This post may contain affiliate links for which I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more info, check out my Disclosure Policy. Thank you for your support!

This gluten free Jaffa Cake Trifle recipe is sponsored by Schär Gluten Free.

If you’re looking for an alternative Christmas dessert then look no further than my Gluten Free Jaffa Cake Trifle recipe!

With a Gluten Free Jaffa Cake base, orange jelly, chocolate custard and Cointreau cream topping, this is a chocolate lover’s dream.

It’s beautiful, boozy and bold on flavours and it just makes the perfect centrepiece for all your guests to ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at.

GLUTEN FREE JAFFA CAKE TRIFLE RECIPE

A great Christmas dessert alternative

Chocolate orange is one of those festive classics – and I wanted to take these flavours to make something super special.

And when I found out Schär has rebranded it’s Gluten Free Jaffa Cakes in a gorgeous festive box, it inspired me to create this spectacular trifle.

It’s filled with Christmassy flavours and the booze gives it a cheeky edge without being overpowering – meaning everyone will love it.

The Jaffa Cakes also make a great trifle base as the sponge absorbs the liqueur, while the jelly and chocolate add a nice texture you wouldn’t get from ordinary sponge.

Plus how spectacular do those Gluten Free Jaffa Cakes look on top?

They’re the perfect way to decorate this chocolate orange treat and with an addition of festive sparkle and sprinkles, it’s just perfect.

GLUTEN FREE JAFFA CAKE TRIFLE RECIPE

What do I need to make this Jaffa Cake trifle?

There’s a full printable recipe card down below with the recipe, but I’ve also listed all the ingredients here for your shopping list.

The most important part of the recipe is definitely the Schär Gluten Free Jaffa Cakes.

You can pick these up in Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Tesco and Asda in the free from aisle.

And while you’re at it, check out all the other amazing gluten free goodies Schär is doing for Christmas in this post here.

To get ready to make this gluten free Jaffa Cake Trifle recipe you’ll need the following:

2 x 150g pack of Schär Gluten Free Jaffa Cakes
Cointreau
135g pack of orange jelly cubes (I used Hartley’s)
1 x 300g tin of mandarin slices
500g ready made custard (the kind you find in the chilled aisle)
100g milk chocolate
450ml double cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
Zest of one orange
Gluten free sprinkles

All of this can be picked up in the supermarkets and this is a pretty cheap and easy dessert to make.

I made mine in quite a large trifle bowl and I reckon it would be perfect for around 10-12 people, or less with leftovers to enjoy the next day!

GLUTEN FREE JAFFA CAKE TRIFLE RECIPE

How to make a Jaffa Cake Trifle

The best way to make this Gluten Free Jaffa Cake Trifle is to do it with plenty of time.

You can’t rush jelly setting (believe me, I’ve tried!) so I like to get that part done the night before so it can set overnight.

The quantities I’ve used for the water in the recipe below are based off the pack instructions, so just make sure the jelly you use matches this too.

If not I would recommend you adjust the amount of water to suit what the pack says, rather than the recipe below.

I have made this recipe several times now to get it perfect and if you can, it makes all the difference to do the jelly in two stages.

Firstly, pour just enough jelly over the Jaffa Cakes so that they are just covered and place the trifle dish in the fridge for one hour.

If you’re pressed for time you can pour all the jelly in at once but the Jaffa Cakes will float.

It is best to let the thin layer set before pouring on the rest for best effect – it won’t change the taste but will make the layers of the trifle more defined.

Add the mandarin slices to the rest of the jelly and keep in a jug at room temperature, then once the jelly has just started to set (it should take around one hour) pour over the rest of the jelly and mandarin slices.

Place back in the fridge to set overnight before constructing the rest of the trifle.

GLUTEN FREE JAFFA CAKE TRIFLE RECIPE

Making the custard and cream layers

To get a really great flavour combination, I opted for a chocolate custard and a Cointreau and orange-infused cream on top.

Making chocolate custard is actually super easy – simply melt the chocolate into the custard as you heat it slowly, until there are no lumps.

Then allow it to cool completely before you add it to the trifle.

The cream on top has added icing sugar, Cointreau and orange zest to make it tangy and sweet.

You’ll want to whip it into soft peaks, so it’s still spreadable and not too stiff.

Then I used a 1M piping nozzle to create these lovely swirls as I decorated the trifle.

Finish it off with more Gluten Free Jaffa Cakes and a scatter of golden sprinkles (add some grated chocolate too if you like) for a beautiful festive dessert.

GLUTEN FREE JAFFA CAKE TRIFLE RECIPE 209

My Gluten Free Jaffa Cake Trifle recipe

If you love chocolate orange then my gluten free Jaffa Cake Trifle is definitely the one for you.

This makes a fairly large trifle which would be perfect for a Christmas dessert – or you could split it into little trifle dishes if you prefer.

Don’t forget to find out more about the full Schär gluten free range here.

If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your bakes!

And please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me.

[yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ title=”1″ description=”1″]

Gluten Free Jaffa Cake Trifle

This gluten free Jaffa Cake trifle is a delicious chocolate orange trifle, with a Jaffa Cake base, orange and mandarin jelly, chocolate custard and cointreau cream on top. A great alternative Christmas dessert - this serves around 10-12 people. The jelly is best set overnight and the rest can be added before serving.

Ingredients

2 x 150g pack of Schär Gluten Free Jaffa Cakes
2-3 tbsp of Cointreau (orange liqueur)

For the jelly:

135g pack of orange jelly cubes
285ml boiling water
285ml cold water
1 x 300g tin of mandarin slices
50ml juice from the mandarin slices

For the chocolate custard:

500g ready made custard
100g milk chocolate

For the cream:

450ml double cream
2 tbsp icing sugar
2 tbsp Cointreau (orange liqueur)
Zest of one orange
Gluten free sprinkles

Instructions

For the base and jelly layer:

Empty 1 x pack of Schar Gluten Free Jaffa Cakes and place them upside-down in a trifle dish so that they cover the bottom. Evenly pour over 2-3 tbsp of cointreau.
Drain the mandarin slices but retain the juice. Make the jelly as per the pack instructions using 285ml of boiling water, then 230ml of cold water and 50ml of the juice from the mandarins. Pour just enough jelly over the Jaffa Cakes so that they are *just* covered and place the trifle dish in the fridge for one hour. (See notes) Add the mandarin slices to the rest of the jelly and keep in a jug at room temperature.
Once the jelly has just started to set (should be around one hour) pour over the rest of the jelly and mandarin slices and place back in the fridge to set (ideally overnight) before constructing the rest of the trifle.

For the custard:

Once the jelly is set, pour the custard into a saucepan. Finely chop the chocolate and add to the saucepan. Place on a low heat and stir until the chocolate has completely melted and there are no lumps. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
Open the second pack of Gluten Free Jaffa Cakes and line a layer of them up the side of the trifle dish, chocolate side facing out. Save some for decorating the top of the trifle.
Carefully pour the cooled chocolate custard on top of the jelly layer, and smooth out the top. Ideally pop back in the fridge for a few hours before finishing, but you can continue with the cream layer straight away if short on time.

For the cream and decoration:

Add the double cream, icing sugar, Cointreau and orange zest to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until it forms soft peaks. I then scooper mine into a piping bag with a 1M piping nozzle.
Pipe the cream onto the top of the trifle and then decorate with extra Gluten Free Jaffa Cakes, sprinkles and grated chocolate. Serve straight away.

Notes

If you're pressed for time you can pour all the jelly in at once but the Jaffa Cakes will float. It is best to let the thin layer set before pouring on the rest for best effect - it won't change the taste but will make the layers of the trifle more defined.
This trifle can be kept in the fridge and last 2-3 days, but is best eaten fresh.

More Christmas dessert ideas...

Gluten free Meltos cheesecake

My gluten free Meltos cheesecake is a hazelnut buttery biscuit base, with a chocolate hazelnut topping and chunks of Schär Meltos. Perfect as a festive dessert option.

Gluten free strawberry cheesecake ice-cream

A no-churn gluten free strawberry cheesecake ice-cream. Made with fresh strawberries and crumbled gluten free shortbread. A perfect summer dessert - no ice-cream maker required! Makes approximately 10-12 servings.

Gluten Free Key Lime Pie

This gluten free key lime pie is the perfect dessert. A simple biscuit base with a creamy, zesty filling, topped with whipped cream. An easy oven-baked dessert which can be made the day before.

Bonfire Night Pavlova

This Bonfire Night Pavlova is a dreamy gluten free dessert. Crunchy meringue with a toffee apple topping and caramel sauce. This makes a large pavlova to serve 8-10 people, depending how big you want the portions! Total time does not including cooling time for the meringue.

Toffee and pecan roulade

This toffee and pecan roulade is the perfect gluten free dessert. Crunchy meringue, sweet toffee sauce and crunchy pecans. It would be a perfect gluten free Christmas dessert too.

Gluten free chocolate yule log

This gluten free yule log recipe is an absolute classic. A light gluten free sponge, rolled and smothered in a rich chocolate frosting. It's a beauty!

Need some more gluten free Christmas inspiration?

If you’re after some more gluten free Christmas classics then make sure you check out my Gluten Free Christmas ebook

From sticky toffee pudding and mince pies to bread sticks and cheese crackers, there’s something for everyone.

You can have a look at my Gluten Free Christmas ebook and purchase it here.

Want to have a go at some of the other gluten free baking recipes on the blog? Give some of these other gluten free recipes a try!

There are plenty to choose from – here are a couple to get you going:

If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram.

And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!

Oh – and don’t forget to sign up for my e-newsletter where you’ll know about all my latest posts and competitions first!