Festive Gingerbread Trifle with Lemon Curd

I never thought to put gingerbread and lemon together until I tried a bite of this trifle at a friend’s holiday party last year. It sounds a little odd, right? Spicy cookies with tangy lemon curd? But trust me, it works.

The sweetness of the gingerbread gets balanced out by the bright, citrusy lemon curd in a way that’s really good. And when you layer everything with whipped cream, it turns into one of those desserts people actually remember. No fancy skills needed either—if you can crumble cookies and spread cream, you’re basically there.

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What Kind of Gingerbread Should I Use?

For this trifle, you’ll be making your own gingerbread from scratch, which gives you the best flavor and texture for layering. The homemade version holds up better when soaking up the cream and lemon curd compared to store-bought options. If you’re short on time, you could use a boxed gingerbread mix or even pre-made gingerbread cookies, but I’d recommend baking them a bit longer so they’re slightly firmer and won’t turn to mush in the trifle. The key is making sure your gingerbread is completely cooled before you start assembling, otherwise the heat will melt your cream layers and you’ll end up with a soupy mess instead of those nice distinct layers.

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Options for Substitutions

This trifle has a few areas where you can make swaps if you need to:

• Buttermilk: Don’t have buttermilk? Make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes before using.
• Molasses: You can use dark molasses for a stronger flavor or swap it with honey or maple syrup, though you’ll lose some of that classic gingerbread taste.
• Mascarpone cheese: If mascarpone isn’t available, cream cheese works well as a substitute. Just make sure it’s at room temperature and beat it until smooth before mixing with the other ingredients.
• Lemon extract: You can skip the lemon extract and add a bit more lemon zest instead, or use vanilla extract if you prefer a milder flavor in the cream layer.
• Fresh lemon juice and zest: While fresh lemons are best for the curd, bottled lemon juice can work in a pinch. However, I’d recommend sticking with fresh for the zest since it really makes a difference in flavor.
• Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar both work fine here. If you only have white sugar, you can use it but add 1 tablespoon of molasses to get that deeper flavor.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making lemon curd is cooking it over high heat, which can cause the eggs to scramble – always use medium-low heat and stir constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

When assembling your trifle, letting the gingerbread cool completely is essential, as warm cake will melt your mascarpone cream and turn everything into a runny disaster.

For the smoothest lemon curd, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve after cooking to catch any bits of cooked egg, and make sure to press plastic wrap directly onto the surface while it cools to prevent a skin from forming.

Finally, resist the urge to assemble your trifle more than a few hours ahead of serving time – the gingerbread can become too soft and lose its texture if it sits in the cream and curd for too long.

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What to Serve With Gingerbread Trifle?

This gingerbread trifle is pretty rich and filling on its own, so I like to keep things simple alongside it. A hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea is perfect for cutting through the sweetness and complementing those warm ginger and cinnamon flavors. If you’re serving this for a holiday gathering, it pairs nicely with some roasted nuts or a cheese board as appetizers earlier in the meal. Since the trifle is already a showstopper dessert, you don’t need much else – maybe just some extra whipped cream on the side for anyone who wants to go all out.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your trifle covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The gingerbread will continue to soak up the cream and lemon curd, which actually makes it taste even better the next day!

Make Ahead: This is a great dessert to prep in advance. You can bake the gingerbread up to 2 days ahead and store it wrapped at room temperature. The lemon curd can be made up to a week early and kept in the fridge. Just assemble the trifle a few hours before serving for the best texture.

Serve: Always serve this trifle cold, straight from the fridge. If you’ve made it ahead, give it a gentle stir before serving if the layers have settled. The flavors really come together after it’s had time to chill for at least 2 hours.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 5600-6000
• Protein: 70-85 g
• Fat: 230-260 g
• Carbohydrates: 790-870 g

Ingredients

For the gingerbread:

• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)

For the lemon curd:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest (freshly grated)
• 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 large eggs

For the mascarpone cream:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (cold)
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 8 oz mascarpone cheese (room temperature)
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract

Step 1: Prepare Cake Batter

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature

Preheat your oven to 325°F and grease a 9”x13” baking pan with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.

Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each.

Mix in the molasses until smooth.

With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture in three parts and the buttermilk in two additions (starting and ending with the flour mixture).

Mix just until combined, then scrape down the bowl and mix for another 20–30 seconds.

I find that careful mixing here keeps the cake especially tender.

Step 2: Bake the Cake

• cake batter from Step 1

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs.

Let the cake cool completely in the pan before cutting into cubes for assembling the trifle.

Step 3: Make Lemon Curd

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest (freshly grated)
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
• 3 large eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, grated lemon zest, and lemon juice.

In a separate small bowl, whisk the whole eggs and yolks, then incorporate them into the lemon mixture.

Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency, about 6–8 minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in the cold, diced unsalted butter a few pieces at a time until fully blended.

Strain the lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface, and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours.

For brighter lemon flavor, I sometimes add a pinch more zest before chilling.

Step 4: Prepare Mascarpone Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (cold)
• 8 oz mascarpone cheese (room temperature)
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract

Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the cold heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form, then transfer to a separate bowl.

In the same mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, blend mascarpone cheese, sifted powdered sugar, and lemon extract on medium speed until smooth.

Gradually fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until well combined and creamy.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

I like to keep everything extra cold while making this so the whipped cream holds its shape beautifully.

Step 5: Assemble the Trifles

• cake cubes from Step 2
• lemon curd from Step 3
• mascarpone whipped cream from Step 4

In small mason jars or glasses, start by layering cubes of cooled cake (from Step 2), then spoon over some chilled lemon curd (from Step 3), followed by a layer of mascarpone whipped cream (from Step 4).

Repeat the layers until you reach the top, finishing with a generous layer of mascarpone cream.

Top with a gingerbread cookie or a sprinkle of extra lemon zest if desired.

For extra flair, I sometimes add a tiny dollop of lemon curd on top before serving.

Festive Gingerbread Trifle with Lemon Curd

Delicious Festive Gingerbread Trifle with Lemon Curd recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 5800 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the gingerbread:

• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)

For the lemon curd:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed preferred)
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest (freshly grated)
• 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3 large eggs

For the mascarpone cream:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (cold)
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 8 oz mascarpone cheese (room temperature)
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 325°F and grease a 9”x13” baking pan with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each. Mix in the molasses until smooth. With the mixer on low, alternately add the flour mixture in three parts and the buttermilk in two additions (starting and ending with the flour mixture). Mix just until combined, then scrape down the bowl and mix for another 20–30 seconds. I find that careful mixing here keeps the cake especially tender.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before cutting into cubes for assembling the trifle.
• In a medium saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, grated lemon zest, and lemon juice. In a separate small bowl, whisk the whole eggs and yolks, then incorporate them into the lemon mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency, about 6–8 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the cold, diced unsalted butter a few pieces at a time until fully blended. Strain the lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface, and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours. For brighter lemon flavor, I sometimes add a pinch more zest before chilling.
• Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the cold heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form, then transfer to a separate bowl. In the same mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, blend mascarpone cheese, sifted powdered sugar, and lemon extract on medium speed until smooth. Gradually fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until well combined and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to use. I like to keep everything extra cold while making this so the whipped cream holds its shape beautifully.
• In small mason jars or glasses, start by layering cubes of cooled cake (from Step 2), then spoon over some chilled lemon curd (from Step 3), followed by a layer of mascarpone whipped cream (from Step 4). Repeat the layers until you reach the top, finishing with a generous layer of mascarpone cream. Top with a gingerbread cookie or a sprinkle of extra lemon zest if desired. For extra flair, I sometimes add a tiny dollop of lemon curd on top before serving.