Fruitcake Trifle

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar and butter until smooth and creamy. Mix in egg and vanilla extract until well combined. In a second bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, ginger and cloves. Add half of dry ingredients to butter-egg mixture; mix until just combined. Add yogurt; mix until just combined. Add remaining half of dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Coat a half-loaf pan with cooking spray; add batter; tap bottom of pan on a hard surface several times to remove air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Flip cake onto a wire rack and let cool completely. Spread nuts evenly on a baking sheet; toast until light brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Place nuts in a clean towel; rub gently to remove skins; chop. In a small saucepan, whisk cornstarch into milk until fully dissolved. Bring milk-cornstarch mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. In a bowl, combine remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, egg yolk and rum. Add one third of milk-cornstarch mixture to sugar-rum mixture, whisking constantly; pour into same saucepan; cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until pastry cream thickens, about 2 minutes. Pour cream into a shallow dish; set plastic wrap on surface of cream and let cool completely. Tear cake into chunks. In each of four 7-ounce serving glasses, divide and layer half of cake chunks, half of cooled rum cream, and half of dried fruit and nuts; repeat layers. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 24; remove from fridge 45 minutes before serving.