One of my favorite desserts for this time of year is a trifle made with fresh Georgia peaches. Georgia is the “peach” state so you just can’t get much better than a yummy peach trifle for a summer party on the porch.
This dessert is super easy to make and is loosely based on one I tore out of a magazine many years ago. The recipe didn’t make enough for the huge trifle dish I use and I wanted it to have a richer taste, so, I increased the amount of the ingredients and “doctored” it up a bit.
To give this trifle a richer taste, I substitute sweetened condensed milk for part of the milk called for in the recipe. I’ve also been known to mix in a bit of whipped topping into the pudding.
I have a pretty large trifle dish. If your trifle bowl is toward the smaller size, you may not need as many ingredients and you may wish to only layer the ingredients twice. My bowl is so large, I always need to layer the ingredients three times. If you need a trifle bowl, there are a good many on eBay and Amazon.
I’ve included the recipe below with pictures and you’ll find a printable version at the end of the post.
Peach Trifle, Great Summertime Dessert
Ingredients:
•2 (3 1/2-ounce) packages of instant vanilla pudding mix
•4 cups of milk (I substitute a 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk for about 1 1/2 cups of milk)
•9-10 peaches (peeled and sliced) If the peaches are kind of small, buy a few extra
•5-6 tablespoons of granulated sugar
•2 good-size loaves of pound cake
•1/2 cup bourbon (you can leave this out if children will be eating this dessert)
•1 cup whipping cream (whip 2 cups for lots of whipped cream piled high)
•2 tablespoons powdered sugar
•1/2 cup sliced almonds (okay to use less than this…they just get sprinkled across the top)
Directions:
Prepare the pudding mix according to the package directions, except substitute 1 1/2 cups of milk with a 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk. (One year when I made this, I also mixed in an 8 oz container of cool whip.) Cover and chill for 5 minutes to allow the pudding to thicken.
Toss the sliced peaches with the granulated sugar.
Cut the pound cake into 1/2 inch slices. Cover the bottom of your trifle dish with cake slices. Drizzle the cake slices evenly with about 1/3 of the bourbon. I always use Blanton’s or Maker’s Mark and will sometimes drizzle a little extra just to make sure each cake slice gets a little bourbon. (The original recipe called for 1/3 cup of bourbon but I’ve increased all the ingredients in this recipe to fit my large trifle bowl.)
Spoon a third of the sliced peach mixture over the cake.
Spread a third of the pudding over the peaches.
Repeat twice more with the remaining cake slices, bourbon, peach mixture and pudding.
Cover and chill at least two hours.
A few minutes before serving time:
Beat whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. (Tip: Whipping cream does best if the bowl and beaters have been refrigerated for a little while before you start.)
Spread the whipped cream over the trifle.
Sprinkle the almonds on top.If you would like more whipped cream, double the recipe using 2 cups of whipping cream and 4 tablespoons of powdered sugar. My trifle bowl is so large, I think it would have looked better if I had doubled it.If you really want to go all out, you could make your own pound cake and pudding from scratch. I never do that, but it would be seriously good!Here are a few pics from when I made this trifle for a 4th of July party recently. I forgot to take pics once I added the whipped topping, but I took one after we had started digging in.Peeling the peaches….you can see the pound cakes I bought at Kroger in the background. I normally buy two loaves at Publix, but this year I was in Kroger and just picked them up there, instead. They looked smaller so I bought three instead of two. I ended up having about half a loaf left over.
I sliced the peaches up the night before the party so the next day I could just assemble the trifle.
The next day, I began the layering. In this pic, I had just added a layer of pound cake.
The peaches got darker in the refrigerator overnight. Peaches always do that but they are perfectly fine. After I drizzled the bourbon over the cake, I added a layer of peaches.
Next, I added a layer of pudding.
I repeated the steps for the second layer. Here I am starting the third layer, once again beginning with the cake.
Again, I drizzled the cake with bourbon and added the final layer of peaches. The reason some of the peaches are brighter yellow is because I added another peach I had missed the night before to the trifle. You can see how peaches get a little darker after they are cut up. They were also drizzled in sugar overnight, too, so that may contribute to the change in color. I added the final layer of pudding after this pic was taken.
I forgot to take a pic right after I added the whipped cream, but here’s a picture after we had begun digging in. You can see the layers and the sliced almonds on top.
Yum! This is one dessert I HAVE to make at least once each summer. I’ve included a printable version of the recipe below.
Peach Trifle, Awesome Summertime Dessert
Ingredients
- Ingredients:
- •2 3 1/2-ounce packages of instant vanilla pudding mix
- •4 cups of milk I substitute a 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk for about 1 1/2 cups of milk
- •9-10 peaches peeled and sliced If the peaches are kind of small, buy a few extra
- •5-6 tablespoons of granulated sugar
- •2 good-size loaves of pound cake
- •1/2 cup bourbon you can leave this out if children will be eating this dessert
- •1 cup whipping cream whip 2 cups for lots of whipped cream piled high
- •2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- •1/2 cup sliced almonds okay to use less than this…they just get sprinkled across the top
Instructions
Pudding Preparation:
- Prepare the pudding mix according to the package directions, except substitute 1 1/2 cups of milk with a 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk. One year when I made this, I also mixed in an 8 oz container of cool whip.
- Cover and chill for 5 minutes to allow the pudding to thicken.
Peaches and Pound Cake Preparations:
- Toss the sliced peaches with the granulated sugar.
- Cut the pound cake into 1/2 inch slices.
Assembling the Trifle:
- Cover the bottom of your trifle dish with cake slices.
- Drizzle the cake slices evenly with about 1/3 of the bourbon.
- Spoon a third of the sliced peach mixture over the cake.
- Spread a third of the pudding over the peaches.
- Repeat twice more with the remaining cake slices, bourbon, peach mixture and pudding.
- Cover and chill at least two hours.
A Few Minutes Before Serving Time:
- Beat whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. (Tip: Whipping cream does best if the bowl and beaters have been refrigerated for a little while before you start.)
- Spread the whipped cream over the trifle.
- Sprinkle almonds on top.
- If you would like more whipped cream (I usually do) double the recipe using 2 cups of whipping cream and 4 tablespoons of powdered sugar.
Notes
You’ll find the recipe for a cranberry trifle under the heading “Good Eats” at the top of the blog or click here: Cranberry Trifle Recipe, Great for a Holiday Party
This looks excellent. I'm going to make it this week-end.
Oh my! That looks delicious. I will have to try that one!
Susan, don't we just love our Georgia peaches!!!..This looks delish, and purty dawg-gone easy, I love easy as much as our peaches!
I'm going to try this recipe with just few changes as to Mr is diabetic,Angel food cake and sugar free cool-whip, splenda instead of sugar and sugar free vanilla pudding,AND hold the Bourbon(I'm on the wagon),teehehe.
I think it will be sooo tasty!
Whatcha think?
~JO
LazyonLoblolly
Yum! This looks and sounds wonderful! I just said, "mmmm Susan uses bourbon in her trifle" while reading this. To which the hubs asked, "who's Susan?" Can't wait to give this a try. Thanks for sharing.
ooh yumm.. this looks fabulous.. Hooray for summer and peaches! thanks for sharing with us. many blessings, marlis
Susan, this sounds SO good! My mom loves peaches, and will be visiting in a couple of weeks, so I might make it while she's here.
I love your bowl also. Is there any info you can provide on it?
Hi Tammy,
My MIL gave me that bowl about 25-30 years ago. I am not sure where she bought it back then. I see trifle bowls occasionally when I'm out but they usually aren't as big as this one. I know it isn't crystal, I'm guessing it's just glass.
Okay, I just checked on eBay and there are a bunch on there, including this one that looks really pretty and sounds pretty big.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Dublin-Footed-Crystal-Trifle-Bowl-/160610288202
Check online and I think you'll find a good many.
Yummy!!! I made a peach cobbler the other day after I went into fits of anxiety because I couldn't find my Paula Deen cookbook but this really looks fabulous and I'm going to give it a try, especially while theses peaches are in season!
I definitely will be making this! Now, I just need an excuse LOL! Maybe a few friends over. I'll just tell them I am trying a new recipe, or maybe I'll bring it to the office for a treat, sans boubon (or not)! I have the perfect trifle bowl. Maybe even a few raspberries thrown in, hum…. YUM! Blessings, Linda
Hi Susan! Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe with us. Some of my very favorite recipes came from Southern Living magazines. Have a great weekend!
Hugs,
Susan and Bentley
I really wish peaches were "in season" here! That looks to die for!!!
Would love it if you could link up and "old" recipe on my flash-back-friday linky! http://cookinformycaptain.blogspot.com/2011/07/flash-back-friday-7-pineapple-turkey.html
Happy Friday!
Looks wonderful! I just might throw in some blueberries,too!!
Looks fantastic! Love that you used Blantons—it's one of our favorites.
Susan, this looks so yummy. I'm a lover of peaches, will put together this w/k. Thanks for sharing. hugs ~lynne~
This looks so delicious, how can I not try it!
We just made trifle for the first time for the 4th. It had straberries and blueberries (patriotic!), no liquor (kids). It was simply delicious! But with peaches?? Oh my, that would be heavenly!!! I may have to make it again! Texas does pretty well with peaches too! There are tons of people coming up from Fredericksburg to sell their peaches along the roadside all over town!!
If you sprinkle your peaches with Fruit Fresh, it will keep them from turning dark. It doesn't change the flavor of the peaches. It's made up of ascorbic acid, corn sugar and silicone dioxide. There aren't any sulfites to cause anyone any breathing problems.
Ellicia, thanks for that tip. I do remember hearing about that a long time ago…maybe back during my canning days. 🙂 Great idea!
Would we be lucky enough that you'd measure your bowl by filling it with water? Mine holds 15 cups (Pampered Chef)…crossing fingers this recipe will fit! :):) THANKS!
I make a peach blueberry trifle almost identical to that. The blueberries are so pretty in a glass bowl.
I can't wait to try this, Susan! I thought I had every trifle recipe there was but this was new to me! It'll be such a refreshing & cool desert for this sweltering Texas weather we're having! I'm making it TONIGHT! Thanks for the recipe and beautiful photos! Patti in TX
That looks absolutely great!!! Can't wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.
Sharon
There is NOTHING like Georgia peaches!!!!! I was lucky enough to have some years ago when someone from Ga. brought a BUSHEL to a wedding! I thought I had died and gone to Heaven!!!!!!!!! I, too, need an excuse to make one of these! It sounds SOOOOO good! Thanks, Susan! XO, Pinky
oh yum! Nothing beats a fresh peach right off the tree. UNfortunately, I don't get them very often!! :/ My very favorite peach dessert is peach cobbler but I just may have to try this one…just maybe….. slurp!
This is perfect, beautiful and yummy looking. I have a trifle bowl and I really haven't used it in a long time, umm…this is terrific! Thank you honey. FABBY
Thank you for such a wonderful recipe. My husband just loves peaches, so I think I might be making this for him this week.
Thanks, Susan! The trifle bowl in the eBay link is very pretty. I can't stop thinking about this dessert. I foresee that I'll be making it soon. Have a great weekend!
OMG yumiliciousness!!!!!!!
eBay has the Waterford 12
days of Christmas bowl for
a mere $2,000 to $4,500.
Magnificent and worthy of
Susan's trifle.
I blanch my Georgia peaches
before peeling,so as not to
miss one morsel of that
delicious flesh, preserved
by Fruit Fresh. Great recipe
Gentility
Looks wonderful–I am yearning for fresh peaches! PA has good peaches too but not as good as "GA peaches!" At Christmas I made a trifle out of the package mix of custart that is cooked (in the mic) and that would be wonderful with this also instead of the pudding I bet. Most any fresh fruit would be good in summer–canned and preserved fruit for the winter. Irish whiskey is also good as the spirits–I bet peach schnapps or peach brandy would be good with the peaches too! I now have to many variations not to try some of these–thanks for the wonderful motivation!!!!!Di
Di, I like your idea for the custard…like all your ideas! 🙂
It looks yummy! I would like to try it on December because that's the time many peaches and at the low-priced…
I know what I'm making for next pot luck supper (sans Bourbon, we're Methodists). Thanks for the recipe.
Susan, your "rear-view mirror" post reminded me that I had never come back to this post to tell you that I made your bourbon peach trifle shortly after reading about it. Yummy! I made it in individual trifle bowls, and it was "well-received," as we say.