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As seen on Next Level Baker, except mini-sized! After working my way out of the basement kitchen, this is the first dessert I made in the middle kitchen. It’s showstopping, both visually and with flavor… So much so, that I got a “Duuuuuuuude” from Carla Hall on the flavor, which I’m extremely proud of! While I made a standard trifle size on the show, I actually prefer these mini-sized versions that fit snugly inside a glass cup. Perfect for small gatherings/date nights/dinner parties!
The lemon mousse and fresh raspberry components keep this dessert light and bright. The tangy fruits perfectly balance the warm ginger from the cake, which will have you going back in for more and more. It’s seriously addictive (you’ve been warned!)!
There’s a few components, but each are incredibly easy to make and assemble. These can also be made ahead of time, which makes them ideal for entertaining. The citrus notes lend well to both cold and warm seasons, and the ginger gives it a decidedly cozy, holiday feel.
Why You’ll LOVE This Trifle
Here’s what you’ll need:
Lemon Ginger Trifle Tips
Measure precisely. To get a final product with clean, distinct layers, the cake layers need to fit snugly in the glass. Whichever glass you use, measure the inside diameter with a ruler, and then use a round cutter of that size to get precise cut-outs.
Keep all components cool/cold before assembly. Cold lemon mousse dolloped on top of a warm cake or warm coulis will melt and turn into lukewarm lemon soup. Make sure to chill the coulis and fully cool the cake layers before assembly. The assembled trifles should also be kept in the fridge until ready to serve!
Converting to a standard trifle. The recipe is written around individual-sized trifles, but this could also easily be made into a standard-sized version, just like the one I made on Next Level Baker! To do so, you’ll need to 2x the cake recipe (baked on a standard half sheet pan) and coulis recipe, while 3x the lemon mousse recipe.
How to make this lemon ginger trifle:
- Make the gingerbread cake: Preheat oven to 350°F, and prepare quarter sheet pan. Mix ingredients, pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until toothpick comes out clean, approximately 20 minutes. Set aside to cool, and once cool, cut out 6 circles sized to your serving glasses.
- Make the lemon mousse: Combine lemon juice, zest, egg, egg yolk, and sugar over hot water bath and heat until 165°F, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Strain and cover with plastic before chilling. Whip cream and fold into chilled lemon curd. Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.
- Make the raspberry coulis: Add raspberries, sugar, and water to a small pot over medium heat. Cook until raspberries release their juices (may only take a few minutes), then transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. Add lemon juice. Keep refrigerated until ready to assemble.
- Assembly: Place one cake round at the bottom of each glass. Spoon a thin layer of coulis on top of the cake and arrange a layer of fresh raspberries. Spoon a generous layer of lemon mousse on top. Repeat. Swirl a small amount of coulis into the top layer of mousse and garnish with fresh raspberries. Serve chilled.
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“Flavor? Duuuuuuuuude.” – Carla Hall
Mini Lemon Ginger Trifles
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cake
- 150 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 90 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
- 78 grams granulated sugar
- 60 grams light brown sugar
- 75 grams whole egg, room temperature (approx. 1 1/2 large eggs)
- 125 grams molasses (not blackstrap)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 93 grams buttermilk, room temperature
Lemon Mousse
- 180 grams lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 150 grams whole egg (approx. 3 large eggs)
- 45 grams egg yolk (approx. 3 egg yolks)
- 105 grams granulated sugar
- 75 grams unsalted butter
- 225 grams heavy whipping cream
Raspberry Coulis
- 120 grams raspberry
- 33 grams granulated sugar
- 10 grams water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Assembly
- 200 grams raspberry, reserved
Instructions
Gingerbread Cake
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and prepare quarter sheet pan with grease and parchment. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and spices and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed until pale in appearance and fluffy.
- Add eggs and continue mixing on medium speed until incorporated. Add molasses and vanilla extract and mix to incorporate. Add buttermilk and mix to incorporate. Add flour mixture and mix on low until combined, with no visible dry flour. Pour batter into prepared quarter sheet pan and spread evenly.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (with maybe a few crumbs), approximately 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing from pan to cool completely.
Lemon Mousse
- In a medium, heat-proof bowl, add lemon juice, zest, egg, egg yolk, and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine. Place over double boiler and heat until an instant-read thermometer registers 165ºF. Mixture will visibly thicken.
- Remove from heat and add butter, mixing to combine. Strain curd through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl, cover with plastic (plastic should touch the surface of the curd), and put into fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
- Whip cream to stiff peak, and then fold into cold curd. Leave lemon mousse covered in the fridge until ready for assembly.
Raspberry Coulis
- Add raspberries, sugar, and water to a small pot over medium heat. Cook until raspberries release their juices (may only take a few minutes), then transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Strain coulis through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. Add lemon juice and stir to combine. Leave coulis covered in the fridge until ready for assembly.
Assembly
- To assemble, cut 6 3"in circles of cake using a 3" round cutter. Place one cake round at the bottom of each glass. Then, carefully spoon a thin layer of coulis on top of the cake and arrange a layer of fresh raspberry. Spoon a generous layer of lemon mousse on top. Repeat.
- If desired, swirl a small amount of coulis into the top layer of mousse and garnish with fresh raspberries. Serve cold.
Did you make this recipe?
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