Angel Berry Trifle
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This Angel Berry Trifle is so easy and perfect for Easter. This berry trifle is made with angel food cake and an out of this world vanilla pudding cream cheese custard.
Angel Berry Trifle
If a berry trifle made with angel food cake is not going to get you thinking of summer, I don’t know what will. This trifle is sunshine, it’s a glimpse of the summer we wish so desperately to come. This is the perfect trifle for an Easter brunch, especially when you’re in charge of dessert. The great thing about trifles is that they really are super simple to prepare and assemble.
What Is a Trifle?
If you’ve never had a trifle before, I very strongly urge you to make this. A trifle is usually a layered dessert made with berries or fruits, a cake of some sort, and whipped or custard layer. I, for one, simply adore trifles.
The best thing about them is that they’re not as unhealthy as one may think. You can use fat free cream cheese, fat free yogurt and sour cream and sugar free pudding. Totally up to you! I find using low-fat/ low-sugar substitutes makes no difference in taste.
Ingredients in Angel Berry Trifle
Keep scrolling for the full recipe and ingredient amounts. For this recipe you will need:
- Instant vanilla pudding – You can use any brand of pudding, just make sure that the package is 1 oz/ 28 g.
- 1 1/2 cups milk – I used less milk than what was called for on the pudding package. I wanted it to come out a little thicker to really help the custard layer hold together with all those fruits layered on top.
- Vanilla yogurt – I wanted this layer to turn out white to create beautiful contrast in the trifle. You can also use berry flavored yogurt if you don’t mind the color, it will taste awesome!
- Cream cheese – I used whipped cream cheese but regular cream cheese will work.
- Sour cream – Trust me here! I know it seems odd to put sour cream in a dessert, but it adds such a nice, smooth, rich consistency to the custard layer with a little bit of tang.
- Whipped topping – I used a container of cool whip, but you can whip up some fresh whipped cream if you prefer. Don’t use any whipped cream that comes from a can as it will liquify.
- Angel food cake – You can, of course, use homemade angel food cake, but I’m going for a fast and easy dessert here which is why I used store-bought.
- Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries – You can use any berries you like. Blueberries would also be awesome here.
How To Make Angle Berry Trifle
- Make the pudding layer – Using either a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, hand mixer, or whisk, combine the pudding mix with the milk until it thickens. Set aside. Add the yogurt, cream cheese, and sour cream to the bowl of your mixer and combine until smooth. Fold in the pudding and 1 cup of whipped topping.
- Assemble the trifle – Cube the angel food cake and place 1/3 of the cubes at the bottom of a 4 qt trifle bowl. Top with 1/3 of the pudding mixture, then 1/3 of the berries. Repeat, then arrange the final layer of berries as per the photo if you’d like.
- Serve – You can serve this trifle right away, or store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Can I Use Frozen Berries?
The beauty of this trifle is that it’s pretty quick to put together, and you could easily use frozen berries as well. I used strawberries, blackberries and raspberries, but really you can use whatever you have or like.
The only difference with using frozen berries is that they can be a little more liquidy, but don’t worry! Those pieces of cake will soak up all that amazing fruit juice.
Can I Make Angel Berry Trifle in Advance?
Yes, absolutely! Trifle has to be the best dessert to make ahead of time. The cake has an opportunity to soak up all those amazing flavors, and I think it actually gets better when it has a chance to sit and hang out.
You can make this trifle up to 3 days in advance. Store covered in the fridge. If you make this in advance, I would suggest leaving the final layer of berries off until right before you serve it to avoid the juices bleeding.
Can I Freeze Trifle?
This is not a very freezer friendly dessert. Since there is a lot of moisture both in the berries and the pudding layer, there will be a lot of liquid coming out and making your trifle soggy as it thaws.
Looking for More Spring Time Sweets? Try These Recipes!
- Lemon Bars
- Cinnabons Cinnamon Rolls
- Sex in a Pan
- Hot Cross Buns
- Strawberry Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing
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Angel Berry Trifle
Ingredients
- 1 ounce instant sugar free vanilla pudding ((1 package))
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt
- 6 ounce cream cheese (I used whipped cream cheese)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 12 ounce whipped cream (I used cool whip)
- 1 angel food cake (prepared and cut into cubes)
- 2 cups strawberries (chopped)
- 2 cups raspberries
- 2 cups blackberries
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- In your mixer whisk the milk and pudding mix together for a couple minutes or until firm. Pour into another bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer add yogurt, cream cheese and sour cream and beat until smooth. Fold in pudding and 1 cup of the whipped topping.
- Place a third of the angel food cake cubes in a 4 quart trifle bowl. Top with a third of the pudding mixture, half of the remaining whipped topping and a third of the berries. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining cake, pudding and berries.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Video
Notes
- I used a store bought already prepared angel food cake, but you can make your own and use that instead.
- Make sure to store this in the refrigerator because it has a lot of dairy so you don’t want to leave it at room temperature for too long. This trifle will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Perfect for make ahead. Trifles are great because you can make them the day before and the longer they sit in the fridge, the better they will taste.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Originally posted April 2014. Updated with new photos, process photos and video.
I made this for my in-laws 60th wedding anniversary and it was a huge hit. I used real whipping cream and added vanilla and 4 tbls icing sugar as I whipped it up. The sweetness, saltiness and tanginess with the cream cheese and sour cream along with the pudding and ripe berries was very well balanced. Will definitely make again
Oh, I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that the Trifle was a hit for such a special occasion! 🎉 The addition of real whipped cream with vanilla and icing sugar sounds like an absolutely divine touch, and I’m sure it added an extra level of richness to the dessert. I’m really glad to hear that you enjoyed the balance of flavors. Can’t wait for you to make it again. Thanks so much for the fantastic feedback and for choosing my recipe for the big event! 💖🍓🍰
I only had lemon pudding and it made for a delicious combination of flavors!
My first trifle. I chose an excellent recipe. Everyone had seconds (or thirds).
Looks beautiful!
I made this several years ago to rave reviews and have had several friends pestering me to make it again, but I had misplaced it. Now it will go into my favorites book so it is always available.
Out of this world, heavenly. I keep making it over and over, everyone loves it. Relatively easy for something so beautiful and delicious.
So glad you liked it!
Is it ok to use regular pudding mix or does it have to be sf?
You can use regular pudding mix, doesn’t have to be sugar free at all.
This was beautiful and delicious! Got rave reviews from everyone.
I just finished making it for my Mom for Mother’s Day. 😋 Yummy!
Each of my six family members came back for seconds for this dessert so it was a huge hit.! The addition of cream cheese and sour cream to a standard trifle is what upped the game on this recipe. But what is with the 1 oz of pudding mix? Don’t they only come in 3 or 5 oz sizes? In combining two recipes, I ended up using two 3oz., 3 cups of milk and no yogurt. That is the beauty of a trifle, most anything works. I used frozen berries and drained them pretty thoroughly so not too juicy. Delicious!
There are 1 oz boxes too. 🙂
Made this yesterday. It was a big hit. So easy to make. Everyone liked it because it’s a light dessert. Will definitely make this again it’s a keeper 😊
Nothing like an effortless hit! We’re glad you love it 🙂
I made this gluten free using a gluten free angel food cake mix. My son said it was lethal, it was that good! Highly recommend this recipe.
Awesome dessert
I loved this recipe. Made it for the first time for a women’s brunch luncheon. Everyone loved it. Will definitely make this a must have on the menu.
Family loved this recipe, no leftovers!!
Made this recipe for the first time tonight for my husband. He absolutely loves Angel food cake so I figured he would like it. Boy what a reaction, he loved it!
I can see this is going to be a dessert that must be made every time fresh fruit is in the house.
Very simple to make as well.
That’s so great to hear! We’re glad you both love the trifle 🙂