Pioneer Woman Lemon Blueberry Trifles

These lemon blueberry trifles are made with cubes of lemon cake, sweetened whipped cream, fresh blueberries, and lemon curd, layered in individual jars. They’re sweet, tart, and light. They take about 33 minutes, plus cooling the cake, and make 6 trifles.

Bake the lemon cake low and slow at 300°F so it stays soft and pale, not browned. Let it cool completely before you cut it, or the warm cubes fall apart and the whipped cream melts into them. Cube the cake instead of crumbling it for cleaner layers.

The lemon curd is what rounds these out. It adds a sharp, tart edge that cuts through the sweet cake and cream. Layer everything twice in each jar, and serve right away or chill for a few hours if you’re making them ahead.

Pioneer Woman Lemon Blueberry Trifles

Author: Hamdi Saidani Cooking Method:Lemon Blueberry Trifles Cuisine:American Courses:Dessert

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 40 minutesTotal time:1 hour 50 minutesServings:4 servings Best Season:Summer

Description

These individual lemon blueberry trifles layer soft lemon cake, whipped cream, fresh blueberries, and tart lemon curd in little jars. Sweet, bright, and made for a party.

Ingredients

For the Lemon Cake:

• 1 cup cake flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 stick butter, softened
  
• 1/3 cup granulated cane sugar
  
• 1 egg
  
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
  
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

For the Sweetened Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
  

For the Trifles:

• 1/2 lemon cake (from above)
  
• Sweetened whipped cream (from above)
  
• 1 cup lemon curd
  
• 2 cups fresh blueberries

Instructions

Make the Lemon Cake


1. Butter a 9-inch cake pan. Preheat the oven to 300°F.
   
2. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg and beat well, then beat in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
   
3. Add half the dry ingredients to the wet and mix. Add the buttermilk and beat. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
   
4. Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and bake until lightly browned and a toothpick in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely before assembling.

Make the Whipped Cream

5. In a medium bowl, whip the cream, vanilla, and maple syrup or sugar together until medium-stiff peaks form
6. Cube half the cooled cake. Place a few cubes in the bottom of a half-pint (8-ounce) jar. Add a dollop or two of whipped cream, then a layer of blueberries, then a spoonful of lemon curd.
7. Repeat the layers once more. Do the same with the remaining jars. Serve right away, or cover and chill for a few hours.

FAQs

Why bake the cake at only 300°F?

The low heat bakes the cake gently so it stays soft and pale instead of browning. A tender, light crumb layers better in the jars. Let it cool fully before cutting, or the warm cake crumbles and melts the cream.

Why cube the cake instead of crumbling it?

Cubes give you clean, defined layers you can see through the glass jar, which is the whole point of a trifle. Crumbling works and is faster, but the layers look messier. Squish the cubes down lightly to fit.

What does the lemon curd do?

It adds a sharp, tart edge that balances the sweet cake and whipped cream. It’s the ingredient that keeps the trifle from tasting flat. Spread a spoonful in each layer so the tartness runs all the way through.

Can I make them ahead?

Yes. Assemble the jars and keep them covered in the fridge for a few hours before serving. The cake softens as it sits, which is fine for a trifle. For a fuller lemon-blueberry dessert to bake ahead, try my Lemon Blueberry Bread.

Can I use other berries or a different cake?

Yes. Strawberries or raspberries stand in for the blueberries, and any favorite cake works in place of the lemon one. For the pairing as a sheet cake instead, see my Lemon-Blueberry Shet Cake.