This easy to make patriotic Red, White and Blue Berry Trifle recipe is filled with layers of fresh berries, whipped cream cheese topping and sweet angel food cake. While the colors of this trifle makes a perfect Memorial Day or July 4th dessert don’t wait for those two holidays to enjoy it. This trifle is so tasty and easy to make that it’s perfect for just about any family gathering.
Simple ingredients and a store bought angel food cake means you can put this dessert together in under 30 minutes. That includes the time to make the decorative berry topping.
Don’t want to use a store bought angel food cake? No problem. We give you some quick tips on how to easily prep any type of angel food cake that you make at home so you can still put your trifle together quick and easy. Just follow the step by step instructions below and check out all the tips to help you out.
Patriotic Red, White And Blue Berry Trifle Recipe
Start by gathering and prepping your ingredients. It will help making this trifle easy to do if all the prep work is done. Here’s what you’ll need.
Ingredients for this Patriotic Red, White And Blue Berry Trifle
Blueberries – get your berries a day or two before you make this so they are fresh.
Strawberries – prep your fresh strawberries by washing them well (try this homemade fruit and vegetable wash) and cutting the tops off. Set aside about 1/4 of the strawberries to use for the top of the trifle. Slice the remaining strawberries in half.
Angel food cake – you can use a store-bought angel food cake or make your own using a boxed cake mix. If you make your own angel food cake you will want to bake it and allow it to fully cool before slicing into cubes. Use a knife with a serrated edge to make it easier to cut.
Whipped topping – I used Cool Whip. You can use your favorite whipped topping.
Cream cheese – I used regular cream cheese. You can easily swap out for light or fat free cream cheese.
Milk – I used regular milk, but you can use another type of milk or even milk substitute such as almond or soy milk.
Granulated sugar – just a touch to sweeten the whipped cream cheese topping. Use granulated or swap it for your favorite type of granulated sugar.
Lemon juice – use fresh or bottled.
Vanilla extract – can’t leave out the vanilla. It adds flavor to the whipped topping layers.
You will also need the following equipment:
- Trifle bowl
- Mixing bowl
- Hand mixer
- Sharp knife
- Spatula
- Cutting board
How to make this Red, White and Blue Berry Trifle:
Start by making the cheesecake filling. Place the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Add the milk, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract to the bowl. Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese mixture until smooth.
Fold in the whipped topping.
To assemble your trifle start by placing a layer of about 1/3 of the angel food cake cubes on the bottom of your dish or trifle bowl.
Spoon 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture on top of the angel food cake and spread evenly.
Add a layer of strawberry halves on top of the cream cheese mixture.
Add another layer of angel food cake cubes (about half of whatever you have left after layer 1).
Add another layer of the cream cheese mixture (use half of whatever you have left after layer 1).
Divide the blueberries in half. Set half aside as these will be used to decorate the top of the cake. With the other half of the blueberries, you will make the blue layer of the cake. Here’s how to get the blue layer to show well in the trifle bowl. Place a portion of the blueberries for the filling into the bowl. Save some for the next step.
Add a layer of angel food cake cubes to the middle of the bowl. You want to leave a small space around the edge. This is so you can add in some blueberries around the edge.
Take the remaining blueberries you saved from making your blueberry layer and fit them between the angel food cake cubes and the edge of the bowl (don’t use the blueberries saved for the topping design to do this). These blueberries will be placed up against the trifle dish so the blueberry layer will show up once you add the cream cheese mixture.
Top the blueberries with the last of the cream cheese mixture and evenly spread it over the top of the cake.
To decorate the top of the cake with a star design start by drawing a star on top of the cake. I used the edge of a fork to lightly trace/draw a star design into the whipped topping.
Take the portion of strawberries that you saved and cut them into thin slices. Start by cutting the top off. Place the strawberries, cut side down and point side up, on a cutting board and vertically slice into thin slices.
Take these slices and begin filling up the space between the points of the star design. Start at the smallest point between the points of the star and fill in going down from the smaller space to the larger space by the edge of the bowl.
Once you have the spaces between the star filled you can add your blueberries to the star design.
Storage Instructions:
Leftovers will last 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator in a covered container.
Can I make this ahead of time?
While you can make the cream cheese filling ahead of time, I would put the trifle together on the day when it is needed. If it is made a day or two ahead the angel food cake will absorb too much moisture from the fruit and filling. This will turn the angel food cake mushy.
Can I use other fruit in this trifle?
Sure, you can use a different type of fruit. If you are trying to keep with the red (strawberries), white (cheesecake topping/angel food cake) and blue (blueberries) theme you can swap out strawberries for raspberries and blueberries for blackberries.
Can I use something other than angel food cake in this trifle?
Yes, you can use pound cake in place of the angel food cake. Pound cake is firm and easily cut into cubes. Don’t want to use pound cake? You can also use a yellow cake. Cake is a bit crumblier than angel food or pound cake. You can cut the cake into cubes or just crumble it up right into the trifle bowl.
You can also make your own angel food cake rather than using a store bought cake. If you do choose to make your own angel food cake you will want to make it the day before or at least several hours before putting the trifle together. The cake will need time to cool off before you can cut it into cubes.
Red, White and Blue Berry Trifle
Equipment
- Trifle bowl
- Mixing bowl
- hand mixer
- Sharp knife
- Spatula
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 2 pounds fresh blueberries
- 2 pounds strawberries
- 1 1/2 Angel food cake
- 16 ounces whipped topping
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Prep your ingredients:
- Wash the fruit. Cut the tops off of the strawberries. Set aside ¼ of the strawberries to use on top of the cake. Cut the remainder of the strawberries in half. Cut the angel food cake into small cubes.
Make the cream cheese filling:
- Place the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Add the milk, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract to the bowl. Using a mixer beat the cream cheese mixture until smooth.
- Fold in the whipped topping.
Assemble the trifle:
- To assemble your trifle start by placing a layer of about 1/3 of the angel food cake cubes on the bottom of your dish or trifle bowl.
- Spoon 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture on top of the angel food cake and spread evenly.
- Add a layer of strawberry halves on top of the cream cheese mixture.
- Add another layer of angel food cake cubes (about half of whatever you have left after layer 1).
- Add another layer of the cream cheese mixture (use half of whatever you have left after layer 1).
- Divide the blueberries in half. Set half aside as these will be used to decorate the top of the cake. With the other half of the blueberries, you will make the blue layer of the cake. Here’s how to get the blue layer to show well in the trifle bowl. Place a portion of the blueberries for the filling into the bowl. Save some for the next step.
- Add a layer of angel food cake cubes to the middle of the bowl. You want to leave a small space around the edge. This is so you can add in some blueberries around the edge. Take the remaining blueberries you saved from making your blueberry layer and fit them between the angel food cake cubes and the edge of the bowl (don’t use the blueberries saved for the topping design to do this).
- Top with the last of the cream cheese mixture and evenly spread it over the top of the cake.
Decorate the trifle top:
- To decorate the top of the cake with a star design start by drawing a star on top of the cake. I used the edge of a fork to lightly trace/draw a star design into the top.
- Take the portion of strawberries that you saved and cut them into thin slices. Start by cutting the top off. Place the strawberries, point up, on a cutting board and vertically slice into thin slices. Take these slices and begin filling up the space between the points of the star design. Start at the smallest point between the points of the star and fill in going down from the smaller space to the larger space by the edge of the bowl.
- Once you have the spaces between the star filled you can add your blueberries to the star design.
Nutrition
Keep the trifle refrigerated until you are ready to serve it.
If you like this recipe you may also like these:
Patriotic Charcuterie Board (Dessert and Cheese Board)
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