Lemon Trifle

These are the layers: (from the bottom, going up)
- Pound Cake
- Martha Stewart's lemon curd
- Better than Starbucks Lemon pound cake
- Lemon whipped cream
- Garnish with lemon jelly wedge (optional)

The pound cakes are baked for 45 minutes (or until toothpick comes out clean) at 325 degrees, using three loaf pans.

The Better than Starbucks Lemon pound cake is what I use for the lemon bread. It is one of the best I've ever tasted. I didn't worry about organic lemons and I didn't do all the fancy cutting and segmenting that the pictures show. I just juiced the lemons. I did cut off some of the overhanging pulp as I squeezed the lemons, trying to boost the flavor. I baked them in bread pans so it would be easier to cut.

Bread pans must be greased and floured. Once bread is finished baking, allow to cool at leat ten minutes in pan. Once you have them out of the pan, they need to be cut into 1-inch cubes. You can place these in a gallon ziploc and freeze until the day of use.

Lemon whipped cream
1/2 heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 containers lemon yogurt, (6 oz. size)
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Whip cream and powdered sugar until soft peaks start to form. Add lemon juice and yogurt, whip until smooth. Stir in zest. Plop on top of finished trifle.

You may need to double or triple this if you are serving over ten people.

Trifle tips:
Trifles take work. But, if you do most everything the day before your party, or even the week before, it takes the stress out of your party. On the day of celebration you assemble your trifle and whip some cream. Anyone can do that!! I bake the bread before and freeze it. I pull it out on the day of the party and then assemble my trifles a few hours before serving so that my dessert is done and ready to go and it also gives the flavors some time to meld together.

You can make the lemon curd the day of your party, but it needs to be done in the morning as it takes several hours to set up. The night before is even better.

Your lemon whipped cream should be made the day of your party for best taste.

This recipe was first called "Ten year Trifle" because I came up with it for our book group's tenth year anniversary party. It was such a hit I've been making it ever since.

This last week when I made it, I bought a Costco pound cake, cubed it and froze it as well to make the trifle go further. I mixed the two cakes together and then followed the same layering order. This looks beautiful and it tasted very tart and lemony. It really is a treat.

I bought some individual trifle cups from Bed Bath and Beyond. It made the trifles look so elegant in their own cup. Much easier to serve for a party as well.