Trifling

I was asked to make a dessert for dinner at a neighbor's. I began to mull over ideas. I do find it intriguing how my brain 'hop scotches' from one thing to another! I call it the evolution of an idea.

So my first thought was to make my mother's famous mocha cake. Yum! But, I don't have the three cake pans it requires for the coffee-laced sponge cakes (they are in California). But, that's OK, I've made it as a jelly roll before. 

Not my cake, but it looks like it! 
From: livforcake.com

But then....

I have come to realize that I'm getting more sensitive to caffeine. This cake has espresso in the cake, in the filling and in the icing. It also has some chocolate in it, which can also keep me awake. Maybe the attendees at the dinner have the same sensitivity???

So, what then?

Ah, strawberries are in season here in Florida (if our freezing temps have totally done the crop in).  I can make a jelly roll with a nice sponge cake, make a filling using fresh strawberries, add a whipped cream frosting and garnish with more berries.  That would be perfect! It's near Valentine's Day, and what would be more appropriate than a pretty red and white cake?! 

Image from "All Recipes"

                                                                            But then...

Wait, wait! Do I have a trifle bowl here? Yes, indeed! I will use the berries and a sponge cake, along with some whipped cream and make a beautiful, tasty, seasonal dessert! Great! The evolution of my idea has led me here. 

Image from: https://www.scatteredthoughtsofacraftymom.com/strawberry-trifle-with-pound-cake/

But wait...

Should I infuse the berries with some sort of fancy liqueur? Perhaps some Chambord? Let me check the Internet. I mean, really, why should anyone have cook books anymore, with so many options at our fingertips. (But it is so much fun paging through cookbooks and magazines and enjoying all of the photos, the heft of the book, the odor of the ink and so forth!) Regardless, I look up 'Strawberry Trifle' to check out ideas others have for how to make a scrumptious, simple, elegant, seasonal dessert. 

Looky here....

Here's an amazing post with a whole list of tempting trifles. I didn't really think about the options out there. Shame on me, I am usually more creative than that!

But...

the evolution of an idea is complete! 

Carrot cake trifle it is!

Will mine look anything like this?

Time will tell! 

Close enough!