This decadent vegan lemon blueberry trifle is a fantastic dessert option for any Spring or Summertime celebration! Consisting of layers of vegan lemon cake, blueberry compote, vegan vanilla pastry cream, vegan lemon curd and vegan whipped cream, this is a showstopping pudding that feeds a crowd!
Looking for the ultimate sunshine-in-a-bowl dessert? This vegan lemon blueberry trifle layers zesty, dairy-free lemon curd, fluffy lemon sponge cake, creamy vanilla pastry cream and juicy blueberry compote for a treat that's as beautiful as it is delicious.
It is wonderfully rich, creamy, tangy and bright, while also being incredibly light to eat and not overly sweet. The different layers all work together to make a perfectly balanced combination of flavours and textures that is sure to be a real crowd-pleaser!
It will serve 10 to 12 people, so is a great option for a celebration dessert, especially as it can be prepped in advance.
Ingredient Details:
Lemon cake: I provide the recipe I use in the recipe card, but you can also just use your favourite lemon cake.
Pastry cream: You will need one batch of my vegan pastry cream, chilled. Alternatively you can use 700g of cold, ready made vegan custard.
Lemon curd: You will need one batch of my vegan lemon curd (or your favourite lemon curd recipe).
Blueberries: You will need quite a lot of blueberries - 750g for the compote, plus extra to decorate if you like. Either fresh or frozen are fine.
Lemons: In order to make the lemon cake, lemon curd and blueberry compote you will need around 8 medium-large lemons. You will need both the juice and zest so make sure that you buy unwaxed ones.
Vegan whipping cream: I use Elmlea plant double cream and I recommend using that if possible, Oatly whippable is also good.
If you aren't in the UK then you need to use a cream that can be whipped to stiff peaks, not a pouring cream.
Cornflour (cornstarch): This is necessary to thicken the blueberry compote. I don't recommend swapping it for another type of starch as that could change the texture.
Limoncello: This is entirely optional, but if you like you can sprinkle some Limoncello over the cake layers for a more grown-up twist.
How To Make Lemon Blueberry Trifle:
(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)
- Step 1: To make the cake, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, oil, milk, lemon zest and juice then whisk in the cornflour, baking powder and soda and plain flour.
- Step 2: Pour the batter into a lined 23cm square tin and bake for 25 minutes.
- Step 3: Once the cake is completely cold, cut it into cubes.
- Step 4: Heat the blueberries, lemon juice and sugar until just starting to break down then add cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened. Refrigerate until cold.
- Step 5: Arrange a layer of cake cubes in the bottom of your trifle dish. Optionally drizzle over some limoncello.
- Step 6: Spread the pastry cream in an even layer on top.
- Step 7: Spoon over half of the blueberry compote.
- Step 8: Arrange another layer of cake cubes on top of the compote. Optionally drizzle with more limoncello.
- Step 9: Set aside 80g of the lemon curd for the whipped cream, then spread the rest on top of the cake.
- Step 10: Spoon over the rest of the blueberry compote.
- Step 11: Whisk the cream with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks then whisk in the reserved lemon curd.
- Step 12: Spoon the cream on top of the trifle shortly before serving and decorate with fresh blueberries if you like.
Top Tips:
USE SCALES. As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scales rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!
For the teaspoon and Tablespoon measurements, please use proper measuring spoons, not just regular spoons. A teaspoon is 5ml and a Tablespoon is 15ml.
In order to make the lemon cake, lemon curd and blueberry compote you will need around 8 medium-large lemons.
Don't add the whipped cream until shortly before serving as it may start to break down after a couple of hours. The rest of the trifle can be assembled a day in advance and stored covered in the fridge.
You can swap the blueberries for other fruits such as pitted cherries or strawberries.
FAQ's:
Apart from the whipped cream, all of the other elements - lemon cake, pastry cream, lemon curd and blueberry compote, can be prepared 2-3 days in advance. In fact it is better to prep them at least a day in advance of assembling the trifle as the pastry cream, curd and compote need to chill completely and the cake needs to be cold before slicing it.
Store the pastry cream, lemon curd and blueberry compote in covered containers in the fridge, and the cake in an airtight container at room temperature.
The trifle can be assembled a day in advance of serving, however do not add the whipped cream until at most a couple of hours before serving.
No, the assembled trifle cannot be frozen as it may become watery upon defrosting, ruining the texture. I also do not recommend freezing the pastry cream, lemon curd or blueberry compote in advance as they are set with cornstarch - freezing cornstarch set mixtures can break down the starch molecules, causing the mixture to become watery and separated upon defrosting.
Apart from the lemon cake all of the other elements are gluten-free (be sure to check the ingredients for things like the cream just to be sure though).
You could swap the cake for my gluten-free vegan lemon drizzle cake recipe instead - skip the drizzle and icing however.
You will need an approx 20 cm/3 litre trifle dish or a large glass bowl.
If you love this recipe, please leave a 5-star ★★★★★ rating at the bottom of the page! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers.
Also be sure to add us as a trusted site on Google so that our recipes show up more in your searches!
To keep up to date with all my latest recipes you can subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on social media!
All images and content on Domestic Gothess are copyright protected. If you want to share this recipe then please do so by using the share buttons provided. Do not screenshot or post the recipe or content in full, instead include a link to this post for the recipe.
Lemon Blueberry Trifle (vegan)
Equipment
- 20 cm trifle dish
Ingredients
- 1 batch vegan pastry cream* chilled
- 1 batch vegan lemon curd chilled
Lemon Cake:
- 180 g (¾ cup) vegan yogurt, preferably Greek style
- 200 g (1 cup) caster or granulated sugar
- 124 g (½ cup + 1 Tablespoon) neutral oil (I use olive, do not use coconut)
- 100 g (6 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy)
- finely grated zest of 2 large lemons
- 45 g (3 Tablespoons) lemon juice
- 20 g (2 ½ Tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 270 g (2 ¼ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
Blueberry Compote:
- 750 g fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 50 g (¼ cup) caster or granulated sugar
- 15 g (2 Tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 Tablespoons cold water
To Assemble:
- about 6 Tablespoons Limoncello optional
- 250 ml (1 cup) vegan whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- about 100 g fresh blueberries to decorate optional
Instructions
- Prepare the vegan pastry cream, vegan lemon curd, lemon cake and blueberry compote the day before you want to serve the trifle as all components need to be chilled before assembly.
Lemon Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160℃ fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Line a 23 cm/9 in square cake tin with baking parchment.
- Whisk together the yogurt and sugar using a balloon whisk until free from lumps, then whisk in the oil, milk, lemon zest and lemon juice until smooth.180 g (¾ cup) vegan yogurt, preferably Greek style, 200 g (1 cup) caster or granulated sugar, 124 g (½ cup + 1 Tablespoon) neutral oil (I use olive, do not use coconut), 100 g (6 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy), finely grated zest of 2 large lemons, 45 g (3 Tablespoons) lemon juice
- Whisk in the cornflour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, followed by the plain flour. Mix until no dry lumps remain but do not over-beat the batter.20 g (2 ½ Tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch), 2 teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), 270 g (2 ¼ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- Pour the batter into the lined tin, spread it level and bake for about 25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Once cold, store in an airtight container at cool room temperature.
Blueberry Compote:
- Place the blueberries, lemon juice and sugar in a pan over a medium heat, cook until the berries are just starting to break down and release their juices but are still mostly holding their shape.750 g fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 50 g (¼ cup) caster or granulated sugar
- Meanwhile, stir together the cornflour and cold water to make a smooth paste. Add the cornflour slurry to the pan and stir to combine. Bring the compote up to a boil and cook until thickened then remove from the heat and allow to cool. Once cold store in a covered container in the fridge.15 g (2 Tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch), 2 Tablespoons cold water
Assembly:
- Once the cake is completely cold, use a sharp knife to cut it into cubes, about 2.5 cm/1 in in size.
- Arrange a layer of cake cubes in the bottom of your trifle dish, squashing them together as needed. Optionally drizzle over about 3 Tablespoons of Limoncello.about 6 Tablespoons Limoncello
- Give the chilled pastry cream a good whisk with an electric mixer so that it becomes smooth and creamy again, then spread it in an even layer on top of the cake.1 batch vegan pastry cream*
- Spoon over half of the chilled blueberry compote and spread it level.
- Arrange another layer of cake cubes on top of the compote. Optionally drizzle with more Limoncello.
- Give the chilled lemon curd a stir so that it becomes smooth and creamy. Set aside 80g/⅓ cup of the lemon curd for the whipped cream, then spread the rest on top of the cake.1 batch vegan lemon curd
- Spoon over the rest of the blueberry compote.
- Shortly before serving, whisk the cream and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks then whisk in the reserved lemon curd.250 ml (1 cup) vegan whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Spoon the whipped cream on top of the trifle, top with a scattering of fresh blueberries and serve!about 100 g fresh blueberries to decorate
Notes
- See post above for tips, details, storage instructions and step-by-step photos.
- USE SCALES. As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scales rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!
- For the teaspoon and Tablespoon measurements, please use proper measuring spoons, not just regular spoons. A teaspoon is 5ml and a Tablespoon is 15ml.
- *You can use 700g of cold, pre-prepared vegan custard instead of the pastry cream.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook, and subscribe via email to get all our latest recipes!
Jillian Hylton-Smith
This is Christmas dessert in a bowl. Delicious