• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Sweets
  • About
  • How To's

Where Is My Spoon

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Sweets
  • About
  • How To's
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Spring Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Sweets
    • About
    • How To's
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ร—
    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Sweets > Desserts

    Apricot Trifle

    Published by: Adina July 22, 2020 ยท Last modified: June 1, 2024 6 Comments
    Jump to Recipe
    pinterest image with title apricot trifle.

    This simple apricot trifle or apricot dessert is made with leftover cake and served with whipped cream.

    bowl with apricot dessert decorated with whipped cream, fresh apricots in a bowl, and fresh mint leaves.

    This apricot trifle is one of the simplest desserts I have ever made. I use leftover cake, which I happen to have from time to time, a quick and aromatic apricot sauce, and some whipped cream.

    Try more apricot desserts: Apricot Cheesecake - No Bake, Easy Apricot Cake, Rice Pudding with Apricot Sauce, or Apricot Jam Crumble Cake.

    Jump to recipe
    • How to make apricot trifle?
    • Assemble the trifle
    • ย Recipe
    • Apricot Trifle

    How to make apricot trifle?

    Apricot sauce

    • If you have made the Apricot Sauce, this is a great way of using the leftovers. If not, you could cook the sauce just for this apricot dessert. It won't be a lot of extra work, and it is worth it.
    • Or, if you have another compote or fruit sauce in the house feel free to use that.
    • I can imagine this apricot trifle turning into a delicious cherry or peach trifle or even a more Christmassy dessert with a sweet cranberry sauce.
    • You can make the apricot sauce either with fresh or with canned apricots.
    • Canned apricots mean you don't even have to wait for the apricot season or go buy fresh apricots; you might just happen to have an apricot (or peach) can in your pantry.

    Canned apricots

    • If you make the sauce with canned apricots, don't cook the canned apricots; they are already soft.
    • Pour the juice from the can into a measuring jug. If you don't have enough liquid, add some water to get there.
    • Add just a little sugar, if you find it necessary. Use less sugar than you would use when making the sauce with fresh apricots, as the syrup from the can is already sweetened.
    • Let simmer for 3 minutes. Thicken the apricot sauce with the cornstarch. In order to do that, whisk together the cornstarch with 2-3 teaspoons of cold water in a small bowl. Whisk this mixture into the sauce and let bubble a few times until the sauce thickens slightly. Add the sliced apricots and stir. Let cool.
    How to Preserve Apricots in Jars - Low-Sugar

    Fresh apricots

    • Halve the apricots and cut each half into 2 or 3 slices.
    • Place the sugar, water, and apricots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes.
    • In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch with 2-3 teaspoons cold water. You should have a thick yet pourable cornstarch slurry. Whisk this mixture into the sauce and let bubble a few times until the sauce thickens slightly. Let cool.

    Crumbles

    • The crumbles are just leftover cake, in my case leftover cake scrapings from making this cake base for a fondant decorated cake. I bake a lot, including more elaborate wedding or birthday cakes and I always have leftover cake in my freezer. This apricot dessert is a great way of using them.
    • If you don't have any cake leftovers, you could bake that cake or another one you like or you could use a ready-made cake, your favorite brand.
    • The quantities are not an exact science. Use the leftover cake you have and adjust the fruit sauce quantities accordingly.
    • To prepare the trifle, crumble the cake with your hands.
    • Melt the butter in a large pan, add the crumbles to the pan, sprinkle with the sugar and toast, stirring often, for about 8-10 minutes, until they are fragrant and not so soft anymore. Let cool.

    Assemble the trifle

    • Butter a small serving dish or casserole dish.
    • Start layering the cake crumbles and the apricot sauce, finishing with a layer of crumbles.
    • The apricot layer should be more or less as thick as the crumble layer. In the end, I had 3 crumble layers and two apricot sauce layers, if you have more ingredients, just make more layers.
    • Chill the apricot trifle for a few hours before serving.
    • Garnish with fresh lemon balm or mint (if you have them, it is optional) and whipped cream.
    • Whipped cream is only used for garnishing the dessert, 240 ml/ 1 cup of heavy or whipping cream should be enough. The apricot trifle is pretty sweet, so I never add sugar to the cream when serving it. But, of course, you can do that if you wish.

    The inspiration for this recipe came from an old Romanian newspaper cut from 1938.

    apricot dessert with crumbles, apricot sauce and whipped cream on a plate.

    Here are other fruit sauces you could use instead of the apricot sauce:

    • Rhubarb Compote from the Creme Fraiche Crepes recipe
    • Strawberry Sauce from the German Cast-Iron Pancakes recipe
    • Blueberry Sauce
    • Cherry Sauce

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Donโ€™t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!

    ย Recipe

    apricot trifle decorated with whipped cream in a bowl.

    Apricot Trifle

    This simple apricot trifle or apricot dessert is made with leftover cake and served with whipped cream.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate
    Course: Desserts
    Cuisine: Romanian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 466kcal
    Author: Adina
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 

    Apricot sauce:

    • 5.5 oz apricots Note 1
    • ยผ cup granulated sugar Note 2
    • ยฝ cup cup water Note 3
    • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
    • 2-3 teaspoons cold water

    Apricot dessert

    • 3-5 cups crumbled leftover cake Note 4
    • apricot sauce
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 1 cup whipping/heavy cream
    • fresh mint or lemon balm to garnish optional

    Instructions

    Apricot sauce with canned apricots:

    • Canned apricots: If using them, don't cook them; they are already soft. Drain the can and reserve the juice. Slice the apricots and set them aside.
      5.5 oz apricots/ 155 g
    • Drain: Pour the juice from the can into a measuring jug. If you don't have the required ยฝ cup liquid (125 ml), add some water to get there. Add just a little sugar; if you find it necessary, I don't. Use less sugar than you would use when making the sauce with fresh apricots, as the syrup from the can is already sweet.
      ยผ cup granulated sugar/ 50 g
    • Cook: Pour the juice into a small pan, bring it to a boil, and let simmer for 3 minutes.
    • Thicken: Whisk the cornstarch with 2-3 teaspoons of cold water in a small bowl; you should obtain a thick yet pourable paste. Slowly whisk the cornstarch into the apricot juice and let bubble once or twice until slightly thickened. Add the sliced apricots and stir. Let cool.
      1 teaspoon cornstarch + 2-3 teaspoons cold water

    Apricot sauce with fresh apricots:

    • Halve the apricots and cut each half into 2 or 3 slices.
    • Cook: Place the sugar, water, and apricots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes.
      ยฝ cup cup water/ 125 ml
    • Thicken: Whisk the cornstarch with 2-3 teaspoons of cold water in a small bowl; you should obtain a thick yet pourable paste. Slowly whisk the cornstarch into the apricot juice and let bubble once or twice until slightly thickened. Let cool.

    Apricot dessert:

    • Crumble the cake with your hands.
      3-5 cups crumbled leftover cake
    • Toast crumbles: Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the cake crumbles to the pan, sprinkle with the sugar, and toast, often stirring, for 8-10 minutes, until they are fragrant and not so soft anymore. Let cool.
      2 tablespoons butter + 2 tablespoons sugar
    • Layer trifle: Butter a small serving dish or casserole dish. Start layering the cake crumbles and the apricot sauce, finishing with a layer of crumbles.
      The apricot layer should be more or less as thick as the crumble layer. In the end, I had 3 crumble layers and two apricot sauce layers. If you have more ingredients, use a larger dish or make more layers.
    • Chill apricot dessert for a few hours.
    • Whip the heavy cream (no sugar necessary) and garnish the dessert with whipped cream and fresh mint or lemon balm just before serving.
      1 cup whipping/heavy cream/ 250 ml +fresh mint or lemon balm to garnish

    Notes

    1. Apricots: You can use the same amount of canned apricots/peaches/cherries, and so on.
    2. Sugar: More to taste if the apricots are not ripe enough.
    3. Juice: You can use the juice from the apricot can (mixed with water if it is not enough); in this case, leave out the sugar.
    4. Cake: Use bought cake if you don't have any leftovers.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/4 of the dessert | Calories: 466kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 178mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

    More Easy & Fast Dessert Recipes

    • cottage cheese and pineapple layered in a serving glass.
      Cottage Cheese with Pineapple
    • nectarine compote served in a white bowl.
      Nectarine Compote
    • close up rhubarb and apple crumble with crispy topping.
      Rhubarb and Apple Crumble
    • rhubarb apple crisp in a baking dish with a spoon and juices.
      Tangy Rhubarb Apple Crisp

    Sharing is caring!

    69 shares
    • Share
    • Yummly
    • Reddit
    • X

    web banner representing all the websites logos that featured our food blog.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. womans-magazine says

      April 07, 2019 at 1:54 pm

      Apricots do not get enough love! I always forget how wonderful fresh apricots an be and in a crumble? Ah, wonderful!

      Reply
    2. Sissi says

      June 16, 2017 at 8:17 pm

      Excellent idea to use cakes' leftovers. I always make a crumble from the scratch, but I never count ingredients' amounts (this is why I love it: no weighing, no counting...). Your crumble looks and sounds delicious.
      I've never been in such a situation... seeing closely someone who has just died in an accident, but I'm sure I'd be shaken like you. We tend to forget sometimes that roads are so dangerous....

      Reply
    3. grace says

      June 15, 2017 at 9:37 pm

      i've never been in a situation like that but i'm sure it would leave me shaken!
      i love this dessert--crumbles are my favorite fruity treat!

      Reply
    4. Shashi at Savory Spin says

      June 15, 2017 at 2:38 pm

      Oh Adina - my heart hurts for y'all - like Chris said, tragic and fatal accidents are so tough to witness - sometimes the little you think you are doing is a lot to someone else...
      As for this delicious crumble - it's the perfect blend of flavors and textures - simply delightful!

      Reply
    5. Chris Scheuer says

      June 15, 2017 at 12:23 am

      So tough to see an accident like that. Sure makes you think, doesn't it. Life is so short...
      On a lighter note, your apricot crumble looks wonderful! What a great way to use leftovers!

      Reply
    6. Angie@Angie's Recipes says

      June 14, 2017 at 5:18 pm

      Great use of cake scrapings! It looks scrumptious.

      Reply
    5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! Where Is My Spoon is a blog where you will find delicious and family friendly recipes, all made from scratch. From simple healthy soups to sumptuous cakes for special occasions, all our recipes have been tried and loved by our family and our friends.

    More about me โ†’

    Potluck Recipes

    • bowl with potato salad with dill pickles sprinkled with chives.
      Potato Salad with Dill Pickles
    • napa cabage ramen salad in a gray bowl with sunflower seeds around it.
      Napa Cabbage Ramen Salad
    • feta and spinach triangles close up on a plate.
      Feta and Spinach Triangles
    • cherry loaf cake sliced on a vintage cloth with a knife and fresh fruit around it.
      Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake

    Popular Recipes

    • air fryer frozen chicken breast after cooking, one whole and one sliced piece.
      Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer
    • juicy, golden brown brats cooked on the stove in a skillet.
      How to Cook Brats on the Stove
    • lifting one piece of baked chicken breast with a spoon.
      How to Bake Frozen Chicken Breast
    • stapled sliced pork belly slices sprinkled with parsley, pool of fat in the back.
      How to Cook Pork Belly Strips

    Footer

    โ†‘ back to top

    Info

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Contact

    If you have any questions or want to work with me, please email me @ contact@whereismyspoon.co

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright ยฉ 2025 - Where Is My Spoon. All rights reserved.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.