This St. Patrick's day trifle has layers of green velvet cake and whipped cream cheese with a hint of Irish cream liquor. This easy dessert is perfect for St. Patrick's Day!
Jump straight to the recipe!
☘️An easy trifle
Trifles make such an easy dessert. They look amazing and feed a crowd! You can definitely say that trifles are a favourite of mine - see Lemon Lovers Trifle, Red Velvet Cheesecake Trifle, and my Black Forest Trifle.
I have seen a lot of St. Patrick's Day trifles with vanilla cake and green pudding layers. I wanted to change that up a bit, so I decided to make green velvet cake alternating with whipped Irish cream cream cheese layers. This St. Patrick's day trifle is sure to be a winner at your table!
Looking for another easy St. Patrick's Day dessert? Try my mint chocolate crepe cake!
🥘Ingredients
Ingredients for green velvet cake
Ingredients for whipped Irish cream cream cheese frosting
Ingredient notes
- Buttermilk - For an easy buttermilk replacement - add 1 teaspoon of either vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup. Add enough milk to reach the 1 cup measurement.
- Green gel food colouring - Gel food colouring gives a more vibrant colour than liquid food colouring.
- Irish cream liquor - This can easily be left out if you don't want alcohol in your trifle.
🔪Instructions
Start by making the cake first. This recipe makes 2 eight inch cakes. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together and set aside.
Beat butter and sugar together in a separate bowl. Add the eggs in one at a time and mix well after each one. Then add in oil, vinegar, vanilla extract, buttermilk and green gel food colouring.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Divide into 2 prepared cake pans. After the cake has baked and cooled, cut it into cubes.
To make the whipped cream cheese, whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add heavy whipping cream and whip until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and Irish cream liquor. Whip until it is all well combined.
Put a layer of cake cubes at the bottom of a trifle dish. Spoon ⅓ of the whipped cream cheese on top. Repeat the steps 2 more times and then decorate the top with remaining whipped cream cheese frosting and sprinkles, if desired.
To see more step by step photos, view the web story for this St. Patrick's day trifle.
✔️Expert tips
- If you want to use liquid food colouring instead, increase the amount of food colouring to 2 teaspoons.
- For an easy buttermilk replacement - add 1 teaspoon of either vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup. Add enough milk to reach the 1 cup measurement.
- Use any kind of Irish cream liquor that you want. If you don't want to add in the liquor for whatever reason, you can leave it out. The trifle will still taste yummy!
💭FAQs
The cake can be made a day ahead. Wrap it with plastic wrap and leave it at room temperature.
I would not freeze the whole trifle. The cake portion can be frozen though. Wrap it with a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Leave it on the counter overnight to thaw.
If you can't find a trifle bowl, use any bowl that is deep with tall sides. Preferably it should be clear so you can see the layers of the trifle. Single mason jars could also work with this recipe.
📖Related recipes
📋 Recipe
Green Velvet Cheesecake Trifle
Ingredients
Green Velvet Cake
- 2 ⅔ cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon green gel food colouring
Whipped Cream Cheese
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 ¾ cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons Irish cream liquor
Instructions
Green Velvet Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line and grease two 8 inch cake pans; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, or in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar until smooth and well combined.
- Add eggs and beat well after each addition. Add oil, vinegar, vanilla, buttermilk and food colouring. Beat until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. You will see small lumps and that is okay.Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake rest for 10 minutes in the pan, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cook completely.
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- While the cake is cooling, make the whipped cream cheese. Whip the cream cheese until it is smooth. Add in heavy whipping cream and whip until soft peaks form.
- Add powdered sugar and Irish cream liquor and whip until fluffy and smooth.
- To assemble, cut the cakes into 1 inch cubes. Layer ⅓ cubes into the bottom of a trifle dish. Top the cake cubes with ⅓ of the whipped cream cheese. Repeat layers 2 more times and end with the whipped cream cheese. Decorate the top of the trifle with whipping cream and sprinkles. Store the trifle covered and in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- If you want to use liquid food colouring instead, increase the amount of food colouring to 2 teaspoons.
- For an easy buttermilk replacement - add 1 teaspoon of either vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup. Add enough milk to reach the 1 cup measurement.
- Use any kind of Irish cream liquor that you want. If you don't want to add in the liquor for whatever reason, you can leave it out. The trifle will still taste yummy!
Did you try this recipe? Comment below to let me know ☺️