Erin Merhar is the Food Director at ThePioneerWoman.com. She oversees the site's test kitchen, recipes, photography and video programs. She is a professional chef and food stylist, with a deep passion for pizza.
Red, White, and Blue Trifle
It's layered with cake, fresh berries, and fluffy whipped cream!
When you're looking for festive 4th of July desserts or just an easy summer treat, turn to this red, white, and blue trifle to satisfy your sweet tooth. Some background on the popular dessert: Classic trifle recipes are layered with pound cake and fruit, then served in a glass bowl so you can admire all its layers. Best of all, with this recipe, there's no baking required! With the help of one particular store-bought ingredient, it comes together quicker than you can say "Happy 4th of July"... almost. The key to this patriotic trifle is using fresh, ripe berries. Skip the frozen fruit here. There's no need to toss the berries with extra sugar either; let their natural sweetness and juiciness shine bright! We use blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries, though you can easily swap in raspberries or fresh pitted cherries, too. Just make sure you take a picture of your colorful trifle before digging in!
How do you make a trifle?
It really couldn't be easier. All you have to do is whip up the fluffy whipped cream mixture, cube the cake, prep the berries, and layer everything into a trifle dish. You start with the cake, then comes blue and blackberries. Next, dollop in the whipped cream and finally sprinkle on strawberries. Pile in more cake and whipped cream, top with more berries, and it's ready to serve!
Do you have to make your own cake?
A store-bought pound cake works just fine, and it makes this dessert incredibly easy! If you want to go the extra mile and make your own, try Ree Drummond's famous pound cake recipe. For an even lighter version of this red, white, and blue trifle, use angel food cake instead.
Can you make red, white, and blue trifle the night before?
Be our guest! This trifle can be made up to 24 hours in advance. It's the perfect dessert to make the day before, stash in the fridge, and break out for a wow-worthy 4th of July dessert. Don't worry about the cake getting soggy overnight. Pound cake can stand up to a little bit of moisture! After a few days in the fridge, though, the cake will start to soften.
- Yields:
- 8 - 10 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 30 mins
- Total Time:
- 30 mins
Ingredients
- 8 oz.
cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 c.
granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 c.
heavy cream
- 1 tsp.
vanilla extract
- 1 lb.
pound cake, cubed
- 2
6 oz. containers blueberries (about 2 cups)
- 2
6 oz. containers blackberries (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 1/2 qt.
strawberries, stems removed, sliced
Directions
- Step 1Combine the cream cheese and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. With the mixer on medium, slowly add the heavy cream and vanilla and mix until combined. Switch to the whisk attachment and whip at medium speed until soft peaks form and the mixture is easy to dollop.
- Step 2Place a single layer of cake cubes in a large trifle dish (about 12 to 14 cups). Top with 2/3 of the blueberries and blackberries, then 1/2 of the whipped cream (about 2 cups), then 2/3 of the strawberries. Repeat the cake and cream layers once more, then decorate the top with the remaining berries. Serve immediately or make in advance and store for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
One-half of this perfect pound cake, diced, will give you the 8 cups of cake that you need for this trifle.
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