Cherry Spice Cake Trifle

This recipe was adapted from a Southern Living article from November 2015. It is a large, gorgeous dessert that’s not too fussy. The steps can be broken into pieces and assembled the day of serving. Use a packaged spice cake mix to make things even easier, or buy a plain cake already prepared.

Cake can be made up to three days ahead, custard and filling two days ahead. It’s best to make the whipped cream topping the day of serving.

Makes 15 to 20 servings

Spice cake:

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3⁄4 cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs, room temperature

3 large egg yolks, room temperature

2 cups flour

1 1⁄4 teaspoons baking powder

1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda

3⁄4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Custard:

4 1⁄2 cups whole milk

2 cups granulated sugar

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup whipping cream

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Filling:

1 jar (13 ounces) cherry preserves

3⁄4 cup granulated sugar

1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (divided)

Topping:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

5 tablespoons powdered sugar

Fresh rosemary sprigs and reserved cranberries for garnish

For the spice cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8- or 9-inch cake pans, line bottoms with parchment, butter paper generously and dust with flour.

Beat butter and sugar together with a stand or portable electric mixer until fluffy and light. Mix in vanilla. Add eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating well until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Add one-third of the flour mixture to butter/sugar mixture and mix until just combined. Add half the buttermilk and lightly mix. Add another third of the flour, then the remaining buttermilk, mixing after each addition and scraping down side of bowl when needed. End with the last third of flour, mixing until just combined. Finish by folding in the last remaining streaks of flour with a spatula.

Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven 25 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool completely. When cool, cut into large cubes, about 2 by 2 inches. Store cubes at room temperature until ready to use — it’s OK if they dry out a bit.

For the custard: In a 4-quart saucepan, bring milk to a simmer over low heat. Keep an eye on it — milk can boil over in an instant. Add sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg to a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add cream and eggs and whisk until very smooth, dissolving all cornstarch lumps.

Ladle about 1⁄4 cup of the warm milk from the saucepan and slowly pour into egg mixture while briskly whisking. Repeat twice more. At this point, the mixture will be sufficiently tempered and can be slowly poured back into the saucepan, whisking the entire time. Increase heat to medium and whisk continuously until pudding comes to a boil. Boil 1 minute (keep whisking) and then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract.

Let pudding cool, then cover and chill in fridge. If you don't appreciate pudding “skin,” use plastic wrap and place it on the surface of pudding as it cools.

For filling: Bring cherry preserves, sugar, orange juice and 3 cups of the cranberries to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce to low and simmer, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes or until berries begin to pop. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 cup cranberries (optionally, save about 10 cranberries from this cup for topping). Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool completely, about 30 minutes. Cover and chill if not using immediately.

For topping: Beat cream, vanilla and cinnamon in a bowl until foamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Keep chilled if not using immediately.

Assembly: In a 4-quart bowl, add one-third of the cake cubes. Top with one-third of the custard and cranberry/cherry filling. Repeat twice more. Dollop whipped cream on top and, if desired, garnish top with rosemary sprigs and 10 reserved cranberries.