Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

Light and fresh Strawberry Shortcake Trifle takes minutes to assemble, which makes it great for entertaining!

Strawberry Short Cake Trifle is practically our Strawberries and Cream Angel Food Cake recipe but in trifle form! It makes for a super easy dessert that effortlessly feeds a whole crowd.

A summer favorite!

This fresh dessert is a summer favorite!!

Strawberry shortcake trifle is part Strawberry Shortcake (but with Angel Food Cake) with a white chocolate cheesecake mousse, all combined in trifle form. It’s cold, creamy, light, and perfect for summertime.

A fruit trifle is similar to a parfait, except that it is served in a large glass bowl, whereas parfaits are served in individual containers.

The layers and ingredients of a trifle can vary, but generally always include some type of cake layer, fruit layer, a creamy pudding or custard layer, and often a flavorful jam layer. 

We love that this Angel Food Cake Trifle serves plenty for a summer party, BBQ, or holiday (it’s perfect for the Fourth of July) and it’s also quite simple to make.

I’ll definitely be making this strawberry angel food cake trifle again, and soon, because it is so yummy and easy to throw together!

How to Make a Strawberry Trifle

PREP. Begin by cutting your angel food cake into 1-inch squares. Set aside. Slice all of your strawberries.

CREAM MIXTURE. Make the pudding as directed on the box. (Mix the Instant pudding mix with the 2 cups of milk until you reach a pudding consistency). Add the whipping cream to the pudding and mix until combined.

ASSEMBLE. Make the trifle by adding ½ cream mixture to the bottom. Then add half of the angel food cake squares. Then add your sliced strawberries.

Top off with the remaining angel food cake pieces, the other half of the cream mixture, and then a strawberry on top.

Add more layers

Add more layers by doing ⅓ cream mixture instead. Then add half the strawberries and half the angel food cake pieces.

Repeat with another ⅓ cream mixture, half of the strawberries, the other half of the angel food cake pieces, and the remaining cream mixture with a strawberry on top.

Variations

Here are a few ways to change this up:

• Add other fresh berries such as raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Check out your local farmer’s market to find fruit that is in season. 
• Pour on strawberry sauce or Chocolate Fudge.
• Add white chocolate shavings. Layer in white chocolate chips.
• Replace the angel food cake with White Cake, Chocolate Cake, or Pound Cake cubes. 

Recipe Tips

Angel food. Angel Food Cake was used to make this berry trifle. I love how light and fluffy the texture is. Use your favorite angel food cake recipe, buy a box mix, or purchase a plain angel food cake at your local bakery. 

Strawberries. Picking a good strawberry will really make this dish shine.

• A perfectly ripe strawberry is a deep red color with no green or white spots.
• It should not be too mushy but have a good solid texture with a bright green top. They will also have a nice sweet aroma. 

Macerate the strawberries. Chop them, toss them in granulated sugar, and let them rest for about 30 minutes. The sugar will soften the berries and pull out the sweet juices.

• Use frozen strawberries, but first thaw, drain the liquid and toss them in the sugar. 

Cool whip. We used a tub of cool whip. Make your own whipped cream using heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Be sure to whip it until soft peak forms. 

Serving bowl. I like to use a large glass bowl so that the beautiful and delicious layers of this Strawberry Shortcake Trifle shine through, but any bowl or fun-shaped pan will work.

Storing info

Make this ahead of time. I would suggest only making this Strawberry Shortcake Trifle recipe the day of, or the excess strawberry juice and cream will seep into the cake making it soggy.

To store it before eating, cover the trifle dish with a piece of cling wrap or foil to keep it fresh.

To prepare the ingredients 1-2 days in advance, store the different ingredients in separate containers in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the trifle. 

STORE any leftover Strawberry Trifle, covered, in the fridge.

Recipe FAQ

For more trifle desserts, try:

• Candy Bar Trifle
• Brownies and Cream Fruit Trifle
• Grasshopper Trifle
• Oogie Boogie Trifle
• Chocolate Spider Trifle