Luxurious Chocolate Trifle with Raspberries and Champagne Cream

With the year wrapping up, and a much needed calendar page flip on the horizon, 2020 is finally coming to a close. It’s a time to look forward and celebrate the coming New Year. Like most people, instead of going out, I’ll be looking forward to spending the night in front of a cozy fireplace with my husband (and pack of kids). We’ll be celebrating with some of our favorite foods, including an overflowing charcuterie board, champagne cocktails for the adults, and homemade pizza & mocktails for the boys. Still, I think it’s our special New Year’s Eve dessert idea that I’m most excited about! Introducing the quickest, easiest, and most elegant dessert recipe: this Luxurious Chocolate Trifle with Raspberries and Champagne Cream!

You say ‘Luxurious’… do you Really Mean Time-Consuming?

Nope! Not at all! I am not one for shortcuts typically, but this is a mini-dessert with a few tricks up it’s sleeve, and it’s perfect for New Year’s Eve…or Valantine’s Day… or any Saturday night! The sneaky bit; I’ve made this chocolate trifle with raspberries with slices of leftover chocolate cake! You could use homemade cake like my chocolate Bundt Cake, or run to your bakery and buy a ready-made version. I’ve even used store bought brownies as a shortcut to make a yummy chocolate brownie trifle version! This chocolate dessert, drizzled with smooth raspberry coulis, is one of the best ways to use any leftover cake or brownie pieces! The focus on New Year’s should be about enjoying yourself with those you love, not slaving away in the kitchen!

Okay, I’m not Sure, What is a Trifle Dessert Recipe?

Simply put, a trifle is layers of cake, alternated with whipped cream, custard, fruit, and sometimes jam or jelly. The variations are endless! This is truly a low fuss, yet highly elegant recipe for chocolate trifle with raspberries. To put my own spin on it, I’ve layered a special, easy to make, homemade raspberry coulis on top of my leftover chocolate cake. The combination of cake and delicious coulis makes a beautifully moist and rich dessert! With every spoonful, you get a different texture and flavor combination.

Ingredients to Make a Decadent Chocolate & Raspberry Cream Dessert

• Chocolate cake or chocolate brownies
• Whipping cream
• Champagne or prosecco
• Sugar
• Lemon
• Vanilla
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Flowers for garnish

What Makes This an Easy New Year’s Dessert Recipe?

Well, this recipe for Chocolate Trifle with Raspberries happens to have a special twist – champagne is incorporated right into the fluffy homemade whipped cream! By adding just 2 tablespoons of bubbly, the whole thing becomes infused with that effervescent flavor! Not a fan of champagne? You can substitute little bit of your favorite Prosecco, or leave it out entirely – a few drops of fine vanilla extract, or even a pinch of lemon zest instead, and you have a fine replacement.

How Should I Serve These Quick Chocolate & Raspberry Layered Desserts?

You can showcase these chocolate & champagne whipped cream mini cakes in several ways. I like to use cocktail coupes or small juice glasses, to help highlight the layers and provide easy to eat portions. You could also go the traditional route and use a large glass trifle dish to portion out, or even create a rustic chocolate raspberry mason jar dessert and upcycle several old mason jars. The sky is really the limit!

How Far in Advance Can I Make This Chocolate Trifle Dessert Recipe?

Though the cake and the raspberry coulis can be made up to 4-5 days in advance, I wouldn’t advise actually assembling these mini trifles until a day before your dinner or party. Since we are using a fresh whipped cream, without a stabilizer like gelatin, it’s a bit more fussy – I like to put together the cakes about two hours before, then let them chill in the refrigerator for a short while, but if you’re in a hurry you can eat them straight away!

Happy New Year Wishes!

This is a year that I never quite imagined: As a global community we’ve been through a LOT. I like to think that each of us have come out stronger than we imagined, from a spring full of days and months of worry and compassion, all the way through this winter, where hope finally lies on the horizon. Most of all, I think we are ready and willing to work on the challenges ahead. I want to thank each of you for your continuing support and interest in my blog, social media, and TV appearances through this very difficult time. We relaunched Straight to the Hips, Baby, just before the pandemic took hold, and I wasn’t sure if there would still be an interest in all things cake & cocktails! I am humbled to be able to bring a little bit of decadence and joy to your screens – and hopefully, to your stomachs as well!

May 2021 be filled with health, joy, and prosperity for us all!

Cheers!

~ Jessie-Sierra

Chocolate Raspberry Trifle with Champagne Whipped Cream Recipe

makes 6 servings

2 cups of your favorite chocolate cake, cubed into 1-2 inch pieces

For the Raspberry Coulis

(2) 6 ounce packages of fresh raspberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon water

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

For the Champagne Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons champagne, optional

For the Garnish

(1) 6 ounce package fresh raspberries

(1) 6 ounce package fresh blackberries

edible flowers

edible glitter

To make the raspberry coulis

Rinse and dry your raspberries. Add to a small sauce pan with 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of water, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Stir to combine.

Set on medium-high heat and bring to a boil, while stirring occasionally.

Let boil for 10 minutes, while stirring and breaking up the fruit.

Once thoroughly boiled and slightly thickened, remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute.

Place a fine mesh sieve over a medium sized mixing bowl. Pour the raspberry mixture through the sieve, and push the cooked raspberries through the sieve with a rubber spatula. We want to save all the delicious juices, but none of the seeds!

Discard the seeds & the pulp, and transfer the coulis to a glass jar or plastic container with a lid. Chill.

To make the Whipped Cream

NOTE: chill your bowl and whisk attachments 10 minutes prior to making

Using an already chilled bowl & whisk attachment, add the heavy whipping cream to the bowl and begin to beat on medium-high speed, until foamy.

Next, add the 1/4 cup of sugar and beat on high until you see soft peaks (peaks that fall over when you pick up the beater).

At this point, add the 2 tablespoons of champagne, and beat on high speed until you get tall peaks.

To Assemble

Using 4 small juice glasses (variations like champagne coupes or small mason jars work great too!), add 3 cubes of chocolate cake to the bottom of the glass, and press down slightly.

Next, drizzle a tablespoon of the chilled raspberry coulis over the cake, followed by a heaping spoonful of champagne cream. 

Now, add a layer of raspberries and blackberries, and press down slightly again.

Repeat the layers of chocolate cake, raspberry coulis, and finish with champagne cream on top. 

Garnish with a few berries, edible flowers, or edible glitter.

Print Recipe

5 from 21 votes

Luxurious Chocolate Trifle with Raspberries and Champagne Cream

Simply put, a trifle is layers of cake, alternated with whipped cream, custard, fruit, and sometimes jam or jelly. The variations are endless, and this is truly a low fuss, yet highly elegant, raspberry and chocolate cake recipe! To put my own spin on it, I’ve layered a special, easy to make, homemade raspberry coulis on top of my leftover chocolate cake. The combination of cake and delicious coulis makes a beautifully moist and rich dessert! With every spoonful, you get a different texture and flavor combination.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Assembling10 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American, British, French

Servings: 6

Cost: $12

Ingredients

• 2 cups of your favorite chocolate cake cubed into 1-2 inch pieces

FOR THE RASPBERRY COULIS

• 2 6 ounce packages of fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• squeeze of fresh lemon juice

FOR THE CHAMPAGNE WHIPPED CREAM

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons champagne optional

GARNISH

• 1 6 ounce package fresh raspberries
• 1 6 ounce package fresh blackberries
• edible flowers
• edible glitter

Instructions

TO MAKE THE RASPBERRY COULIS

• Rinse and dry your raspberries. Add to a small sauce pan with 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of water, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Stir to combine.
• Set on medium-high heat and bring to a boil, while stirring occasionally.
• Let boil for 10 minutes, while stirring and breaking up the fruit.
• Once thoroughly boiled and slightly thickened, remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute.
• Place a fine mesh sieve over a medium sized mixing bowl. Pour the raspberry mixture through the sieve, and push the cooked raspberries through the sieve with a rubber spatula. We want to save all the delicious juices, but none of the seeds!
• Discard the seeds & the pulp, and transfer the coulis to a glass jar or plastic container with a lid. Chill.

TO MAKE THE WHIPPED CREAM

• NOTE: chill your bowl and whisk attachments 10 minutes prior to making
• Using an already chilled bowl & whisk attachment, add the heavy whipping cream to the bowl and begin to beat on medium-high speed, until foamy.
• Next, add the 1/4 cup of sugar and beat on high until you see soft peaks (peaks that fall over when you pick up the beater).
• At this point, add the 2 tablespoons of champagne, and beat on high speed until you get tall peaks.

TO ASSEMBLE

• Using 4 small juice glasses (variations like champagne coupes or small mason jars work great too!), add 3 cubes of chocolate cake to the bottom of the glass, and press down slightly.
• Next, drizzle a tablespoon of the chilled raspberry coulis over the cake, followed by a heaping spoonful of champagne cream.
• Now, add a layer of raspberries and blackberries, and press down slightly again.
• Repeat the layers of chocolate cake, raspberry coulis, and finish with champagne cream on top.
• Garnish with a few berries, edible flowers, or edible glitter.