Berry Trifle Recipe

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Chill: 4 hrs

Total: 4 hrs 25 mins

Servings: 8 to 10 servings

Yield: 1 trifle

No-bake berry trifle is an easy, yet impressive-looking, layered berry-filled dessert. Buy a premade angel food cake or pound cake, whip the cream, and toss the berries with sugar. Layer them in a beautiful clear bowl, and you’ve got a gorgeous dish. It’s casual enough for picnics but beautiful enough to finish off a fancy dinner. 

Cubes of cake are pressed up against the glass of the clear trifle dish, then topped with berries. This shows off the beautiful layers and colors. Then mascarpone cream is layered in between for a silky and creamy texture. 

You can also make this dessert in individual clear glasses for a cute, personalized dessert. These are a great alternative when you don’t want guests scooping out of a large bowl.

«It’s amazing how well the lemon zest permeates every bite with brightness. Since this recipe uses mascarpone whipped with cream instead of homemade custard, it’s very quick and easy to make and doesn’t get as soggy.» —Danielle Centoni

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Mascarpone Cream:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

• 1 (16-ounce) container mascarpone cheese

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

For the Macerated Berries:

• 12 ounces fresh raspberries, more for garnish

• 12 ounces fresh blackberries, more for garnish

• 12 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced, more whole berries for garnish

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 1 homemade or store-bought angel food cake, cut in to 1-inch pieces

Steps to Make It

Prepare the Mascarpone Cream

1. Gather the ingredients.

   

2. Add the heavy cream to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium speed until soft peaks form, being careful not to overbeat.

   

3. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar, mascarpone, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Alternatively, use a hand mixer or whisk by hand.

   

Prepare the Berries

1. Gather the berry ingredients and cake cubes.

   

2. Add the raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries to a medium bowl. Toss with the sugar and lemon juice until well coated. Set aside for five minutes.

   

3. Place a thin layer of cream on the bottom of a trifle bowl. 

   

4. Add a layer of cake cubes, pressing the ones rimming the glass against its surface.

   

5. Top with 1/3 of the berry mixture, gently pressing some of the larger pieces of berries against the sides of the bowl.

   

6. Top with 1/3 of the cream and smooth evenly on the surface.

   

7. Repeat this process again, with another layer of cake, berries, and cream. until you have used all of your cake, berries, and cream, ending with a layer of berries. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Top with additional fresh berries before serving. 

   

Recipe Variations

• Add whatever berries you like or have on hand. Peaches and other stone fruits also work very well.  
• You can add in some liquor to the mascarpone mixture if you want a little kick. Grand Marnier works great. Just add a 1/4 cup.

How to Store and Freeze

• You can make this trifle up to three days in advance and store it, covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. 
• If you make it ahead of time, the flavors of the berries and cream will soak into the angel food cake for extra flavor. This can change the texture of the dish by making the cake layers softer. It’s up to personal preference whether you want the cake to be firmer or softer. It should be refrigerated for at least four hours. 
• You can freeze the trifle if you wish, but it will change the texture of the cake and will make it softer once it has thawed.

How do you serve trifle?

Use a large, long-handled spoon to scoop out the trifle. You want to scoop straight down into the bowl so each serving gets a section of cake, cream, and berries. 

You can also serve the trifles in individual clear glasses.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories	460
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 36g	46%
Saturated Fat 21g	104%
Cholesterol 107mg	36%
Sodium 310mg	13%
Total Carbohydrate 33g	12%
Dietary Fiber 5g	18%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 37mg	186%
Calcium 104mg	8%
Iron 1mg	5%
Potassium 258mg	5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.