Trifle is the British dessert that layers sponge cake, fruit, custard, and whipped cream in a glass dish.
A classic trifle consists of pieces of sponge soaked with sherry or fruit juice, followed by fruit or jam, custard, and whipped cream. The layers are usually displayed in a transparent bowl, making the dessert as visually distinctive as it is familiar.
Early versions were different from modern trifles. A 16th-century English recipe used cream flavored with sugar and rosewater, while later versions developed into layered desserts containing cake and custard. By the 19th century, trifle had become a recognizable British pudding.
Recipes vary widely: jelly is common in many modern family versions, although it is not essential to every traditional recipe. Trifle is distinct from a fruit fool, which is generally folded fruit purée and custard or cream without the same layered structure.