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Strawberry Trifle

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close up shot of a big serving bowl of trifle topped with chopped strawberries
This easy strawberry trifle recipe features dreamy cake layers, juicy strawberries, and creamy pudding. 
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Table of Contents
  1. Strawberry Trifle Cake Ingredients
  2. Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle Substitutions And Additions
  3. How To Make Strawberry Trifle With Cream Cheese
  4. How To Serve Strawberry Cream Cheese Trifle
  5. Storing Strawberry Trifle
  6. Strawberry Trifle Recipe FAQs
  7. More Recipes You’ll Love
  8. JUMP TO RECIPE

This strawberry trifle is a spectacular, decadent-looking layered dessert that you won’t be able to resist. Layers of cake, juicy ripe strawberries, and a creamy cheesecake pudding mixture will make this fantastic dessert the highlight of your meal. 

close up shot of a big serving bowl of trifle topped with chopped strawberries

Strawberry Trifle Cake Ingredients

Strawberry Trifle raw ingredients that are labeled
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 You’ll need: 

  • 1 strawberry cake (use a cake mix and bake in a 9×13-inch baking dish for ease), cooled completely
  • 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 (3.4-ounce) package of instant cheesecake pudding mix (unprepared)
  • 3½ cups of heavy whipping cream, divided into 1½ cups and 2 cups
  • ¾ cup of powdered sugar, divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup
  • 2 pounds of fresh strawberries, stems removed and sliced

PRO TIP:

I do not recommend using frozen fruit for this recipe. It will soak into the cake as it thaws, turning it into mush. Fresh fruit is best for this simple strawberry trifle.

Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle Substitutions And Additions

CREAM: You can substitute milk for a portion (up to half) of the heavy cream in the cream cheese/pudding mixture. This will make a slightly lighter cream, and it will also be a bit thinner. 

PUDDING: Substitute vanilla pudding mix or white chocolate pudding mix for the cheesecake pudding in this delicious recipe. Be sure to use instant pudding mix. 

FRUIT: You could use any combination of your favorite fruit for your trifle dessert. 

CAKE: If you can’t find strawberry cake, you can substitute white cake or vanilla cake in your trifle.

How To Make Strawberry Trifle With Cream Cheese

STEP ONE: Remove the cooled cake from the baking dish and slice it into ¾ to 1-inch cubes. Set aside. 

cake sliced into cubes on a cutting board

STEP TWO: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together the softened cream cheese and vanilla extract until smooth. 

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature when you add it.

cream cheese and vanilla extract in a bowl

STEP THREE: Beat in the pudding mix until thoroughly combined. The mixture will be thick and lumpy. 

pudding mixture blended into the cream cheese mixture

STEP FOUR: Slowly drizzle in 1½ cups of the heavy cream, beating on low speed constantly and fully incorporating each drizzle of cream (about ⅛ cup at a time) before adding the next drizzle.

PRO TIP:

If you do not drizzle the cream in while mixing, it will be really difficult to get all of the lumps out of the creamy mixture.

heavy cream blended into the ingredients

STEP FIVE: When the cream cheese/pudding mixture is smooth and creamy, add ½ cup of powdered sugar and beat until combined. 

powdered sugar folded into the bowl of ingredients

STEP SIX: Add fresh strawberries to the mixture, reserving about 1 cup of the strawberries for the top of the trifle. 

PRO TIP:

You can also layer the cream and strawberries separately, but it’s easy just to mix them all together.

strawberries folded into the bowl of ingredients

STEP SEVEN: In a large bowl or trifle dish, build the trifle by layering ⅓ of the cake cubes, then about ½ of the strawberries and cream mixture, another layer of cake cubes, the remaining strawberry mixture, and then the final cake pieces. 

trifle being assembled with cream mixture, strawberries, and cake pieces

STEP EIGHT: In the bowl of a stand mixer (or you can use a hand mixer), use the whisk attachment to beat the remaining two cups of heavy cream until soft peaks begin to form. Add the remaining ¼ cup of powdered sugar and continue beating until the whipped cream forms stiff peaks. 

STEP NINE: Mound or pipe big dollops of whipped cream around the top of the trifle. Pile the reserved strawberry slices in the center. Pipe one more dollop of whipped cream in the center and top with a halved strawberry with the stem still attached (or decorate as desired).

trifle topped with whipped cream and chopped strawberries

How To Serve Strawberry Cream Cheese Trifle

This strawberry dessert would be a beautiful centerpiece for a special occasion. Serve it when the strawberries are plentiful and juicy, and you will have an out-of-this-world dessert. Add an extra dollop of whipped topping before serving it to your guests. 

Can’t get enough of tasty trifles? Our vanilla trifle is a classic, and our chocolate trifle is a chocolate lover’s dream. 

Storing Strawberry Trifle

IN THE FRIDGE: Cover the strawberry shortcake trifle with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend freezing leftover strawberry cheesecake trifle as the cake will end up soggy once thawed. 

close up shot of a bowl of trifle with strawberries

Light and refreshing, your family will devour this strawberry trifle. Sweet strawberries, moist cake, and custardy pudding make this a creamy treat for a special occasion. 

Strawberry Trifle Recipe FAQs

What is the best bowl to use for this recipe?

The classic choice for this delicious dessert is a trifle bowl which is a large glass bowl that is usually on a pedestal. It displays all of the beautiful layers of this dessert through the clear glass. If you don’t have one, you can also just use any large glass bowl. 

Can I make a trifle the day before?

Trifle can be made a day ahead, and, in fact, it should be made ahead of time so that the flavors can blend together and soak into the cake. 

Can I use something other than strawberry cake in this trifle?

Any soft sponge cake would work well for this strawberry shortcake trifle. Ladyfingers are also a popular choice for this fluffy dessert.

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close up shot of a big serving bowl of trifle topped with chopped strawberries

Strawberry Trifle with Cream Cheese

5 from 10 votes
This easy strawberry trifle recipe features dreamy cake layers, juicy strawberries, and creamy pudding. 
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 1 strawberry cake, use a cake mix and bake in a 9×13 baking dish for ease, cooled completely
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3.4 ounces cheesecake pudding mix (unprepared)
  • cups heavy whipping cream, divided into 1½ cups and 2 cups
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar, divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup
  • 2 pounds fresh strawberries, stems removed and sliced

Instructions
 

  • Remove cooled cake from baking dish and slice into ¾ to 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together the cream cheese and vanilla extract until smooth.
  • Beat in the pudding mix until fully combined. The mixture will be thick and lumpy.
  • Slowly drizzle in 1½ cups of the heavy cream, beating on low constantly and fully incorporating each drizzle of cream (about ⅛ cup at a time) before adding the next drizzle.
  • When the cream cheese/pudding mixture is smooth and creamy, add ½ cup of powdered sugar and beat until combined.
  • Add fresh strawberries to the mixture, reserving about 1 cup of the strawberries for the top of the trifle.
  • Build the trifle by layering ⅓ of the cake cubes, then about ½ of the strawberries and cream mixture, another layer of cake pieces, the remaining strawberry mixture, and then the final cake pieces.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer (or you can use a hand mixer), use the whisk attachment to beat the remaining two cups of heavy cream until soft peaks begin to form. Add the remaining ¼ cup of powdered sugar and continue beating until the whipped cream forms stiff peaks.
  • Mound or pipe big dollops of the whipped cream around the top of the trifle. Pile the reserved strawberry slices in the center. Pipe one more dollop of whipped cream in the center and top with a halved strawberry with the stem still attached (or decorate as desired).

Notes

  • I do not recommend using frozen fruit for this recipe. It will soak into the cake as it thaws, turning it into mush. Fresh fruit is best for this simple strawberry trifle.
  • Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature when you add it.
  • If you do not drizzle the cream in while mixing, it will be really difficult to get all of the lumps out of the creamy mixture.
  • You can also layer the cream and strawberries separately, but it’s easy just to mix them all together.

Nutrition

Calories: 813kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 174mg | Sodium: 663mg | Potassium: 293mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 1925IU | Vitamin C: 67mg | Calcium: 214mg | Iron: 2mg
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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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  1. Janet says

    5 stars
    Perfect for a nice dessert after lunch with the ladies at the office. Loved the cheesecake flavor the most…

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