Affordable Utah Weddings

I was skimming through this month’s edition of  ‘Taste of Home‘ Magazine and came across the most amazing idea.  A trifle buffet.

For those of your who aren’t familiar with a was a trifle is, imagine delicious, fresh berries, moist cake and a fresh custard or pudding all in one bowl.  YUM.  It’s one of my favorite desserts.  I love how beautiful it looks in a glass bowl and how many varieties of trifle you can create.  Really all you need is cake (any kind you want), something creamy (whipped cream, pudding, custard etc) and just a little something extra (berries, fruit, candy etc).

That’s where the joy of a trifle buffet comes in.  Imagine a large buffet table lined with clear glass serving dishes that are full of fresh berries, cubes of pound cake, brownie squares, an assortment of puddings, whipped cream, crushed candies- you name it, you could put it on there!  Each guest could take their own individual glass- clear glass stemware for a more formal reception, or a clear plastic cup for a more casual reception- and create their own trifle by layering their favorite items.  You could even make a sign to sit on your buffet table to suggest some favorite combinations.  Here are some of my favorites-

Death By Chocolate: Brownies layered with chocolate pudding, whipped cream and chocolate covered toffee bits (like a broken up Heath Bar)

Tropical Paradise: Angel Food cake cubes layered with kiwis, coconut and vanilla pudding

Dark Chocolate Raspberry: Chocolate cake cubes layered with fresh raspberries,chocolate mousse and dark chocolate shavings

Traditional: Pound cake cubes layered with blueberries, strawberries, custard and whipped cream

Not only would this buffet look absolutely beautiful all set up on a table, it would be super easy to do yourself (think cake mixes and instant puddings… or better yet- the bakery section of your local grocery store) and would make feeding hundreds of people pretty affordable (how much can you fit into a small plastic cup anyway?).  Your guests would be happy because they’d get to pick their favorite items and, let’s be honest- who’s ever seen a trifle buffet at a reception?  It would truly help make your evening a night to be remembered.

For those of you thinking of making your own buffet, here are some great filling ideas from this month’s Taste of Home:

Cakes: angel food, pound cake, sponge cake, quick breads (pumpkin, blueberry etc), cut up doughnuts or doughnut holes, macaroons

Fillings: Instant puddings, whipped cream, gelatin, lemon or lime curd, mousse, pie fillings, whipped cream cheeses

Fruits: blueberries, mandarin oranges, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, pineapple, star fruit, cherries, dried fruit, mango

Toppings: plain or flavored whipped cream (add chocolate, lime zest etc), syrups, caramel sauce, mini marshmallows, cocoa powder, toasted coconut

Extras: Chocolate leaves, mini cookies, red hots, nuts, granola, candied ginger, pirouette cookies, chocolate coffee beans

Featured photos can be found on http://seasonedfork.com, www.stuff.co.nz, and veganyumyum.com