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    Urban Bliss Life » All Recipes » Holiday Recipes » Easter » Easter Trifle

    Published: March 8, 2024 / Updated: February 5, 2025 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Easter Trifle

    49 shares
    Jump to Recipe
    easter trifle with layers of colored cake, shredded coconut, vanilla pudding, and easter candies in a parfait glass with title text overlay.

    This delicious Easter Trifle has layers of cake, pudding, coconut, whipped cream, and your favorite Easter candies. It's the ultimate Easter dessert!

    Easter trifle with layers of pastel colored cake, shredded coconut, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream, topped with colorful Easter candies.

    With Easter coming up, there are so many options easy Easter desserts.

    We love making a holiday dessert table filled with pastel-colored Spring treats. It's the best way to celebrate this time of year! Each year, we'll make a combination of Mini Egg Cookies, Easter Egg Cheesecake, Bunny Pretzels, and Easter Brownies.

    For another beautiful Easter dessert that's layers of delicious Spring sweetness, try this recipe for Easter trifles. It's the perfect dessert that the whole family will love. Plus, it's so much fun to make!

    Jump to:
    • 🌟 Why this recipe works
    • 🛒 Ingredient notes
    • ✅ Step-by-step instructions
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs
    • 🍽 Serving ideas
    • 🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment
    • More Easter dessert recipes
    • Easter Trifles

    🌟 Why this recipe works

    Set of Easter trifles with layers of pastel colored cake, shredded coconut, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream, topped with colorful Easter candies.

    A trifle is a layered dessert usually filled with layers of cake, pudding, whipped cream, and other yummy edible goodies. You get a combination of luscious flavors in every bite!

    If you have a large trifle dish, you can make one large trifle. This recipe shows you how to make six individual trifles. But you can also use the same recipe to make one big trifle.

    This Easter trifle is:

    • Easy to make - It's basically making the separate components, then layering them together.
    • So delicious - With layers of cake, custard/pudding, coconut, and whipped cream, it's a decadent and beautiful show stopper of a dessert.
    • Fun to decorate - Use your favorite colorful Easter candies!

    🛒 Ingredient notes

    bowls of ingredients to make Easter Trifle.

    You just need a simple ingredients that you can find easily in any grocery store.

    • Boxed cake mix - Boxed white cake mix works best for this. You can also use vanilla cake mix if you prefer.
    • Vanilla pudding - You'll need one box of vanilla instant pudding or white chocolate pudding. You could even use banana pudding if you prefer. Or, use our easy Homemade Vanilla Pudding recipe. Our pudding recipe makes enough for 6 individual servings.
    • Food coloring - You can color the cakes however you like! To go with the Easter theme, we used spring colors with pink and blue food coloring, although our blue came turned out green during this particular photo shoot. Still worked with the Spring theme, and was still delicious!
    • Shredded coconut - A layer of shredded coconut lightly colored with green food coloring helps make it look like edible Easter grass, which is so fun and festive! Plus, it will sort of look like a nest for the bird decorations. The coconut is also an optional layer, so if you don't like coconut, feel free to leave it out.
    • Heavy cream - Whip up heavy whipping cream to make whipped cream, which will go on top of the trifle. You can also buy a canister of whipped cream and use that. Or, substitute frozen whipped topping like cool whip.
    • Easter candies - Top each trifle with your favorite Easter candies! We love adding spring-colored sprinkles, Peeps, and mini chocolate candy eggs.

    ✅ Step-by-step instructions

    The full recipe with detailed instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post. But here are step-by-step photos of the process to help you make this easy Easter trifle!

    This is a simple layered dessert with easy steps that consists of making the different components, and then layering them together in a trifle bowl.

    pink cake batter and green cake batter in round baking pans.
    adding green food coloring to white shredded coconut in a bowl.
    green colored shredded coconut in a bowl.
    1. Start by mixing the boxed cake mix according to package directions. Separate into two bowls. Use a few drops of pink food coloring in one cake batter and drops of blue food coloring (or your choice of food coloring) in the other batter. Stir each separately until well combined. Pour into two 8-inch cake pans. Bake according to package directions.
    2. Add green food coloring to the shredded coconut and mix until the color is evenly distributed. Set aside.
    round cookie cutter placed over a pink cake on wire rack.
    layer of pink cake in a trifle bowl.
    shredded coconut on a layer of pink cake in a trifle bowl.

    3. Once the baked cake has cooled a bit on a cooling rack, use a serrated knife to slice each cake round in half lengthwise, so you end up with four thin cake rounds. Using a cookie cutter that fits inside your particular trifle dishes, cut out circles of cake.
    4. Place one layer color of cake round in the bottom of each trifle glass.
    5. Top that bottom cake layer with a layer of shredded coconut (the edible grass).

    vanilla pudding over shredded coconut over a layer of pink cake in a trifle bowl.
    layer of green cake over vanilla pudding over shredded coconut over a layer of pink cake in a trifle bowl.
    layer of whipped topping over layer of green cake over vanilla pudding over shredded coconut over a layer of pink cake in a trifle bowl.

    6. Top the shredded coconut layer with a custard layer of pudding.
    7. Then add one cake layer in the other cake color on top of the vanilla pudding layer.
    8. Whip the heavy whipping cream in a stand mixer until it forms stiff peaks. Add fresh whipped cream to the top of the trifle.

    Set of Easter trifles with layers of pastel colored cake, shredded coconut, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream, topped with colorful Easter candies.

    Garnish with your favorite Easter candy decorations and enjoy! We love using mini chocolate eggs, colorful Peeps marshmallows, Easter M & Ms, jelly beans, and pastel sprinkles.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

    Easter trifle with layers of pastel colored cake, shredded coconut, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream, topped with colorful Easter candies.
    What's the difference between a trifle and a parfait?

    While both are delicious layered desserts, the ingredients help differentiate between the two. Trifles are usually made with cake, custard, and cream. Parfaits usually are made with ice cream and/or yogurt, fresh fruit, granola, and other ingredients.

    Can I make this Easter trifle dessert ahead of time?

    You can make all of the layers up to one day ahead of time, except leave off the Easter candy decorations and whipped cream. Cover the trifle with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Then add the candy and whipped cream when you are ready to serve.

    What's the best way to store assembled trifles?

    Assembled Easter trifles are best eaten the day they are made. However, you can cover each Easter trifle carefully with plastic wrap, then store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours.

    Will a trifle get soggy overnight?

    While the pudding will make the cake layers moist, it shouldn't get soggy overnight. But the whipped cream can start to lose its structure and become watery if left on too long. That's why it's best not to add the whipped cream until just before serving.

    🍽 Serving ideas

    Easter trifle with layers of pastel colored cake, shredded coconut, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream, topped with colorful Easter candies.

    This Easter trifle recipe would be perfect to serve at any Easter gathering. If you're hosting an Easter dinner, consider serving our Air Fryer Ham, Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus, and Crab Deviled Eggs.

    🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment

    Set of Easter trifles with layers of pastel colored cake, shredded coconut, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream, topped with colorful Easter candies.

    Ready to make this recipe? Here are the kitchen tools and equipment you'll need:

    • Cake pans - Use two 8-inch cake pans for this recipe.
    • Stand mixer - You can use a stand mixer or a large bowl with hand mixer to make the cake and also to make the whipped cream.
    • Mixing bowls - You'll need 2-3 large mixing bowls along with a sturdy whisk and wooden spoon.
    • Trifle bowls - You can use individual trifle bowls, larger parfait glasses, ramekins, or simple small glasses. You can also make one big trifle if you have a large glass bowl or large trifle bowl.

    More Easter dessert recipes

    • stack of Easter mini egg cookies on a pink scalloped plate.
      Easy Mini Egg Cookies
    • easter egg cheesecake with whipped cream and mini chocolate eggs.
      Easter Egg Cheesecake
    • Easter brownies stacked on a plate.
      Easter Brownies
    • cute Easter bunny pretzels on blue tray
      Cute, Easy Easter Bunny Pretzels

    Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!

    easter trifle with layers of colored cake, shredded coconut, vanilla pudding, and easter candies in a parfait glass

    Easter Trifles

    5 from 1 vote
    Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 30 minutes mins
    Total Time: 45 minutes mins
    Recipe by Marlynn Schotland
    Easter Trifles are sweet layers of pastel colored deliciousness in one treat!
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 591kcal
    PRINT PIN RATE 🤍 SAVESaved!

    Equipment

    • 2 8-inch Cake Pans

    Ingredients

    • 1 (15.25 ounce) boxed vanilla cake mix
    • pink, purple, yellow, and/or pastel blue food coloring
    • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
    • 1 package (3 ounces) vanilla pudding or homemade vanilla pudding
    • 1 cup shredded coconut
    • green food coloring
    • Easter candies for decoration
    Get Recipe Ingredients

    Instructions

    Make the cakes

    • Make the boxed cake mix according to package instructions. Divide into two large bowls and add food coloring to color each batter. Use just one color in each bowl; for example: color one pink and one purple. Stir and continue adding food coloring until you get your desired color and stir until there is no more white cake batter showing. Bake according to package instructions. Allow the cakes to cool before slicing each cake in half lengthwise, and using a cookie cutter to cut out mini cake rounds
      While the cakes are baking, make the pudding, whipped cream, and "grass" from shredded coconut.

    Make the pudding & whipped crean

    • Make the pudding according to package directions.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cold heavy whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks.

    Color the coconut

    • Add a few drops of green food coloring to the shredded coconut and combine until it resembles spring grass.

    Assemble the trifles

    • Set out 6 parfait or mini trifle bowls. Place one of the cut out cake rounds at the bottom of each. Add a layer of the shredded coconut to each. Then add a layer of vanilla pudding. Top with a cake layer from the second color of cake. Top with whipped cream. Then add Easter candy decorations on top.

    Notes

    Makes 6 individual trifles
    You can use store-bought pudding or our homemade vanilla pudding recipe
    Storage: Cover undecorated with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment! Then snap a pic of your dish and share it on social media. Tag @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 591kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 749mg | Potassium: 145mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 57g | Vitamin A: 583IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 218mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.

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      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! If you're looking for easy, fast, delicious family-friendly recipes, wine pairings, and travel tips, you've come to the right place! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

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