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Easy Berry Trifle

Easy Berry Trifle

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Prepare the custard: Pour custard powder and sugar into a small saucepan. Add milk and stir or whisk to combine. Heat over medium heat stirring frequently until hot and thickened. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and cool for a bit. Once cool, cover and refrigerate for a few hours or, overnight.
  2. Prepare the whipped cream: Using a hand mixer, whip 35% cream in a medium bowl until it holds stiff peaks. Set aside. Whip cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls whipping to combine until light and fluffy.
  3. Assemble the trifle: Add half the quantity of cubed cake to the trifle dish, spreading out in an even layer. Add half the quantity of custard followed by half the quantity of berries, once again spreading in an even layer. Add an even layer of whipped cream. Repeat layers. Smooth the final layer of whipped cream but add a dollop or two to the centre.
  4. To serve: Add additional berries and fresh mint leaves to the top of the trifle bowl. Serve immediately.
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Easy Berry Trifle

3 / 5. 2

Cubes of angel food cake layered with vanilla custard, assorted fresh berries, and a lemony cream cheese whipped cream…

  • clock icon
    25 MIN
  • 8 SERVINGS
Easy Berry Trifle.

Whenever you’re in need of a quick dessert idea, remember this EASY BERRY TRIFLE recipe.

With only four steps, this classic dessert is simple to prepare but is also visually appealing, easy to serve and mighty scrumptious too. We also highly recommend this version in the summer months when assorted fresh berries are in season. This trifle recipe truly tastes like summer!

Before we go through the steps to make a trifle, how about a request? Please remember to PIN this recipe on a favourite Pinterest dessert board and SHARE it with friends. We also appreciate seeing pics whenever you make our recipes, so use #weekendatthecottage when you post your photos on Facebook and Instagram. Thanks for sharing with the world!

One more “nice to know” – check out our line of food products, available for purchase. Our SPICE BLENDS, RUBS AND DIPS are just the things to add a pop of flavour to any recipe, and our famous BBQ SAUCE works with everything. Click HERE to order online, or HERE to find a nearby retailer. Thanks!

Without further delay, here’s how to make an EASY BERRY TRIFLE:

The various ingredients needed to make Easy Berry Trifle.

WHAT IS TRIFLE?

A bit of backstory on this famous confection; traditional English trifle first appeared in cookery books of the 16th century, and was prepared as a thick, flavoured cream often served with puréed fruit. By the mid-1700s, trifles took the form many know of today; cake or biscuits, sometimes soaked with fortified wine or spirits, layered with custard, cream and fruit. Fingers crossed we captured that in the ingredient photo. We love how there’s nothing complicated about shopping for the items needed to make this homemade trifle.

Angel food cake sitting on a plate.

THE CAKE

In researching what kind of cake works best in trifle, we discovered a number of options. Although we decided not to soak the cake with wine, brandy, liqueur or fruit syrup, we still wanted a cake with a slightly delicate, spongy texture, ensuring every bite would be soft on the tongue. When making this at home, feel free to try it with pound cake, lemon loaf, sponge cake or angel food, which is what we used.

Angel food cake sliced and cut into 1-inch cubes.

You can also use savoiardi or lady fingers, but we think they’re best suited to our classic HAZELNUT TIRAMISU, the cookies soaking up the Frangelico hazelnut liquor perfectly. Pro tip: you can make the ANGEL FOOD CAKE from scratch, but why go through all that trouble? A good quality, store-bought cake yields the same sweet result. 

Bowls of custard powder, whole milk and granulated sugar to make vanilla custard.

VANILLA CUSTARD

Similar to our pro tip about the cake, the same goes for the vanilla custard. We loved the way BIRD’S CUSTARD POWDER performs, but any instant vanilla pudding mix will work in a pinch too. If using instant pudding follow package directions to prepare. If you have the time, make the custard the day before assembling your trifle.

Vanilla custard made with Bird's custard powder or instant pudding mix.

Once you’ve finished making the trifle, we recommend refrigerating it for an hour or two before serving, keeping the custard chilled. This helps keep the trifle’s layers perfect, adding a bit of structure to the finished dessert.

Bowls of raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries.

MIXED BERRIES

What’s not to love about freshly picked berries? Mixed berries not only impart a pleasing colour combination to the trifle, but they also add layers and layers of fresh flavour. We suggest following our lead and using a combination of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Freshly picked, locally grown berries seem to taste better somehow, so track them down or go pick your own; you will taste the difference.

A measure of 35% cream plus bowls of cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice and a fresh lemon ready to be zested.

WHIPPED CREAM

Now, there’s whipped cream… and then there’s the heavenly whipped cream we created for this dessert. What sets it apart? We decided to boost the flavour profile by first blending cream cheese with icing sugar and lemon juice. We then folded whipped 35% cream into that mixture, creating a fluffy, lemony cream that brightens the flavours of both the berries and the custard.

A bowl of cream cheese whipped cream.

We know opening a tub of Cool Whip may be easier, but making this whipped cream for this particular recipe is way tastier. Feel free to use a hand mixer or stand mixer to make this component of the recipe.

A bowl of homemade trifle garnished with fresh berries and mint leaves.

ASSEMBLE

Assembling a homemade trifle is easy and forgiving; it’s all about layering the various components in an attractive way. We added our layers as follows: sponge cake, custard, berries and whipped cream. This order provides enough space for each layer to remain distinct within the bowl. Don’t forget, trifles are desserts that deserve to be shown off, so make it look beautiful. 

Easy Berry Trifle served on a dessert buffet with champagne.

Speaking of beautiful, we love making trifles in a footed glass bowl to showcase the various layers. There’s a link to purchase this traditional serving piece down below if you need one. Something else to consider is having extra berries and fresh mint at the ready for when you serve. Adding them to the top of the trifle is a perfect finishing touch.

An individual, small bowl of trifle.

SERVE

Serving this EASY BERRY TRIFLE at table or from a dessert buffet is the way to go. Portioning spoonfuls into small glass or ceramic bowls need not be fussy; a casual, relaxed service is where it’s at. Fair warning, this dessert is so light and easy to enjoy, guests will often have second or third helpings. Leftovers can be covered and refrigerated and should be enjoyed within three days if it lasts that long.

Easy Berry Trifle.

Now, before we send you on your way to make this fabulous dessert, how about a few more to add to your repertoire? If you haven’t already, try our famous CARROT CAKE or our PEACH and APRICOT COBBLERS. Our friends and families love these desserts, and we know yours will too. 

EASY BERRY TRIFLE may be the easiest dessert you’ll ever make, and it’s certainly one of the tastiest!

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Easy Berry Trifle

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Products used in this recipe

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Easy Berry Trifle

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Ingredients

  • For the custard:
  • ¼ cup Bird’s instant custard
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • For the whipped cream:
  • 2 cups 35% cream
  • 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
  • ¾ cup icing sugar 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • 1 angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 pints fresh berries - strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries
  • To garnish:
  • fresh berries
  • fresh mint

Directions

  1. Prepare the custard: Pour custard powder and sugar into a small saucepan. Add milk and stir or whisk to combine. Heat over medium heat stirring frequently until hot and thickened. Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl and cool for a bit. Once cool, cover and refrigerate for a few hours or, overnight.
  2. Prepare the whipped cream: Using a hand mixer, whip 35% cream in a medium bowl until it holds stiff peaks. Set aside. Whip cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls whipping to combine until light and fluffy.
  3. Assemble the trifle: Add half the quantity of cubed cake to the trifle dish, spreading out in an even layer. Add half the quantity of custard followed by half the quantity of berries, once again spreading in an even layer. Add an even layer of whipped cream. Repeat layers. Smooth the final layer of whipped cream but add a dollop or two to the centre.
  4. To serve: Add additional berries and fresh mint leaves to the top of the trifle bowl. Serve immediately.

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