Eid Mubarak! This is the ‘Meethi Eid’, the time when the sweetness of friends and family get-togethers, and mouth-watering sheer khurma, mithai, halwa and other delicacies fill our hearts and plates with happiness and gratitude.

Keeping this in mind, here is a recipe that blends the traditional taste we love with a fun new twist. Gulab jamun trifle is very simple and easy to make, and brings together two favourite party desserts in the same dish.

In this versatile recipe, you can add your signature twist to it by substituting gulab jamun with any other mithai of your choice. You can also use any custard or cake flavour, and add fruits, jelly or anything else you fancy.

So this time, surprise your guests with this easy recipe that is ready in minutes! This recipe is enough for about four cup-sized servings.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (500ml) milk
• 2 tablespoons vanilla custard powder
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
• 4–5 slices of pound cake
• 10-12 gulab jamuns (small ones)

Method

First, assemble your cups. Add a layer of sliced pound cake to the bottom of the cups.

Drizzle some of the gulab jamun syrup over the cake. Line the edges of the cup with halved gulab jamuns. Now that your cups are prepared, let’s start on the custard.

In a small bowl, mix the custard powder with a quarter cup of milk. Stir until it dissolves properly.

In a pot, bring the remaining milk to a boil over medium heat. Add the sugar and vanilla, and stir. Once the milk boils, reduce the heat and gradually add the custard mixture to the milk.

Whisk continuously to prevent lumps. Keep stirring until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Take it off the heat and pour the custard into the prepared cups. Let them chill until the custard settles.

Enjoy!

Published in Dawn, Young World, March 19th, 2026