Berry Trifle
Posted Jun 07, 2026
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This berry trifle recipe is a light and easy dessert. Layers of angel food cake, fresh berries tossed in a delicious sauce, and homemade whipped cream come together in this stunning, make-ahead dessert perfect for summer gatherings and holidays.
If you’re looking for a show-stopping dessert that feels fancy but is actually super easy to put together, you need to make this berry trifle recipe.
With layers of light and airy angel food cake, sweet fresh berries tossed in a delicious sauce, and rich homemade whipped cream, every spoonful is light, sweet, and bursting with all the best flavors of summer.
I especially love this recipe because it’s best when made in advance and perfect for feeding a crowd. Whether you’re hosting a summer BBQ, celebrating a holiday, or are just craving something light and sweet, this berry trifle is the most perfect summer dessert.
Plus, you can customize it with your favorite berries and cake, making it as simple or as elevated as you want. Trust me—once you make it, it’ll become your go-to warm weather dessert!
Berry Trifle Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
- Whipping cream/powdered sugar. I prefer to make homemade whipped cream for this recipe. It takes less than 5 minutes and tastes so much better than store bought. You can sub cool whip if you prefer to make this even easier.
- Angel food cake. Homemade angel food cake or store bought both work well. Or, use your favorite cake, pound cake, chocolate cake, yellow cake, etc.
- Strawberries and blueberries. You can use any berries or fruit you prefer. Suggestions include blackberries, raspberries and bananas!
- Seedless strawberry jam. use your favorite seedless jam, raspberry is also amazing.
- Lemon juice. in a pinch, lime juice or orange juice work well.
- Trifle dish. I know this isn’t exactly an “ingredient” but I’ve had this trifle dish for years and use it to make this recipe, dirt cake, etc. You can also find a similar trifle dish on Amazon.
How to Make a Berry Trifle
Like I’ve said again and again, this recipe is so easy to make.
Prepare the Layers
Start with mixing the sauce ingredients together. I promise, you don’t want to skip this step. It adds so much flavor to the strawberry layer, which then seeps into the rest of the trifle.
Then, hull and quarter the strawberries. You can dice them if you prefer to have smaller pieces. Transfer the sliced strawberries to a mixing bowl.
Add the jam mixture and stir until the strawberries are coated.
Then, make the homemade whipped cream layer. Start by whipping the cream until it beings to thicken.
Then, add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Next, cut the cake into bite-sized cubes.
Assemble the Berry Trifle
Once all the layers are prepped, it’s time to assemble the berry trifle. Start by arranging ⅓ of the angel food cake cubes in a single layer in the bottom of a trifle dish.
Then add ⅓ of the strawberry mixture on top of the cake. I like to put the strawberries on top of the cake so the jam/sauce soaks into the cake pieces. And spread ⅓ of the whipping cream on top of the strawberries.
Put ⅓ of the blueberries on top of the whipped cream, then repeat in the same order as before until al the ingredients are used.
The last layer should be whipped cream, then you can decorate the top with some fresh strawberries and blueberries if you’d like. Or you can pipe a pretty design on top with the whipped cream.
Chill the finished berry trifle in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, and up to overnight.
Serve
Serve it cold for the best taste and texture. It’s a great dessert to serve with your favorite summer recipes. You can also take the layers and make them in individual cups for individual servings.
More Summer Berry Recipes
You’ll love these delicious summer berry recipe!
- Mixed berry pie
- Strawberry ice cream
- Raspberry Brownies with raspberry frosting
- American flag cake
- Fresh berry s’mores
- Blueberry pie or strawberry pie
Store
Once you’ve served from it, store the berry trifle in the refrigerator and cover the top with plastic wrap or foil. You can also transfer the contents of the trifle dish to an airtight container to store it in the fridge. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, as freezing changes the texture of the berries.
Berry Trifle Recipe FAQS
I prefer angel food cake, but there are so many delicious options: Pound cake, sponge cake, bundt cake, or even vanilla cake all work well. Choose a sturdy cake that can hold up to the layers without getting too soggy. You can change it up and use chocolate cake too!
A berry trifle will last for up to 2 to 3 days in the fridge. The cake starts becoming soggy after that point.
This trifle recipe is best when made 4 to 24 hours in advance.
Make sure your berries are dry before using them in this recipe. Keep the trifle chilled.
Homemade whipped cream is best for flavor and texture, but store-bought whipped cream or whipped topping like cool whip can be used to make the recipe even easier.
Yes, you can add a layer of vanilla pudding before the whipped cream each time.
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Berry Trifle Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups whipping cream
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 angel food cake (or pound cake, 10 to 12 ounces)
- 2 pounds strawberries
- 1 pint blueberries
Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons seedless strawberry jam
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon honey (or sugar)
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Sauce
- Make the sauce by whisking the ingredients together in a small bowl.
Prepare the Strawberry Layer
- Hull the strawberries (cut the green tops off).
- Cut them into thin slices.
- Put the strawberries in a large bowl.
- Add the sauce and stir to combine.
- Let sit while you prepare the rest of the trifle.
Make the Whipped Cream Layer
- Beat whipping cream in a large bowl fitted with the wire whisk attachment on high speed until it begins to thicken.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat on high speed until thick peaks form. Set aside.
Assemble the Berry Trifle
- Cut the angel food cake into ½” cubes.
- Evenly arrange half of the angel food cake cubes into the bottom of a trifle dish.
- Then, arrange half of the sliced strawberries on top. If you’re going for a red, white and blue look make sure to arrange them on the edge of the dish first so they are visible.
- Spread ⅓ of the whipped cream on top of the strawberries.
- Add ½ of the blueberries on top of the whipped cream.
- Then, add the second half and remaining angel food cake cubes over the blueberries.
- Arrange the rest of the strawberries over the angel food layer.
- Add another ⅓ of the whipping cream on top of the strawberries.
- Then, add the remaining blueberries on top of the whipped cream.
- Finally, spread the whipped cream over the blueberries.
- If desired, decorate the top with some fresh strawberries and blueberries.
Chill and Serve
- Chill for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator, or overnight.
- Serve cold.
Notes
- Whipping cream/powdered sugar. I prefer to make homemade whipped cream for this recipe. It takes less than 5 minutes and tastes so much better than store bought. You can sub cool whip if you prefer to make this even easier.
- Angel food cake. Homemade angel food cake or store bought both work well. Or, use your favorite cake, pound cake, chocolate cake, yellow cake, etc. Strawberries and blueberries. You can use any berries or fruit you prefer. Suggestions include blackberries, raspberries and bananas!
- Seedless strawberry jam. use your favorite seedless jam, raspberry is also amazing.
- Lemon juice. in a pinch, lime juice or orange juice work well.
- Trifle dish. I know this isn’t exactly an “ingredient” but I’ve had this trifle dish for years and use it to make this recipe, dirt cake, etc. You can also find a similar trifle dish on Amazon.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
