Whip up this fruit trifle the next time you need an easy way to impress your guests with a beautiful treat! Made with layers of angel food cake, fresh fruit, and whipped topping, this simple trifle is a scrumptious no bake dessert everyone loves.
Make this beautiful summer dessert the next time you need a quick and easy treat to show off to your guests then use any leftover fruit to make a fruit salad with honey lime dressing, easy fruit pizza cookies or this strawberry fluff.
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Easy Fruit Trifle Recipe
This is a delicious dessert recipe that doubles as a show-stopping centerpiece! In the fall and winter months, I love making a pumpkin cheesecake trifle, but in the summer, this light and airy fruit trifle is a delightful change!
A fruit trifle is incredibly easy to make despite how elegant it looks with all the layers. Part of what makes it so easy is that we’re using store-bought cake and cool whip, so half the work is already done!
It’s made with layers of light and airy angel food cake, a layer of creamy pudding and cool whip, and fresh berries. I’m keeping with a red white and blue theme with blueberries and strawberries for the 4th of July or Memorial Day, but on other days I like to mix it up with all kinds of colorful fruit!
Ingredients/shopping list
- Cheesecake Instant Pudding Mix & Milk: This is used for the cream layer. When mixed with the milk it goes from a powder to a cheesecake flavored pudding. Use whole milk or low-fat milk.powder to a cheesecake flavored pudding.
- Whipped Topping: I use a tub of cool whip, thawed. It’s sweet and holds its structure without thinning out and becoming runny at room temperature.
- Angel Food Cake: This light and airy cake absorb flavors like a sponge. It is made with whipped egg whites so it’s nice and fluffy. Use a store-bought cake, a homemade cake, or a cake mix. If making your own, plan accordingly and make sure the cake is completely cooled before making the trifle.
- Strawberries & Blueberries: Washed, hulled, and picked over for stems and debris. You’ll want to slice the strawberries into quarters and make sure the fruit is pat dry.
Variations/ Substitutions
1. Use different fruit! Whatever is in season is always a great way to go. Try kiwi, pitted cherries, banana slices, mandarin oranges, grapes, raspberries, blackberries, peaches, mango, you name it!
2. Try a different pudding flavor. I love the cheesecake, but you could also go with vanilla pudding, lemon pudding, or even chocolate pudding for a chocolate trifle.
3. Swap the angel food cake for a different type of store-bought pound cake or sponge cake . A layer of lady fingers is also a popular choice. Go with chocolate if you’re using chocolate pudding.
4. If you enjoy whipped cream, use cold heavy whipping cream instead and whip it to stiff peaks with an electric mixer on medium-high speed.
5. For extra sweetness, toss your fruit in a couple of spoons of melted jam.
How to Make A Fruit Trifle
You can certainly make your own from scratch or a boxed mix, but in the summer I like to find ways to make the easiest desserts without turning on the oven.
Step 1: Cut the cake into cubes. I usually do this by slicing the cake and then cutting the slices into 4 squares.
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk the instant pudding and milk together until combined. Then, add half of the container of cool whip to the pudding mixture and mix to combine..
Step 3: Before adding the fruit to the bottom of the bowl, be sure to set some aside in a small bowl for the topping. In a trifle bowl or large glass bowl, add half of the angel food cake squares.
Step 4: On top of that, add half the strawberries and half of the blueberries. Then, add the pudding over the fruit and spread evenly for the pudding layer.
Step 5: Repeat by adding the rest of the cake topped with the rest of the fruit.
Step 6: Top with a dollop of remaining cool whip and any extra fruit you may have if desired. Sometimes I will add a few mint leaves for garnish. Enjoy!
Tips
- Use a glass bowl or trifle dish. This is so you can see the distinct layers which is a signature element of any trifle.
- Serve it with a long serving spoon. Reach in to scoop out a bit of everything.
- Make individual portions in little parfait glasses or mason jars so that everyone can have their own.
- A fruit trifle is best assembled just before serving, especially the top layer of fruit and whipped topping. However, you can make it the day you serve it and keep it chilled for a few hours. The cake will have a chance to absorb some of the juices.
- The longer it sits, the soggier the cake will get, so don’t make it any longer than 24 hours ahead!
FAQ’s
You can! You’ll want to make sure the fruit is thawed first and drained of any excess liquids.
Trifles are a traditional English dessert made with layers of sponge cake or lady fingers that are soaked in sherry or wine, fruit, and custard. The word trifle means “something whimsical” so although it’s not a direct translation to a recipe, we can associate it with layers of cake, cream, and fruit.
Although, there have been adaptions and plenty of types of trifles have been invented since.
I wouldn’t recommend it. The texture would be off once thawed.
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Fruit Trifle
Ingredients
- 3 ounces cheesecake instant pudding mix one box
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 8 ounces whipped topping thawed (Cool Whip)
- 15 ounce angel food cake store-bought, box cake or homemade
- 2 cups strawberries quartered
- 1 pint fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Slice the angel food cake and then dice each slice into 4 squares.15 ounce angel food cake
- In a large mixing bowl, add the instant pudding mix and milk and whisk together until combined.3 ounces cheesecake instant pudding mix, 1 ½ cups milk
- Add 4 ounces (half) of the container of whipped topping and whisk into the pudding mixture.8 ounces whipped topping
- Set aside a few strawberries and blueberries to add to the top of the trifle if desired.2 cups strawberries, 1 pint fresh blueberries
- In a trifle bowl or other large glass bowl, add half of the angel food cake squares.
- Then add half of the strawberries and half of the blueberries.
- Add all of the cheesecake pudding and spread it evenly over the fruit layer.
- Add the remaining cake cubes over the pudding and then layer the remaining strawberries and blueberries.
- Top with the remaining 4 ounces of whipped topping (and extra fruit, if desired).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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