These Red, White, Blue Berry Trifles are light, refreshing and perfect for potlucks, picnics, or any warm weather parties! A vibrant and beautiful dessert with layers of cake, lemon cream, and fresh berries coated in jam make these individual treats festive and satisfying.
With May almost over (I can’t believe it), Memorial Day BBQ’s will be happening soon. Along with school graduations, end of year parties, pool parties, potlucks, and more.
Bea is graduating from pre-school and heading off to Kindergarten in the Fall. Someone send me tissues for the big day, because I’m weeping already! How do our babies grow up so fast? I remember when I first had Bea and everyone told me to savor the little moments and enjoy the baby days while they last. I just nodded and thought to myself, “Obviously!”, but I so get it now. Being a stay-at-home Mom has been a trip. These girls keep me on my toes! I have loved every moment, excluding all the really bad tantrums! And wow, the time time does fly by.
So to any new Moms reading this, savor the little moments and enjoy the baby days while they last!
To those of you in St. Louis, make sure to tune in to KSDK’s “Show Me St. Louis” on Friday, May 17th to watch me make these trifles live! Otherwise, you can livestream it or catch up online afterwards at KSDK. I will also update this recipe after the show to include the “recipe of the day” segment.
Trifles
These Red, White, Blue Berry Trifles are not only patriotic looking, they are a welcome treat on a warm day. This versatile dessert can even be made into mini trifles if you are serving a large crowd. If you want to make one large trifle from this recipe, double it. Those big trifle dishes are deeper than you imagine!
Trifles are English desserts that consist of fruit, a layer of sponge cake soaked in sherry, some custard, and a topping of whipped cream. Trifles can truly be made with anything you dream up. They are beautiful and a lighter tasting dessert that is crowd pleasing.
Trifles can be made with a variety of cakes. The best cakes for trifles are the spongey ones. While the following patriotic trifle is completely homemade using a variety of recipes from this blog, you can definitely substitute with store bought cake, curd, and whipped topping. Cakes that are best in trifles are ladyfingers, butter cake, angel food cake, or pound cake. In fact, this is a great dessert to throw together if you have some leftover cake. And this post just made me realize I need to get an Angel Food Cake up ASAP!
Red, White, Blue Berry Trifles
These red, white, blue berry trifles have three different components: cake, fruit, and lemon cream. For the fruit layer, I tossed a mixture of strawberries and blueberries in some warm raspberry jam. The lemon cream is made up of fresh lemon curd folded into whipped cream. Then layered all up in a dessert dish, you will have the coolest dessert cups ever!
Since I am a baking addict with a lot of projects in the works, I have a daily abundance of all of the above! So for me, whipping up a trifle takes only five minutes! I have some options in the recipe section to make assembling this a breeze for you too. But this dessert is a show stopping one that will look and taste like it took all day and some serious creative skills!
Cake
The first step to making these Red, White, Blue Berry Trifles is to either make a cake, use leftover cake, or use a store-bought one. Since this recipe makes 6 trifles, use a small loaf cake or a package of ladyfingers. I included the sour cream pound cake I made for these trifles below.
Cut the cake into 1/2 inch cubes and set aside.
Berries
Rinse, hull, and chop strawberries. Set them into a large bowl with rinsed and dried blueberries. Then microwave raspberry jam until it is liquid and warm. Pour the jam over the berries and toss to coat.
Lemon Cream
Using a mix of lemon cream and whipped cream in these trifles will give a hint of luscious lemon to the desserts. This goes so well with the berries and cake and makes it even more summery!
I use the Lemon Curd recipe from my Lemon Layer Cake. In a large bowl, whip up heavy whipping cream with a touch of vanilla. Then fold in the lemon curd.
Assembling the Patriotic Trifles
Use dessert cups, small trifle bowls, or stemless wine glasses.
To layer up the trifles, begin with a layer of cubed cake. Press it down into the dishes. To add a boozy twist, brush on sherry or liqueur like Limoncello.
Then spoon on jammy berries. Add the lemon cream and spread to the edges of cup. Then repeat the steps.
Lastly. top each trifle with some fresh berries or any leftover jammy berries. Add a sprig of mint for garnish.
If you make these Red, White, Blue trifles, share the pic with me on Instagram @ritzymomblog! And if you love this recipe, please share it!
For more delightful desserts, try:
Macerated Berries with Cream Cheese Mousse
Red, White, Blue Trifles
A vibrant and beautiful dessert with layers of cake, lemon cream, and fresh berries coated in jam make these individual treats festive and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf angel food or pound cake cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 3.5 cups fresh strawberries (chopped) and blueberries
- 1/4 cup raspberry jam warmed
- 1 cup lemon curd homemade or store bought
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
-
Use dessert cups, small trifle bowls, or stemless wine glasses.
Make cake OR use store-bought. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
Wash, Hull, and chop strawberries and add to a large bowl with blueberries.
Warm Jam in a small microwaveable bowl for 30 seconds. Then pour over the berries and toss to coat. Set aside.
Make the lemon cream:
Use homemade or store-bought lemon curd. Whip the heavy cream in a large bowl with sugar and vanilla extract. Then fold in the lemon curd.
To layer of the trifles, begin with a layer of cubed cake. Press it down into the dishes. Then spoon on jammy berries.
Add the lemon cream and spread to the edges of cup.
Then repeat the steps. Lastly. top each trifle with some fresh berries or any leftover jammy berries.
Add a sprig of mint for garnish. Optional. Chill the individual trifles for approx. 1 hour before serving.
Recipe Notes
To make one large trifle, double the ingredients.
You can always substitute store-bought lemon curd, cake, and whipped topping!
Also, use cake of choice: pound cake, angel food cake, or ladyfingers work best.
Cake Recipe for Cake I used for trifles
Sour Cream Pound Cake
Light, buttery, and the most tender pound cake ever! This makes a smaller, 6 cup bundt cake.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1.5 tablespoon lemon curd or zest from one lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups AP flour
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a 6 cup bundt pan.
Use your stand mixer to cream butter and sugar for 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy.
Then add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add vanilla and sour cream (and lemon curd, if using). Beat another 2 minutes.
Then sift together salt, cornstarch, flour, and baking soda.
Turn mixer to lowest setting and add dry ingredients. If using zest, then add here.
Then spoon into the cake pan. Bake for approximately 45-55 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean and cake is golden brown. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to finish cooling.