The Best Things in Life Are Layered: 6 Showstopping Trifle Recipes

There's nothing trifling about these dramatic desserts, which make a showstopping entrance and are as easy as layering cake with fruit, custard, whipped cream, and other surprises.

Related: These Pretty (and Delicious!) Holiday Cookie Recipes Are Perfect for Gifting

Triple-Chocolate Peppermint Trifle

Dip into spectacular layers of milk-chocolate pudding and snowy white-chocolate mousse balanced by chocolate-liqueur-soaked cake. Crumbled candy inside and on top adds crunch.

For the Cake
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons usalted butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the Syrup
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup chocolate flavored liquor, such as Godiva

For the Mousse
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
12 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped peppermint candies or candy canesFor the Pudding
8 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups heavy cream
3 large egg yolks, room temperatureFor Serving
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup coarsely chopped peppermint candies or candy canes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cake: Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray.

2. Bring milk and butter almost to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat, and set aside. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Put eggs into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until pale and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add hot milk mixture in a slow, steady stream. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined.

3. Pour batter into pan. Bake until center springs back when lightly touched, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack. Remove parchment; let cool completely. Halve cake horizontally.

4. Make the syrup: Bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Let cool completely. Stir in liqueur.

5. Make the mousse: Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Bring 1 cup cream just to a boil in a small saucepan. Place white chocolate in a food processor; with machine running, pour in hot cream in a slow, steady stream, and process until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl set in ice-water bath. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to hold ribbons on surface, about 15 minutes.

6. Beat remaining 1 1/2 cups cream to nearly stiff peaks. Fold into chocolate mixture, then fold in candies. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until thickened and almost firm, 4 to 6 hours.

7. Make the pudding: Put chocolate into a large bowl; set aside. Bring cream almost to a boil in a small saucepan. Whisk yolks in a bowl. Pour in hot cream in a slow, steady stream, whisking.

8. Pour mixture back into pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1 minute. Pour through a fine sieve over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Set bowl in ice-water bath. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to hold ribbons on surface, about 15 minutes. Place plastic wrap directly on surface; refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.

9. To assemble: Spread one-third of the mousse into bottom of a glass trifle bowl that is 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Top with a cake layer, and brush with half the syrup.

Top with half the pudding, then another third of mousse. Place remaining cake layer on top; brush with remaining syrup. Top with remaining pudding, then mousse. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 12 hours.

10. Beat cream and sugar until soft peaks form. Top trifle with the whipped cream, and sprinkle with candies.

Cranberry Trifle

With layers of sweetened cranberries, buttery pound cake, and fluffy whipped cream, this trifle is a truly easy and dazzling dessert. You can prepare all the components ahead of time and assemble shortly before serving.

2 bags (12 ounces each) cranberries, fresh or frozen
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream
2 homemade or store-bought all-butter pound cakes (12 ounces each), cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
Candied Orange Zest, for garnish (optional)

1. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, 2 cups granulated sugar, ginger, and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium; cook until cranberries begin to burst, 8 to 10 minutes. Let compote cool completely.

2. Make cream filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, brown sugar, remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and vanilla on high until well combined. With mixer on medium, gradually add heavy cream; continue beating until soft peaks form.

3. Arrange 1/3 of cake in a 3-quart serving dish. Spoon 1/3 of compote over cake; spread to sides of dish. Dollop 1/3 of cream filling over compote; spread to sides of dish. Repeat twice, ending with cream filling. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours (or up to 1 day). Garnish with Candied Orange Zest, if desired.

Related: 27 Easy Party Food Ideas You Can Make in a Pinch

Frozen Chocolate-Mousse Trifles

Chocolate angel food cake soaked in brandy and layered with chocolate meringue will have dinner guests swooning in their seats.

2 cups crumbled chocolate angel-food cake (5 ounces)
1 tablespoon brandy (optional)
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 cup cold heavy cream
1/2 ounce bittersweet chocolate

1. In a medium bowl, toss together cake and brandy, if desired. In another medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites on high until foamy. With mixer on medium, gradually add sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form, 2 minutes. With a rubber spatula, gently fold cocoa powder into egg white mixture.

2. In another medium bowl, beat cream on high until stiff peaks form, 3 minutes. Gently fold whipped cream into egg white mixture.

3. Fill each of four small glasses with 1/4 cup cake and top with heaping 1/4 cup mousse. Repeat to make a second layer with remaining cake and mousse. Freeze until firm, 3 hours (or up to overnight). Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature, then finely grate chocolate over tops to serve.

Gingerbread Trifle with Cognac Custard and Pears

Pears coated in ginger-cinnamon caramel are layered with sliced gingerbread and cognac custard in this spectacular trifle. This dessert is the perfect finale for a holiday dinner.

2 1/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, plus 4 tablespoons
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup unsulfured molasses
3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
1 lemon
10 ripe pears, such as Bosc or Anjou
Cognac Custard

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch-round-by-2-inch-tall cake pan; line with parchment.

2. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, 1 teaspoon ginger, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a large bowl, and set aside.

3. Beat 8 tablespoons butter in electric mixer on medium-high speed until lightened, 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Add 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup at a time; scrape down sides after each addition. Beat until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes more. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Slowly add molasses, beating on medium speed, about 10 seconds. Slowly pour in buttermilk; beat to combine.

4. On low speed, slowly add reserved flour mixture in 3 parts, beating to combine after each addition. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool on wire rack. Gingerbread may be made 2 days ahead or kept frozen for 1 month.

5. Juice lemon; place juice and both halves in large bowl of cold water. One at a time, peel pears, quarter, core, and cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch chunks; transfer to acidulated water.

6. Drain pears; transfer half to 12-inch skillet. Add 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Place over high heat; saute, stirring, until sugar and butter melt and form caramel, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium high, cover, and continue cooking 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Transfer pears and liquid to large bowl to cool; repeat with remaining pears, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Let cool completely.

7. Slice gingerbread into 3 rounds of equal thickness. Cut each round into 8 triangles. Line bottom of trifle bowl with 8 triangles of gingerbread; trim to fit if needed. Spoon 1 cup Cognac Custard over gingerbread, followed by 2 cups pears. Repeat process in two groups, layering with remaining gingerbread, custard, and pears.

Raspberry Trifle

Frozen raspberries macerated in sherry and lemon zest give a lively kick to the layers of this festive, coconut-crowned trifle.

1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 packages frozen raspberries (12 ounces each), thawed
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 store-bought pound cake (12 ounces), cut into 3/4-inch-thick slices
1/3 cup sliced almonds, coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spread coconut on a baking sheet; toast until browned, about 6 minutes. Set aside. In a bowl, combine sherry, berries, and lemon zest; set aside. In another bowl, with a whisk or an electric mixer, beat cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

2. Line the bottom of a 4-quart glass serving bowl with a layer of cake slices, packing them tightly. Spreading evenly, top with half the raspberry mixture, then half the cream.

3. Add a second layer of cake slices, raspberry mixture, and cream; sprinkle with coconut and almonds. Serve immediately, or for best texture, refrigerate, covered, overnight.

Lemon Trifle

Impress guests with layers of lemon curd, whipped cream, and ladyfingers soaked in sweet dessert wine.

10 Italian ladyfinger biscuits (from half a 7-ounce package)
1/2 cup dessert wine (such as Sauternes or sweet sherry)
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 cup Lemon Curd

1. Place ladyfinger biscuits on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with dessert wine; let stand 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk heavy cream with confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form.

2. Place 5 soaked ladyfingers in a 2-quart serving bowl. Top with 1/3 cup lemon or raspberry curd, then half the whipped cream. Top with remaining ladyfingers, 1/3 cup curd, and remaining whipped cream; top with remaining 1/3 cup curd. Refrigerate 3 hours (or up to overnight) before serving.

More from Martha Stewart:
Quick, One-Pot Meal Ideas To Feed the Whole Family
20 Classic Comfort Food Recipes from Martha Stewart
36 Dinners You Can Make in Just 15 Minutes!
42 Slow-Cooker Recipes Worth the Wait

These lining and layering tips can be used in any season.