Buttery rich pound cake, fluffy cream, and fresh juicy berries. This combination makes for the BEST berry trifle there ever is! Beautiful, impressive, and EASY!!! It is perfect for national holidays or an easy party dessert.
What is a trifle?
Trifles come from England. They are a layered cake or crumbled cake with pudding, custard and some type of fruit. Trifles are awesome desserts because
- they come together quickly
- have multiple textures and flavors of soft cake, creamy pudding and fresh fruit.
- Please even the pickiest eater
- Feeds a crowd EASILY!
PROTIP: You can find a trifle bowl, like pictured, at most grocery stores. Target and Walmart carry very inexpensive ones. If you don't use a trifle bowl use a glass large bowl to display how beautiful the layers are.
What Do I Need To Make Berry Trifle?
There are a few ingredients that are a must have for a delicious trifle
- Cake. traditionally a angle food cake or a sponge cake is used for trifles. They hold up nice to the extra liquid and ingredients piled on top. (Box cakes tend to crumble)
- Cream. This adds a delicious creaminess and keeps the cake nice and moist. I love the simplicity of whipping cream and how it compliments the sponge cake and berry flavors. But you can also use a pudding or this cream filling for a richer heavier flavor.
- Fresh fruit! Use what is in season. Berries always pair well together.
How To Make Berry Trifle
Let's start with the cake.
Can I Buy Store Bought Cake?
OF COURSE. Sometimes that's all you can do- however NOTHING, and I mean, NOTHING compares to the flavor, texture and creaminess to homemade sponge cake. Do yourself a favor and put it on the schedule. You can totally make it a day ahead.
For store bought try a store bought sponge cake or angel food cake.
What Ingredients do I need?
This is one of the easiest cakes you will ever make.
- 6 eggs- why so many eggs? This is what makes a sponge cake a sponge cake. The number of eggs gives it its distinct texture and flavor!
- sour cream- give the cake a fluffy deliciously moist texture.
How To Make A Sponge Cake
- Cream you butter and sugar together.
- While mixing add your sour cream, eggs and vanilla
- slowly add in your flour/soda and sugar
What Do I Bake My Cake In?
You can use a bundt cake pan or a 9x13. It will take about 1 hour for the cake to fully cook.
After it has cooled I like to cut it into about 1 inch squares to prepare it for layering.
Store Bought or Homemade Whipped Cream?
For whipped cream you can make your own or use a store bought. Making your own is pretty simple. Just mix the cream (plus a few tbs of sugar) on med- high speed for about 5-10 minutes until it forms stiff peaks.
Make your Instant Vanilla Pudding
Using a 6 oz Vanilla Instant Pudding stir together with cold milk for two minutes and let chill in fridge for about 5 minutes. Then Fold into your whip cream.
What berries do I use for a trifle
ANY! Wash and prep your berries. You want them to be about bite size pieces. So cut any larger fruit, like strawberries.
How to Layer a Trifle
This is the fun part! I like to make 2-3 layers. Decide on how many layer you are going to make and pre-divide the food up into those portions.
- start with cake
- cream
- the berries
Repeat until you have filled the bowl or finished your layers! Top with berries for a beautiful presentation.
IMPORTANT! Chill Your Trifle
Set your red white and blue trifle cake in the fridge for a few hours before serving. This allows the cream to soak and infuse with the cake and the berry flavor to start marrying with the other parts of the trifle.
The Perfect Holiday Cake
This is the perfect dessert for patriotic holidays! Striking red, white and blue colors are not only beautiful but go with the theme for celebrating the 4th of July, memorial day, or labor day. Or any other occasion you are celebrating/remembering someone serving our country or our country in any way. This red white and blue berry trifle makes a fair amount so it is great for a big gathering.
Other Red White and Blue Recipes we have!
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes! - delicious combo of white chocolate, fluffy cake, raspberry drizzle and filling.
- Red White and Blue Spritzers- refreshing fruity drink!
FAQ's
Yes! If you are making it 1-2 days ahead of time bake your cane and make your cream. Prepare your fruit but do not layer until a few hours before serving. Keep all three operate in air tight containers in the fridge.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Because of the fruit it won't last more than a few days there.
LETS BE FRIENDS!
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Red, White, and Blue Berry Trifle
Ingredients
SPONGE CAKE
- ½ pound 2 sticks butter
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 6 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Trifle Assembly
- 1+ cup Blueberries use as little or as much berries as desired
- 1+ cup Strawberries use as little or as much berries as desired
- 1+ cup raspberries use as little or as much berries as desired
- 4 cups Whipped Cream
Instant Vanilla Pudding
- 6 oz instant vanilla pudding package
- 3 cups cold milk
Instructions
Pound Cake
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Cream butter and sugar together; add sour cream.
- Sift flour and baking soda together.
- Add to creamed mixture.
- Alternately add eggs, one at a time, beating after each.
- Add vanilla.
- Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. (Check at about 1 hour and 10mins) Or a 9x13 pan for about an hour.
- Bake a few hours in advance to assembling, so the cake is thoroughly cool before layering.
Whip cream and pudding mixture
- Make Instant vanilla pudding according to directions. Stirring together powder and milk and mixing for 2 minutes. allow to chill and thicken in fridge for about 5 minutes. Gently fold in your two cups of whipped cream.
Trifle
- When ready to layer cut cake into about 1inch slices, then cube those slices.
- Place a layer of cake cubes down into your trifle bowl. Press them in so they are packed nice and tight.
- Add 2 cups whipped cream mixture onto the cake, smoothing out to the edges. Then top with sliced strawberries and a layer of blue berries.
- Repeat by adding remaining cake, 2 more cups of whipped cream and remaining berries.
- For the top layer, arrange strawberries and blue berries a little more decoratively.
- refridgerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Emily Kemp says
This is such a showstopper of a dessert, can't wait to try it!