to cut the cakes into rounds that will fit into your chosen trifle dish.
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Place 1 cake round into the bottom of the dish, crust side up. Using a pastry brush, brush some of the rum and sherry mixture onto the top of the cake.
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Spoon some of the pudding mixture onto the cake and press in a few of the strawberry rounds.
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Repeat this process so that you have 3 cake layers.
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If desired, pipe whipped cream on the top layer and decorate with fresh strawberries.
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Once assembled, place in the refrigerator to chill for 8 hours before serving.
Mickey Garnish
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Take 1 large and 2 small strawberry rounds. You can cut some using a round pastry tip, if needed. Attach the two small rounds to the large round using a toothpick broken in half.
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Cut a small slit into the bottom of the large strawberry round. Place on the rim of the trifle dish right before serving.
Recipe Notes
adapted from Lawry’s and Mary Berry