Description
A visually stunning, no-bake dessert featuring layers of pound cake, vanilla pudding, whipped cream, and fresh red, white, and blue berries. Perfect for Labor Day or any summer gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 store-bought pound cake or angel food cake (about 1.5 lbs / 680g), sliced into ½-inch cubes
- ½ cup simple syrup (sugar and water)
- 2 boxes instant vanilla pudding mix (about 12 oz / 340g dry mix)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and dried
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 small bunch fresh mint leaves
- 1 cup extra berries for garnish
- White chocolate shavings (optional)
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Slice cake into ½-inch cubes, wash and dry berries, and measure out pudding mix and milk.
- Make the pudding: Whisk together the instant vanilla pudding mix and milk according to package instructions until thickened. Transfer half of the pudding to a separate bowl and set aside.
- Whip the cream: In a chilled mixing bowl, whip the heavy cream with vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the reserved half of the pudding until combined.
- Assemble first layer: Place a layer of cake cubes at the bottom of a large glass trifle bowl. Brush lightly with simple syrup.
- Add first cream layer: Spread half of the whipped cream-pudding mixture over the cake layer, smoothing it evenly.
- Add red berry layer: Arrange sliced strawberries over the cream layer.
- Add second cream layer: Spread the remaining whipped cream-pudding mixture over the strawberries.
- Add blueberry layer: Scatter blueberries evenly over the cream layer.
- Add second cake layer: Place another layer of cake cubes on top of the blueberries and brush with remaining simple syrup.
- Add raspberry layer: Arrange raspberries gently on top of the cake layer.
- Chill: Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Garnish and serve: Top with extra berries, mint leaves, and white chocolate shavings before serving.
Notes
[‘Chill your mixing bowl and beaters for 15 minutes before whipping cream for better volume.’, ‘Use simple syrup to keep the cake moist during chilling.’, ‘Handle berries gently to prevent them from bleeding color into the cream.’, ‘This dessert is best made ahead of time to allow flavors to meld.’, ‘Do not freeze this trifle as the texture of the cream and berries will suffer upon thawing.’]
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: Labor Day dessert, berry trifle, no bake dessert, red white and blue dessert, summer dessert, easy trifle, pound cake trifle