Berry Trifle Recipe

By
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
Leah Maroney
A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Published on 12/22/21
berry trifle

The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Chill: 4 hrs
Total: 4 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 1 trifle
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
571 Calories
44g Fat
41g Carbs
6g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 571
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 44g 57%
Saturated Fat 26g 130%
Cholesterol 134mg 45%
Sodium 387mg 17%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 15%
Dietary Fiber 6g 21%
Total Sugars 25g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 40mg 201%
Calcium 129mg 10%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 307mg 7%
*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.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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.

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 serving

  • 12 ounces fresh blackberries, more for serving

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

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

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

Steps to Make It

Prepare the Mascarpone Cream

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    mascarpone cream ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  2. Beat the heavy cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form, being careful not to overbeat. Then beat in the confectioners' sugar, mascarpone cheese, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until light and fluffy.

    mascarpone cream beaten in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

Prepare the Berries

  1. Gather the berry ingredients and cake cubes.

    berries and cake for a trifle

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

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

    berries and sugar mixed in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

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

    cream in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney


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

    angel food cake in a trifle bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

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

    berries on cake

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

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

    cream layered over berries

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

  6. Repeat this process again, with another layer of cake, berries, and cream. And again a third time or 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. 

    layered trifle

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

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 a day in advance or more (up to three days) 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.

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