Triple Berry Trifle Recipe
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This Triple Berry Trifle recipe is easy to make and so delicious! It’s a light, no bake dessert that’s filled with layers of angel food cake, pudding & fresh berries. A classic, old-fashioned trifle dessert that everyone loves!
AN EASY BERRY TRIFLE RECIPE
This easy trifle recipe is completely addicting, which turns out great in this case, because it feels so guilt free. Perfect for those trying to eat a little healthier, but also great for summer and 4th of July (I like to plan ahead. 🙂 )
So I know you might be wondering why I’d post a recipe featured lots of fresh fruit smack dab in the middle of winter. Well, let me tell you, because there are many reasons.
- This dessert is so nice and light, it seemed like a great time for it. Angel food cake is pretty light as far as cake goes, and cool whip is light and can be fat free. Pudding is pretty light. Fruit is fruit – healthy. It makes this such a great dessert option for those watching their weight after holiday indulging!
- Fruit was on sale at our grocery store. I had to take advantage of the sale.
- I am dying for summer and fruit season. I love love love fruit and I love it in dessert. And as cold as it’s been in Atlanta the past week (teens and 20s, which is really cold for us), I need a little summer in my life right now.
Plus, like I said, it’s amazing. So why not?
WHAT IS A TRIFLE?
The word “trifle” comes from the old French term “trufle,” which literally means “something whimsical” (see Trifle History). A classic trifle is made with layers of custard poured over slices of sponge cake that have been soaked in fruit and sherry. Top it all off with whipped cream and voila, you’ve got an easy no-bake dessert that you can throw together on a whim!
The trifle recipe shared here is a modern spin on the classic dessert with layers of angel food cake tucked between fresh mixed berries, pudding and whipped cream. I’m telling you… it is so good!
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
Although the finished dessert may look fancy, you only need a few simple ingredients to make this trifle recipe. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Instant cheesecake flavored pudding mix – You could also use vanilla pudding!
- Milk
- Angel food cake cut into pieces – You can use homemade angel food cake, or store bought.
- Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries
- Cool Whip – You could also use homemade whipped cream or even this strawberry whipped cream!
HOW TO MAKE A TRIFLE
One of the best things about trifles is that putting them together really doesn’t require that much work. In fact, if you have kids around the house this is the perfect kind of recipe for them to help with! They can mix the pudding and help layer the berries, pudding, cake and whipped cream into your serving bowl.
Here’s how to make this trifle recipe:
Prepare your ingredients
- Make the pudding according to the package instructions
- Cut your angel food cake into cubes
- Gather your berries.
- Make your whipped cream if using homemade, or get your Cool Whip ready.
Assemble the trifle layers
- In a trifle dish or serving bowl, layer about half of the angel food cake pieces.
- Top the cake pieces with about half of the pudding
- Add a layer of berries, about 1/2 a cup of each kind of berry
- Top the berries with whipped cream or Cool Whip
- Repeat until all of your ingredients are used up, finishing with more berries on top.
- Refrigerate your trifle until you’re ready to serve. It should chill for at least one hour.
MAKE THIS TRIFLE DESSERT YOUR OWN!
You can easily mix things up and adjust ingredients to make this trifle your own. For example:
- Replace the cheesecake flavored pudding with another flavor: Vanilla is a great alternative, but I absolutely love the cheesecake one. The flavor is awesome and is always a hit when I use it.
- Replace the angel food cake with pound cake: I use angel food here just because I like the lightness of angel food.
- Use different fruits: Like diced peaches, mangos and nectarines. Those would all go wonderfully with the berries too!
One of the great things about trifles is how easy they are to put together. Growing up, I actually didn’t bake that much, believe it or not. I did a lot of regular cooking with my mom. She made dinner pretty much every night and I helped a lot. But she’s not into baking, so I didn’t so it that much either.
But we did make trifles. A friend of my mom’s brought a delicious chocolatey one over one night and we fell in love with it and made it all the time. Trifles are awesome, easy and light. You can’t go wrong.
Can You Make a Trifle the Day Before?
Trifle recipes can chill in the fridge for a couple hours, but the day before might be too much. Why? The angel food cake will start to absorb the pudding and juices from the fruit, which will change the texture of your trifle considerably.
Instead of assembling your entire trifle the day before, cut up the fruit and make the pudding. Store these in the fridge. Then the day of you’ll just need to cut up the cake and create the trifle layers.
Can You Freeze Homemade Trifle?
I would not recommend freezing trifle. The texture would change too much during the initial freezing process, and then again when you defrost the trifle.
Trifles Are the Perfect Dessert for Fresh Picked Berries
And this summery, fruity one will totally make you happy if you are stuck in a bunch of cold weather right now.
We are actually in Miami right now and can’t believe how perfectly the timing of our trip worked out. We got to leave the cold behind for the weekend and are in Miami until tonight – our happy place. Some friends had their baby baptized yesterday, so we came down for that and to celebrate the hubs’ birthday.
We have some really great friends down here and since we lived in Fort Lauderdale for a few years, we have some favorite spots and things to do and love to come down at least once a year. The first stop was definitely the beach – so stinkin’ relaxing. Every time we’re here, we wonder why in the world we left and if we should forget everything and move back. It’s been about 80 degrees this weekend. Heaven.
Just down the road from our friends, there’s actually the Knaus Berry Farm where you can go right now and pick fresh strawberries. They also have the most amazing cinnamon rolls. Like, crazy good. There was about an hour line to wait for them when my friend went to get them Saturday morning. But they are amazing and totally worth it, so if you’re ever in the area you have to try them. I’d also recommend getting some strawberries – and making this trifle. Both are things you won’t regret.
More Trifle Recipes You Might Like:
Mini Berry Custard Trifles
Peach Raspberry Sangria Trifle
Mini Tiramisu Trifles
Caramel Cheesecake Brownie Trifle
Easy Lemon Strawberry Trifle
Raspberry Amaretto Cheesecake Trifles
Triple Berry Trifle Recipe
This Triple Berry Trifle recipe is easy to make and so delicious! It’s a light, no bake dessert that’s filled with layers of angel food cake, pudding & fresh berries. This trifle is perfect for parties and holidays!
- Prep Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- two 3.4 oz packages instant cheesecake flavored pudding mix*
- 4 cups milk
- Angel food cake (about 12 oz), cut into pieces
- 1 cup chopped strawberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- 1 cup chopped raspberries
- 12 oz cool whip (or homemade whipped cream)
Instructions
Notes
Amounts of berries listed are for inside the trifle. If you want to be able to use sliced strawberries to decorate the edges of the layers and have enough berries to add to the top, you’ll need additional berries. I’d recommend at last a 1 lb container of strawberries. If you want to be able to add more blueberries and raspberries to the top, then about 11-12 oz containers.
Keywords: trifle recipe, easy trifle recipe, berry trifle, english trifle, trifle dessert, strawberry trifle
Enjoy!
Hi Lindsay your trifle looks very summery. I dont know what cheesecake puddingmix is but I am sure it tastes amazing in this trifle
I’m so jealous! You’re lucky to be in Miami during this deep freeze!
This dessert looks heavenly. So light!
I am in awe of this being guilt free. I could eat this all day!
I love whipping up a trifle for an easy, lighter dessert idea. This triple berry version looks delicious 🙂
Oh dear I want this stat. I’m craving fresh fruit and summer too! You lucky girl all warm and relaxing in Miami right now. Totally jealous!
this looks amazing – I love all the fruit and the lightness of this – yum!!
Yum! Delicious but still healthy 🙂 I love that berries are so low-cal but also sooo delicious.
Girl, this sounds amazing. I love the pictures too- you always make deserts look so appetizing and I’m a salty kid! Awesome work with this 🙂
I saw that you were down in Miami! I hope you had fun! I always love a lightened up cake with fresh berries!
This trifle looks gorgeous, Lindsay! Such a nice change from all of the chocolate desserts. I’m loving all of the berries in here! Hope you have a wonderful time in Miami!
This looks delicious!! Yum!! …and your so great! happy early 4th of July!! 🙂 Looks so tasty!
This trifle is beautiful!!! Such perfect layers! I love that you used angel food cake and cream cheese pudding! I bet it is delicious and the perfect end to a light meal!
Do you have any Angel Food Cake recipes? It’s my brother’s favorite cake and I’m still trying to find that perfect recipe. I just love everything you post and make!
I’m so glad you enjoy the recipes! Unfortunately, I haven’t experimented with Angel Food Cake yet. I’ll have to add it to the list. 🙂
Awesome recipe Lindsay. Looks sooo delish I am planning to make it for a group of friends while we are on holidays. There will be 12 of us. Will this be enough or should I make two?
I guess that depends on the size of your appetite. 🙂 If you are serving it with other things, it’ll probably be enough. If not, you might want more.
Using this recipe for Thanksgiving, to offset the pumpkin. Hope it goes well. Thank-you for a wonderful recipe.
If I make this tonight and put it n the fridge, will it be ok tomorrow or will it get soggy?
It should be fine overnight.
Making this for Easter Sunday! Thanks for the tips.
If I use sugar free pudding will I still only need two small boxes or…? Looking for diabetic friendly desserts. Fresh berries and cool whip sound great, just not sure about the pudding. Thanks!
I would think sugar free pudding would be the same, unless the package sizes are different.
My sister Autumn does this with lemon curd. This looks super awesome! Thanks for sharing.
Do you think this will work as a cake vs. a trifle….bottom layer 9 x 13 cake, then pudding, then berries, then cool whip?
Thanks for your help!
I do think that’d be fine – and delicious!
Looks absolutely delicious…can you make it 2 days ahead and refrigerate?
I’d really suggest making it just a day ahead, just so that the fruit doesn’t get too soft or release a ton of juices. But you probably do 2 days in a pinch.
I have a “stupid” question….you say to add PREPARED pudding to the top of angel food cake. Does prepared mean “set”? In other words, do I put the pudding into refrigerator and set it before I put it in the dish, or put it in runny and unset?
Thanks for your answer!
Chris Cooke
cookex2@yahoo.com
No, you add it after you’d made it, but before it’s set.
I thought that this was called a Berry Trifle, not a Triple Berry Trifle. And because you Like to write (In a good way), it would be helpful if you could ell us about the dessert such as where it originated, when the people eat this etc.
Do you need a certain plate, or will a plate work the same?
You need a trifle dish.
Do you think you could use frozen berries? I have a big bag someone gave me and I need to use it! I realize it might get a little soggy. What do you think?
Yea, other than the texture of the berries being fairly different, it should be fine.
I never leave reviews, but i made this for a Memorial Day party we were attending and it was a HIT! Literally so easy and so delicious! I might have had half of the trifle myself but thats another story.. I also gave some to by 1 year old and he nearly attacked me to have more. Definitely 5 stars in my book!
★★★★★
That’s wonderful to hear! Thanks Lauren!
Took it to a cookout this weekend and everyone LOVED it. Thank you for the recipe it was delicious
★★★★★
Would this recipe be better in a 3 qt or 4 qt trifle bowl?
My family has made this dessert often through the years but with some small changes. For the pudding, we mix two small boxes of vanilla instant pudding, 3 cups of milk, half a teaspoon of rum extract (I add more to taste at times), and then fold a about half of a container of Cool Whip into it. Our layers end up being angel food cake, pudding mixture, fruit, etc. Then we top with the remaining Cool Whip and berries as decoration!
★★★★★
This is delicious. I have made it with sugar-free pudding for my diabetic sister and 2 boxes is plenty. I’ve also used frozen berries but I do thaw them first so they don’t make the trifle soggy. My favorite is to substitute white chocolate pudding for the cheesecake pudding.
★★★★★