Go Back
Print
Berries & Cream Holiday Trifle Recipe
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Refrigerate
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 

Dig into dreamy layers of cubed buttery cake, fresh berries, vanilla pudding and fluffy whipped cream with this easy Berries and Cream Holiday Trifle garnished with sugared berries. A wonderful twist on decadent blueberry layer cake, that’s perfect for the holidays or to celebrate any day! Plus, follow easy hacks to take boxed cake mix, instant pudding and whipped cream to the next level.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Keyword: berries, Cake, Milk, Trifle
Author: Christina Thomas
Ingredients
Cake
  • 1 box butter or vanilla cake mix
  • 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup T.G. Lee whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Zest of ½ lemon
Vanilla Pudding
  • 1 5.1 oz vanilla flavored instant pudding (large box)
  • 3 cups T.G. Lee milk chilled
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stabilized Whipped Cream
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Blueberry Compote
  • 2 cups frozen blueberries
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • Zest from half lemon
  • ½ tsp fresh grated ginger
Berries
  • 1 lbs. strawberries
  • 12 oz blackberries
  • 12 oz blueberries
Sugared Berries Garnish
  • 2 cups fresh berries blueberries, strawberries and blackberries
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/4 cup granulated fine sugar
  • Fresh mint
Instructions
  1. Prepare each component in the order below:
Cake:
  1. Preheat oven to 325F. Grease sides and bottom of pan with butter and lightly flour. I’m using (3) 8-inch pans to keep my cake short in height. You can also use a 13x9-inch.
  2. Combine cake mix and all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat until thoroughly mixed and batter is smooth.
  3. Bake as per time indicated on box for the size pans you’re using. I used 3 pans and baked for 20 minutes.
  4. Do the toothpick check and insert into the center of the cake. When it comes out clean, it’s done.
  5. Let the cake cool completely before cutting into bite sized cubes.
Vanilla Pudding:
  1. While the cake is baking, mix instant pudding, milk and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl and whisk for 2 minutes.
  2. Set aside for 5 minutes, cover and refrigerate.
Stabilized Whipped Cream:
  1. In a mixing bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until completely blended, about 1 minute. It’s very important that the mixture is smooth and free of lumps, forming stiff peaks. Set aside.
  2. In a separate chilled bowl, beat heavy whipping cream and vanilla on high speed until soft peaks form. About 1 minute.
  3. Add a few tablespoons of the heavy cream into the cream cheese and sugar mixture and mix until well incorporated. Then add the cream cheese mixture to the heavy whipping cream mixture and beat on medium speed until creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
Blueberry Compote:
  1. Combine blueberries with sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon zest and fresh ground ginger in a small saucepan. Cook on medium low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
  2. Set aside to cool completely. Can be refrigerated until ready to use.
Berries & Sugared Berries:
  1. Wash and thoroughly dry all berries with a paper towel.
  2. Separate 2 cups assorted berries for sugared berries garnish. Set other berries aside to use in trifle layers.
  3. Slice strawberries lengthwise and set aside
  4. In a small mixing bowl, whisk egg white until it’s not stringy
  5. Lightly paint berries for garnish with egg white
  6. Place sugar on a plate and roll the berries in the sugar, giving it a light shake to roll.
  7. Gently place berries onto a tray lined with parchment paper to dry. The sugar will get nice and crunchy.
  8. Time Shortcut: turn oven on to warm, then turn it off, place the tray of sugared berries inside and leave the door ajar. Your berries will be ready in 15 mins
Assemble Trifle:
  1. Arrange 1/2 of the cake cubes around the bottom of the trifle bowl.
  2. Spoon dollops of blueberry compote over cake.
  3. Arrange 1/2 of berries in an even layer. Alternate berries along the sides of trifle bowl.
  4. Add 1/2 vanilla pudding, spread evenly. Placing most of it along the center of the bowl so that your berries show along the sides.
  5. Add ⅓ stabilized whipped cream, spread evenly with a spatula.
  6. Repeat layers of cake, berries, vanilla pudding and whipped cream.
  7. Top the last layer of whipped cream with an additional dollop in the center. Then top with sugared berries and fresh mint sprigs.
  8. Trifle can be assembled the night before up to the whipped cream layer. Wait to add the garnish layer until before serving.
Recipe Notes

For Whipped Cream:

  • Use block cream cheese, not the whipped kind. To soften, place the unwrapped package in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 10 seconds.
  • If you are in a hot climate like Florida, place your mixing bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice to maintain the heavy whipping cream chilled while mixing.

For Sugared Berries:

  • Do not store sugared berries in the refrigerator due to moisture. It’s best to make them the day you’re serving.