Simple Irish Coffee Trifle
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This Irish Coffee Trifle is a festive and delicious way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day or anytime you’re in the mood for a quick and easy dessert with the flavors of Irish Coffee.
Our simple Irish Coffee recipe and decadent Espresso Chocolate Loaf Cake inspire this trifle recipe.
Why I Love This Irish Coffee Trifle on March Days
With an Irish grandmother and plenty of Irish cousins, we’re naturally drawn to St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Irish coffee on a chilly March day when the grass begins to green, the days grow longer, and spring is near is always a good idea. Its comforting warmth and infusion of delicious spices are perfect this month.
I’m whipping up our No Churn Irish Ice Cream when family members prefer iced lattes to warm coffee.
But March doesn’t pass us by without loaves of the family’s favorite Irish Soda Bread or my favorite, Brown Soda Bread.
Here’s what I love about this trifle:
- Quick and easy to make in minutes
- The Irish Coffee Pastry Cream with decadent bites of rich chocolate
- Beautiful enough for an Irish Afternoon Tea, or simple for any occasion.
It’s a perfect, make-ahead-friendly, or serve-immediately dessert recipe you’ll love.
Irish Coffee Trifle Ingredients
You’ll need a chocolate cake (homemade or store-bought) and pastry cream. I’m using my Espresso Chocolate Loaf Cake because it’s decadently delicious, easy to make, and gives me two layers of espresso (the cake and the cream).
However, you don’t have to make your own cake! A moist and tender store-bought chocolate cake will be delicious too!
For the Irish Coffee Pastry Cream
It’s a toss-up as to my favorite part of the trifle; the pastry cream definitely rivals the chocolate cake! Here’s what you need for that delicious creamy layer:
- Heavy whipping cream
- Cream cheese at room temperature
- Brown sugar and powdered sugar for a complex sweetener
- Ground cinnamon
- Instant espresso powder (or instant coffee powder)
- Vanilla extract and rum extract combine to mimic Irish Coffee flavors deliciously.
How to Make an Irish Coffee Trifle
Here is a quick overview of how I make this trifle:
- Make chocolate curls and store them in the refrigerator.
- Cube the chocolate cake and set aside.
- Make the Irish Coffee Pastry Cream.
- Assemble the dish and serve.
Making Irish Coffee Pastry Cream
Step 1: Whip heavy whipping cream into stiff peaks
Whip the cream until stiff peaks form in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Set aside.
Step 2: Combine cream cheese and spices
In another bowl, add the room-temperature cream cheese, brown sugar, confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, and espresso powder; beat until smooth and creamy. Then, beat in the vanilla and rum extracts.
Step 3: Fold in the cream
Using a spatula, add 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Once incorporated, fold in the remaining whipped cream until combined.
How to Assemble and Layer This Trifle
Here’s how to assemble this easy dessert recipe!
Begin and end with a layer of 1/3 of the coffee pastry cream. There will be three layers of cream: the bottom, middle, and topping. In between those layers, add the cubed chocolate cake.
Here are the layers:
- Layer 1: Coffee pastry cream (the bottom of the dish)
- Layer 2: Cubed chocolate cake
- Layer 3: Coffee pastry cream
- Layer 4: Cubed chocolate cake
- Layer 5: Remaining pastry cream for the topping
How to Make Chocolate Curls
- Melt 3 ounces of good quality chocolate (or chocolate chips) with 1 teaspoon of cooking oil (or vegetable shortening). If using the microwave, use short increments of 30-45 seconds or until the chocolate begins to melt. Stir until smooth.
- Pour melted chocolate onto the underside of a baking sheet (upside down) and spread as thinly as possible.
- Freeze the baking pan for 2-3 minutes. It’s ready when it’s no longer shiny but shows a slight indentation when pressed with your finger.
- Using a thin but firm spatula or bench scraper, gently and slowly push through the chocolate layer until a curl forms in the size you desire.
- Transfer quickly curls to a plate with fingers or tweezers.
- Store in the refrigerator or freezer to harden until ready to serve.
How to Serve
If you want to make the trifle ahead, loosely cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Decorate the top of the trifle just before serving.
If serving immediately, top with chocolate curls, if using, and sprigs of fresh mint and serve!
How Long Will the Trifle Keep?
While this trifle is best when served within a few hours of assembly, it will keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Decorate with chocolate curls and mint sprigs just before serving.
If you Like This Irish Coffee Trifle, Try These Next!
- Easy Strawberry Trifle Recipe: A simple dessert, perfect for summer and strawberry season.
- Simple Berry Trifle is one of the most popular summer desserts. It’s a festive centerpiece for the season and quick to make with homemade or store-bought pound cake.
- Christmas Trifle Recipe is festive and cherry for the holiday season. Made with raspberries and ladyfingers, it’s quickly becoming a tradition for our readers.
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Irish Coffee Trifle Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 chocolate cake store-bought or homemade, cubed
Pastry Cream
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
Garnish
- fresh mint sprigs
- chocolate curls
Instructions
- Make chocolate curls, if using, and store in the refrigerator or freezer. This can be made ahead of time.
- Cube the chocolate pound cake and set aside.
Make the Irish Pastry Cream
- In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Into another bowl, add the room temperature cream cheese, brown sugar, confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, and espresso powder; beat until smooth and creamy. Then, beat in the vanilla and rum extracts and 1/3 of the whipped cream. With a spatula, fold in the remaining whipped cream until combined.
Assemble the Trifle
- Begin and end with an Irish pastry cream layer as follows: Add 1/3 of the pastry cream to the bottom of the trifle dish. Top with 1/2 of the cubbed chocolate cake. Then add a second layer of pastry cream, followed by the remaining cubed cake. Add a final layer of pastry cream to the top.
- If serving immediately, top chocolate curls, if using, and sprigs of fresh mint. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours if serving later. Just before serving, decorate the top of the trifle.
Notes
- Chocolate Cake: I like to make a quick and easy espresso chocolate cake in a loaf pan the day before. In fact, I make two and freeze one for later use. You can also buy a chocolate cake or bundt cake and cube it.
- Chocolate curls: Melt 3 ounces of quality chocolate with 1 teaspoon of neutral cooking oil. Once melted, stir until smooth and then spread thinly onto the underside of a sheet pan. Place in the freezer for 2-3 minutes or until the chocolate is set yet not frozen. If you leave it in too long, let it sit out for a minute at room temperature. To make the curls, brace the back of the baking sheet with one hand and hold a metal spatula or bench scraper in the other. At a 45 degree angle, gently push the spatula through the chocolate. It will make chocolate curls! Immediately place the chocolate in the refrigerator (or even freezer) to harden completely.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.