Berry Trifle Recipe

This Berry Trifle recipe is a refreshing summer dessert that’s as delicious as it is beautiful. It’s a super simple recipe made with layers of juicy fresh berries, pound cake and velvety smooth whipped cream cheese.

Serve in a trifle bowl or individual glasses for a stunning and simple presentation that’s perfect for BBQs, potlucks, baby showers and more.

One of my favorite summer recipes is this strawberry trifle with pound cake and fresh berries. For the cake layer, our berry trifle recipe calls for pound cake which can be homemade or store bought. During the 4th of July I even like to cut out a few star shapes to line the sides of the bowl for a fun patriotic twist.

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You’ll find that some trifle recipes use pudding mix for their cream layer, but I love this easy cream cheese filling. It’s lightened with freshly whipped cream, sweetened with powdered sugar and flavored with just a hint of vanilla.

Key Ingredients

Berries – I like to use strawberries and blueberries because they hold up well. They also make for a great red, white, and blue trifle around the 4th of July! You can also use raspberries, blackberries or even a mixture of them all.
Pound Cake – if you make your own pound cake, be sure and make it enough in advance that it has time to cool completely. Or, you could also make this Lemon Bundt Cake recipe and use about 1 pound, cut into cubes. Store bought pound cake makes this recipe super simple, too. Angel Food Cake is another great option.
Whipping Cream – be sure to use heavy whipping cream and make sure it’s nice and cold before whipping.
Cream Cheese – full fat cream cheese tastes best and will give the best texture to the whipping topping. You’ll need it to be at room temperature. If you forget to pull it out ahead of time, just pop it into the microwave and warm for about 10 seconds at a time until soft.
Powdered Sugar – we like to use powdered sugar rather than granulated sugar because it’s gives sweetness with no grittiness.
Fresh Mint – this makes a pretty garnish, but it is completely optional. Fresh basil would look and taste great, too.

Pound cake on a cutting board cut into star shapes using a cookie cutter.

How to Make Berry Trifle

Prepare your berries. Wash, hull and slice the strawberries. Reserve about 3/4 up for decorating the top.
Whip the cream. In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip the heavy cream on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
Make the whipped cream filling. In a separate large bowl, whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then whip on low speed until combined. Increase to medium and whip until light and fluffy. Fold the reserved whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture using a rubber spatula and mix until combined.
Assemble the trifle. To assemble the trifle, layer 1/2 of the pound cake cubes over the bottom of a 12-13″ trifle dish. Add half of the berries evenly over the top of the pound cake and then spread 1/2 of the whipped topping using a spatula. Continue with one more layer of the pound cake, one more layer of berries, and the rest of the whipped cream mixture.
Garnish. Use an offset spatula to smooth out the top, then line the edges and top with the reserved berries and garnish with fresh mint.
Serve. This Berry Trifle is best enjoyed the day it is prepared but will also keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Enjoy!

A large glass bowl filled with whipped cream and cream cheese mixture on a table.

Recipe Variations

Substitute some Angel Food Cake or Lemon Pound Cake for a fun variation.
Add some lemon curd for a tart pop of flavor.
Top with some extra Whipped Cream or Macerated Berries.

Frequently Asked Question

Can I make a trifle the day before?

While trifles are best eaten the day they are prepared, they will hold well for up to 1 day in advance.

What’s the best cake to use for a trifle?

Pound cake works great because it soaks up all of the juices from the berries, but is firm enough to hold its shape and structure. You could also use a bundt cake, angel’s food cake or ladyfingers.

For an easy shortcut, don’t forget about store bought cakes. They will save you loads of time and still taste great.

Can you make a trifle without a trifle bowl?

Absolutely! If you don’t have a trifle dish, you can use any kind of decorative bowl, salad bowl or serving bowl. It’s a bonus if it’s glass so you can see the layers, but not completely necessary. Also, you can make these in individual glasses – either glass or even plastic disposable ones.

The side view of a 4th of july Berry Trifle made with strawberries, blueberries, pound cake and decorated with a sprig of mint.

Storing and Make-Ahead Instructions

Refrigerator: store any leftover Berry Trifle in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Make-ahead: if you want to make this ahead of time, the best way is to prepare all of your berries, cake cubes and cream cheese filling the day before and then store them separately in the fridge. It’s a good idea to add about 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the berries to keep them nice and fresh.

Prep: 15

Total: 15

12 people

Ingredients

▢ 4 cups strawberries, sliced (reserve 3/4 cup for garnish)
▢ 2 cups heavy whipping cream
▢ 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
▢ 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
▢ 1 pound pound cake, cut into 1" cubes
▢ 3 sprigs mint, for garnish on top

Instructions

Wash, hull and slice the strawberries. Reserve about 3/4 cup for decorating the top.
In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip the heavy cream on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy—about 2-3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then whip on low speed until combined. Increase to medium and whip until light and fluffy. Fold the reserved whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture using a rubber spatula and mix until combined.
To assemble the trifle, layer 1/2 of the pound cake cubes over the bottom of a 12-13" trifle dish. Add half of the berries evenly over the top of the pound cake and then spread 1/2 of the whipped topping using a spatula.
Continue with one more layer of the pound cake, one more layer of berries, and the rest of the whipped cream mixture. Use an offset spatula to smooth out the top, then line the edges and top with the reserved berries and garnish with fresh mint.
This berry trifle is best enjoyed the day it is prepared but will also keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Enjoy!

Notes

Storing leftovers: store any leftover berry trifle in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

Make-ahead tips: you can prepare all of your berries, cake cubes, and cream cheese filling the day before and then store them separately in the fridge. It’s a good idea to add about 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the berries to keep them nice and fresh.

Nutrition

Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

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More Easy Summer Desserts

This easy trifle recipe is made with pound cake, fresh berries, and a rich and smooth cream cheese filling. It’s the perfect summer dessert to bring to potlucks, BBQs, birthday parties and more.

Categories:

4th of July, Desserts, Holiday Favorites, No-Bake, Nut-Free, Spring Recipes, Summer Recipes, Vegetarian,

Berry Trifle