Chocolate Trifle
Serves a lot (maybe 10 or 12 unless you eat lots of course)!!

Yes I know, just one look at the list of ingredients and the length of the instructions is nearly enough to put anyone off but trust me, it's worth it! It actually isn't as hard as it looks. You could use an ordinary sponge cake recipe instead of the chocolate cake and if you aren't allergic to dairy then you can just pop down to the supermarket and buy one already made! You can also make the trifle just fine without the jelly. Just make the custard if you want…or just the chocolate sauce! You can even substitute both of those for something like yoghurt or cream or whatever kind of sauce takes your fancy. So really, it is easy and the options are endless.

85g packet raspberry jelly crystals

Chocolate Sponge Cake
75g oil based margarine, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
¾ cup flour
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons raspberry jam

825g can Fruit Salad

Custard
2 tablespoons custard power
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups soy milk

Chocolate Sauce
1 tablespoon cornflour
¼ cup cocoa
1 cup soy milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon oil based margarine

Make jelly according to directions on packet. Pour into a shallow container. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until jelly is almost set.

Chocolate Sponge Cake
Cream margarine, vanilla essence and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. Sift together flour, cocoa and baking powder. Fold into creamed mixture with the milk.

Spoon mixture into a greased and lined 18cm or 20cm round cake tin. Bake at 180°C for about 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave in tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.

When cool, split the cake in half and spread the bottom half of the cake with jam. Replace the top and cut into 3cm pieces.

Arrange the cake pieces in a large serving dish or bowl. Pour the almost-set jelly over the cake and cover. Refrigerate until the jelly is set. Pour the can of fruit salad and juice over the jelly and cake mixture.

Custard
In a saucepan, mix custard power, sugar and ¼ cup of the soy milk to a smooth paste. Add the remaining milk and cook, stirring constantly, until custard thickens. Do not boil. Cool quickly by placing saucepan in a sink of cold water then cover with glad wrap.

Chocolate Sauce
In a saucepan, mix cornflour, cocoa and ¼ cup of the soy milk to a smooth paste. Add the remaining milk, sugar, butter and cook, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes or until thick and smooth. Cool by placing saucepan in a sink of cold water then cover with glad wrap.

Once the custard and the chocolate sauce are both cool pour them over the fruit salad. Lightly run a fork over the top to create a marble effect with the custard and chocolate sauce.

Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.