If you're looking for a red, white and blue dessert, this no bake Berry Trifle is just what you need!! It's got layers and layers of angel food cake, berries, pudding and whipped topping making it pretty, simple and irresistible!
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Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day - three American holidays that seem to signal the beginning, middle and end of summer days. Though we celebrate each of the holidays for different reasons, I can almost guarantee that on each holiday there'll be red, white and blue food, décor and clothing about anywhere you look!
I love where I live, here in a Midwest small town, a place that some would call a "fly over state." Patriotism runs deep and people make a point to stop the hustle and bustle to celebrate our freedom and honor the fallen. You can bet I'll be right there with them - and I'll have a red, white and blue dessert to help celebrate! 😉
Ingredients for Berry Trifle
- Angel Food Cake - Homemade, made from a box mix, or purchased
- Strawberries - You can use fresh strawberries or frozen strawberries (see in recipe)
- Sugar
- Blueberries - Fresh or frozen are fine
- Instant Pudding Mix - Use vanilla, white chocolate, or cheesecake-flavored
- Milk - I like to use 2% or whole milk
- Whipped Topping
Why add sugar to the strawberries?
Sugar is added to the strawberries (macerated strawberries) to make them juicy and create somewhat of a syrup to soak into the yummy angel food cake cubes. How does adding sugar to the berries do that? Well, let me tell you! (The food sci geek inside of me can't wait to share! haha!!) - and if you don't care, just keep scrolling! 😉
Remember talking about "osmosis" in science class? Essentially, osmosis the act of water moving from a less concentrated solution to a more concentrated solution in an effort to even out the concentrations. That's exactly what's happening here.
The sugar lands on the fruit (water-dense) and the water leaches out of the strawberry to the sugar (not water-dense), trying to even out the water concentration on either side of the strawberry's surface. This softens up the berries and creates a syrupy bowl of strawberries perfect for the trifle!
How to make a Berry Trifle
I love how easy this no-bake dessert it. The photos below show how the ingredients are layered into the dish! (As always, the printable full recipe is below!)
Variations of this trifle...
- Use different fruits! Fresh raspberries, blackberries, peaches, etc! Think about what's in season and go for it!
- Try different pudding flavors. French vanilla, vanilla, cheesecake, white chocolate, etc!
- Change up the dish by using a punch bowl, mixing bowl or individual glasses.
How to make Individual Berry Trifles
- First off, decide how many you need. This recipe is super easy to halve, so if you don't need a ton, go ahead and halve it.
- Choose the cups you want to use. Little mason jars, glasses, or plastic cups would all work.
- Follow the recipe, but using smaller amounts in each layer!
Other delicious red, white and blue desserts
Watermelon Cake with Coconut Cream Frosting - This is a super light dessert, using watermelon as a base in this cute cake!
Red, White and Blue Poke Cake - This couldn't' look more festive, especially with the sprinkles on top!
Two-Tone Fudge - This two-layer fudge is creamy and topped with festive sprinkles!
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Follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook so you never miss a recipe!! And as always, thank you for following along with my blog, making my recipes, liking and sharing on social media and any other way you support Dance Around the Kitchen! -Kelsey
Berry Trifle
Ingredients
- 1 prepared angel food cake (tube shape)
- 1 lb strawberries hulled and sliced
- ¼ c sugar
- 1 pt blueberries
- 2 3.4 oz pkg instant pudding vanilla, white chocolate or cheesecake-flavored
- 4 c milk
- 2 8 oz tubs whipped topping thawed
Instructions
- Cut the angel food cake into 1" cubes; set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the strawberries slices and sugar; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the pudding mixes and milk; set aside.
- In a trifle dish*, layer half of the angel food cake pieces, ⅓ of the strawberries, ⅓ of the blueberries, half of the pudding, then half of the whipped topping.
- Repeat; finish by topping with remaining fruit.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutritional Disclaimer
“Dance Around the Kitchen” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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