Name: Not so Tipsy Laird Trifle
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 4 h 35 min
Cuisine: Scottish
Ingredients: 10 ounces sponge cake (see recipe below OR you could buy a 10 oz pound cake as well.); 12 ounces fresh raspberries; 6 tablespoons Clementine and Cinnamon Simple Syrup (plus more for brushing the cake. See recipe below); 2 cups Almond Custard (see recipe below or ready-made thick custard sauce); 2 cups double cream (heavy cream, or whipping cream, softly whipped (If you’ve never made whipped cream before, check out How to Make Whipped Cream from Scratch. I go over every detail of how to make whipped cream and the 3 different stages your whipped cream can look like).); 1 handful thinly sliced almonds (about 1/4-1/2 of a cup); Baking spray; 1 ½ cups cake flour (more for pans); 5 large eggs; ¾ granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ½ stick unsalted butter (or ghee, melted); 1 cup whole milk; 1 cup heaving cream; 4 egg yolks; ½ Tablespoons vanilla; ½ Tablespoon almond extract; ⅓ cup powdered sugar; 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (This is the juice from about 1 fresh lemon); 2 Tablespoons Clementine Juice (This is the juice from about 1 fresh clementine); 3 Tablespoons Water (or however much you need to equal 1/2 cup of liquid); ½ cup sugar; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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My Tipsy laird done and ready to eat. is a layered dessert with cake, then custard, the berries, then whipped cream, the almond slices & raspberries.

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A couple of weeks ago I shared our family’s weekly theme we hold every Sunday. It was Scotland this time around. Included was I’m my version of a Tipsy Laird trifle (non-alcoholic). Today, I’m just sharing the recipe again, to make it easier for you to find.

A Little Background

So, traditionally, TIPSY LAIRD TRIFLE is made for Hogmanay (Scottish term for New Year’s Eve) and Burns Night, a Scottish dinner celebration used to honor Robert Burns, or Rabbie Burns, Scotland’s most famous poet who lived and wrote during the 18th Century. Celebrations usually fall on or around January 25th, the anniversary of his 1759 birth.

It is also traditionally made with whiskey. But I have 5 kids and was not about to soak cake and berries in whiskey. So this is my adaption of the recipe I found on The Spruce Eats. It uses homemade custard instead of store-bought, and I make a simple syrup with clementine & lemon juice, water, and sugar to replace the whiskey.

Not So Tipsy laird from top view with almond slices and raspberries on top

Making the Trifle

Quick Note: A tipsy laird doesn’t keep well and takes some time to make. So plan ahead for this one so you can prepare and serve fresh for the best results.

Here’s the process I did

The time required for the recipe was determined by the duration of each item’s cooking process. To save time, I simultaneously baked the cake, prepared the custard, and made the simple syrup. After completion, I allowed everything to cool before assembling it after dinner. Following this approach, it should only take approximately 30 minutes to complete the cooking process. The process is explained below.

The Cake needs time to cool, so make that first. While the cake is baking…
1. Make the custard. The custard also needs to cool, so this is a great one to get done while the cake bakes.
2. I make the simple syrup as I make the custard. Once the simple syrup and the custard are done, I place them in the fridge. This way all of this is ready to go and can cool at the same time.
When you’re ready to layer the cake, rinse your berries and follow the below steps

Trifle Layer

Line the bottom of a large glass dish or individual glasses with the already cut thick cake slices. If you are using one large bowl use all the cake in one layer (this is what I was able to do).
Brush simple syrup onto the cake.
Reserve a few of the fresh raspberries for decoration, then layer the remainder evenly over the cake slices. Again, in the large trifle, one thick layer is good.
pour the 6 Tablespoons of simple syrup all over the raspberry layer.
Pour the almond (Or the ready-made) custard, in another nice thick layer over the raspberries.
Finish with a thick layer of whipped cream, either spooned over or piped using a piping bag (if you wanted to get fancy, I dumped and spread). If you’ve never made whipped cream before, check out How to Make Whipped Cream from Scratch. I go over every detail of how to make whipped cream and the 3 different stages your whipped cream can look like.
Finish the tipsy laird by decorating with reserved raspberries and a few toasted almond slivers.

final whipped cream layer on raspberries

Cooking with Kids

DISCLOSURE: These tips are generalized, and meant to be suggestive. Everything I’m sharing I do with my kids, and they are all different even within my own five. So please take these as suggestions or ideas and if you think your child needs more or less help, then go with what you and your child are comfortable with. Ultimately, you know your kids, do what YOU think is best.

This recipe is a process, but kids can still help.

Older Kids

Of course, as I usually say, depending on your older kids’ age, etc. They can likely help with anything you give them, including putting the cakes in the oven. But to help separate ones the younger kids likely won’t do…

Cutting the cake layers
Whipping the cream
Cooking the simple syrup
Helping with the layers (The cake and whipped cream)

Younger kids:

Like will all of my recipes, having kids help measure and add ingredients is a great way for them to help. Bonus! They learn math in the process.
Have them help brush on the simple syrup.
Let them help with the layers (whipped cream and putting in raspberries or almonds)

Final Review

This was loved by everyone in the family and has been chosen as our new Christmas Dessert! I mean just look at it! Add some strategically placed mint leaves and it would look just like holly!

Did you try it, have questions?

Your feedback is highly appreciated. Kindly share your thoughts in the comments section and don’t forget to rate the recipe, it’s tremendously helpful.

Let’s get social!

Please tag me on Instagram or Facebook, @alwaysjennsmith, and share your thoughts. It’s wonderful to see loved ones coming together over delicious food. Or share it on this post’s Pinterest Pin!

Not so Tipsy Laird Trifle

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Print Recipe

Tipsy is a Scottish dessert traditionally made for Hogmanay (Scottish term for New Year's Eve) and Burns Night, a Scottish dinner celebration used to honor Robert Burns, or Rabbie Burns, Scotland’s most famous poet who lived and wrote during the 18th Century. Celebrations usually fall on or around January 25th, the anniversary of his 1759 birth.

This recipe is my adaptation of The Spruce Eats Recipe.

Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes
Yield: 6 people 1x

Instructions

Trifle Itself

Line the bottom of a large glass dish or individual glasses with the already cut thick cake slices. If you are using one large bowl use all the cake in one layer (this is what I was able to do).
Brush simple syrup onto the cake.
Reserve a few of the fresh raspberries for decoration, then layer the remainder evenly over the cake slices. Again, in the large trifle, one thick layer is good.
pour the 6 Tablespoons of simple syrup all over the raspberry layer.
Pour the almond (Or the ready-made) custard, in another nice thick layer over the raspberries.
Finish with a thick layer of whipped cream, either spooned over or piped using a piping bag (if you wanted to get fancy, I dumped and spread). If you’ve never made whipped cream before, check out How to Make Whipped Cream from Scratch. I go over every detail of how to make whipped cream and the 3 different stages your whipped cream can look like.
Finish the tipsy laird by decorating with the reserved raspberries and a few toasted, flaked, almonds.

Airy Genoise Sponge Cake (Courtesy of The Spruce Eats)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray one or two 9-inch cake pans with baking spray and dust the bottom and sides with flour, tapping out any excess. Line the bottom(s) with a circle of parchment paper cut to fit the pan. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil on the stovetop, then lower it to a simmer.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs and stir in the sugar and vanilla until blended.
Set the bowl over the saucepan to form a double boiler so that the bottom of the bowl is inside the pan but not touching the water. Stir the egg and sugar mixture over the pot until the mixture is warm, or about 3 to 4 minutes.
Place the warm mixture into a stand mixer bowl and beat with the whip attachment for 10 to 15 minutes or until the mixture is thick and light. If using a hand mixer, beat for 2 to 3 additional minutes. The eggs will triple in volume and change from yellow to nearly white in color. When you lift the whisk from the mixture, the batter should fall from it in a ribbon-like line and stay on top of the batter for a few seconds before sinking into it.
Carefully fold in the flour, then fold in the melted butter. Don’t over-mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan or pans immediately and transfer them to the oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a crumb or two attached. Test after 20 minutes.
Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in the pans on a wire rack. Loosen the edges by running a knife along the sides, turn the cakes out onto the racks, and cool for at least another 45 minutes.

Almond Custard

Have egg yolks ready in a bowl, and set aside where it will be within reach.
Using a whisk, combine milk, sugar, almond and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan over medium heat on stovetop. Allow milk to scald (heat to the point when tiny bubbles form around edges of pan). Whisk occasionally to prevent cornstarch from clumping on bottom edges of pan.
Remove milk mixture from heat, preferably to a burner that’s turned off.
Mix about 2 tablespoons of scalded milk mixture into the yolks eggs using whisk, then introduce eggs into milk mixture in a slow stream, whisking milk mixture constantly.
Immediately return pan to heat and whisk gently until custard thickens, another two or three minutes. Do not allow to boil.
Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla
Pass it through a fine-mesh sieve into a different bowl to remove any egg white strands or lumps in the custard.
Once done, cover with plastic wrap (make sure the plastic wrap is touching the custard to ensure that no skin is formed onto the custard (Let sit for at least 2 hrs, but longer is better).

Clementine and Cinnamon Simple Syrup

In a small saucepan, whisk the sugar and water over medium heat.
Continue whisking until sugar is dissolved and the liquid comes to a simmer.
Take off the heat, and let it cool.
Pour into a glass jar and seal tightly with a lid, *See note 2 for Storage details.

Notes

A tipsy laird doesn’t keep well and takes some time to make. So plan ahead for this one so you can prepare and serve fresh for the best results.
Simple syrup will keep, refrigerated, for about one month.
The time required for the recipe was determined by the duration of each item’s cooking process. I simultaneously baked the cake, prepared the custard, and made the simple syrup to save time. After completion, I allowed everything to cool before assembling it after dinner. Following this approach, it should only take approximately 30 minutes to complete the cooking process. The process is explained below.
1. The Cake needs time to cool, so make that first. While the cake is baking…
  1. Make the custard. The custard also needs to cool, so this is a great one to get done while the cake bakes.
  2. I make the simple syrup as I make the custard. Once the simple syrup and the custard are done, I place them in the fridge. This way all of this is ready to go and can cool at the same time.
2. When you’re ready to layer the cake, rinse your berries and follow the below steps
Trifle Layer
1. Line the bottom of a large glass dish or individual glasses with the already cut thick cake slices. If you are using one large bowl use all the cake in one layer (this is what I was able to do).
2. Brush simple syrup onto the cake.
3. Reserve a few of the fresh raspberries for decoration, then layer the remainder evenly over the cake slices. Again, in the large trifle, one thick layer is good.
4. pour the 6 Tablespoons of simple syrup all over the raspberry layer.
5. Pour the almond (Or the ready-made) custard, in another nice thick layer over the raspberries.
6. Finish with a thick layer of whipped cream, either spooned over or piped using a piping bag (if you wanted to get fancy, I dumped and spread). If you’ve never made whipped cream before, check out How to Make Whipped Cream from Scratch. I go over every detail of how to make whipped cream and the 3 different stages your whipped cream can look like.
7. Finish the tipsy laird by decorating with reserved raspberries and a few toasted almond slivers.

Prep Time: 55 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: Scottish

Nutrition

Calories: 417
Sugar: 27
Sodium: 86
Fat: 30
Saturated Fat: 17
Carbohydrates: 28
Fiber: 0.2
Protein: 9
Cholesterol: 336

Not-so-Tipsy Laird Trifle Recipe Pinterest Pin

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