I love gingerbread flavoured things. It’s a great misfortune that they’re so uniquely Christmas-themed that I never get to make gingerbread desserts outside of December. And believe it or not, gingergbread is not just limited to cookies and houses. When it comes to holiday desserts, I love gingerbread cakes- they’re soft, moist, and spiced so well.
These gingerbread strawberry trifles strike the perfect balance between festive flavors and cute (but easy) presentation. The layers are gingerbread cake, juicy macerated strawberries, and a light cream cheese frosting. Whether you’re entertaining guests or just indulging in the season, this recipe is an easy, make-ahead dessert that’s sure to be a showstopper. Coming from a family that hates most frosting, (despite how pretty it looks, we are purist plain-janes when it comes to eating cake) I also love that this dessert isn’t too sweet, and the frosting actually really complements the sweet cake and tart strawberries with a light, airy texture.
Step-by-step Instructions (with photos)
Making the Gingerbread Cake
The base of this trifle is a moist, spiced gingerbread cake. To start, whisk your dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Separately, combine milk with apple cider vinegar to create a quick buttermilk substitute. This reaction will help the cake rise and keep it soft. If you want to make this cake vegan, just replace the milk with your favourite non-dairy substitute and you’re good to go!
In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar and oil until the mixture lightens in color.
Add in your first addition of milk, then spices before you start alternate adding the dry ingredients and remaining milk mixture in batches. The order of additions should be 1/2 milk mixture > spices > 1/2 flour mixture > 1/2 milk mixture > 1/2 flour mixture, with a whisk to incorporate ingredients between every addition. This slow addition ensures the batter is smooth without overmixing, which can make the cake dense.
Once the batter is ready, pour it into an oiled and parchment-lined sheet tray and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 22–25 minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely before cutting it into cubes or rounds. Cake rounds will fit more perfectly into your trifle cup and add a nice elegant touch, and cake cubes (what I’ve gone for) give it a bit more rustic vibe, and I can use them to create trifles in any shaped container.
Preparing the Gingerbread Frosting
Start by whipping your cream until it forms firm peaks. I like using non dairy whipping cream because it – (a) is more easily available in Indian supermarkets & instamarts, (b) will whip up faster and more easily, (c) is more stable at room-temperature, (d) is already sweetened and (e) tastes pretty good despite being vegan. Dairy based whipping creams require 35-40% fat content to be remotely stable, and I have not seen an affordable brand in India which rises to the ocassion. With non-dairy creams, you just need to remove the amount you need and can whip from almost frozen. Both a hand mixer and a blender will do the job as well to get the cream to soft-firm peaks. Not sponsored, but some brands of non-dairy whipping creams that I’ve used and can safely endorse include Rich’s, Tropolite, and D’lecta. They all last for months in the freezer, have a good amount of sweetness, and whip up beautifully.
Once you have your medium firm peaks, add in your softened cream cheese and gingerbread spices, and whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Refrigerate the frosting until you’re ready to assemble.
Macerating the Strawberries
Fresh strawberries add a bright, tart contrast to the spiced and creamy layers, and make a good addition to Christmas desserts since they’re in season during December. Slice the strawberries lengthwise and toss them with sugar. Let them sit for 10–15 minutes to draw out their juices, and that’s all you need to do to macerate them. These juices will not only sweeten the strawberries but also soak into the gingerbread cake.
You can also replace this with frozen strawberries which are available year-long at supermarkets, other berry fruits like blueberries or raspberries, or you can just skip the maceration process and directly layer with store-bought strawberry jam.
Assembling the Trifles
For assembly, you can use a trifle cup or a fancy glass. Alternatively, you can also assemble this in a nice glass tupperware dish and put the lid on, and it’ll be easier for you to carry for a party. Whichever dish you chose, here is the order of assembly:
- Add a layer of gingerbread cake. You can use a neat round slice for a polished look or rustic cubes for a more casual effect.
- Spoon on a layer of macerated strawberries along with some of the juices to soak the cake slightly.
- Spread a generous dollop of gingerbread frosting and smooth it out for a clean finish.
- Garnish with gingerbread spice, half a strawberry, and a small cake cube. For an extra festive flourish, top with sugared rosemary sprigs.
Watch the Video
Gingerbread Strawberry Trifles Recipe
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cake
- 150 g (1 cup + 3 tbsp) all-purpose flour
- 125 g (½ cup + 2 tbsp) brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- ¼ tsp nutmeg powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 150 g (⅔ cup) milk
- 55 g (¼ cup) oil
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Gingerbread Frosting
- 115 g cream cheese room temperature
- 115 g whipping cream or soy-based alternative
- ½ tsp cinnamon powder
- ½ tsp ginger powder
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg powder
Strawberry Layer
- 150 g (10-12) strawberries, sliced
- 3 tbsp sugar adjust based on freshness of strawberries
Instructions
Gingerbread Cake
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and set aside.
- Mix milk with vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Whisk brown sugar with oil, and add your spices.
- Alternate wet and dry ingredients and whisk between each addition: Add in half your milk mixture, whisk, add half the dry ingredients, whisk, remaining milk mixture, whisk, remaining dry ingredients, and a final whisk. Do not overmix, just ensure the ingredients are incorporated slowly.
- Bake in a sheet tray at for 22–25 minutes.
- Let cool completely before cutting into 1 inch cubes.
Gingerbread Frosting
- Whip cream to firm peaks.
- Fold in softened cream cheese, then mix in spices.
- Chill until needed.
Macerated Strawberries
- Toss sliced strawberries with sugar and let sit for 10–15 minutes to release their juices.
Assembly:
- To your trifle cups, add a layer of cake cubes, pressing down slightly to ensure an even layer.
- Spoon in some slices strawberries along with some of their juice.
- Top off with gingerbread frosting and smooth roughly using a spoon.
- Garnish with a cake cube, half a strawberry, and a dusting of gingerbread spices.
Notes
- Store individual components in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Assembled trifles can be refrigerated for up to 2 days, covered, to allow the layers to meld together.
