Strawberry Tiramisu Trifle
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This Strawberry Tiramisu Trifle is a classic dessert that gets a berry twist thanks to lots of strawberries, chocolate and a fabulous mascarpone and pudding cream. It’s still packed with lots of coffee flavor!
This strawberry tiramisu trifle is not only completely delicious, it’s totally gorgeous. I have made this a few times now and every time I make it, it’s a huge success. As a matter of fact, it’s a recipe I shared with you almost 5 years ago and I love it so much, I make it over and over again.
The thing with trifles is that they taste way better the next day. The longer time you give it for those lady fingers to soak up that coffee and have all those other ingredients marry together, the better your trifle will taste. This trifle is packed full of rich mascarpone and pudding cream, juicy berries, and melt in your mouth chocolate flakes.
What Is Tiramisu?
Tiramisu is an Italian dessert that involves soaking lady finger biscuits in espresso, layered with mascarpone custard. Its a totally classic dessert and is the perfect way to elevate a pretty standard dessert like a berry trifle. This dish is also perfect to share with a crowd, so bring this out the next time you’re looking to impress a crowd!
Ingredients
- Strawberries – I definitely recommend using fresh berries, we want berries that are juicy and plump and bright!
- Milk – Any kind you like as long as it’s cold.
- Vanilla pudding – I used an entire package of the store bought stuff, it tastes just as good and speeds up our prep time!
- Cheese – Cheese? Really? Yes really, mascarpone is an essential creamy addition to tiramisu and will provide some rich tang to our dessert.
- Coffee – I used instant coffee today, 2 cups worth to soak our ladyfingers in.
- Whipped cream – I used cool whip today for speed and ease but feel free to make your own from scratch if you’d like!
- Ladyfingers – This is a crisp dry sweet biscuit, it is best soaked in delicious coffee and infused into desserts.
- Chocolate – Bittersweet chocolate shaved or grated to be sprinkled liberally on top.
How To Make Strawberry Tiramisu Trifle
- Prep the strawberries: Set aside one strawberry for garnish; slice the remaining strawberries, stems removed.
- Create the creamy filling: In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes then refrigerate for 2 minutes. In a mixing bowl, beat mascarpone cheese until smooth; gradually beat in 2 tablespoons coffee. Beat in pudding. Fold in cool whip.
- Soak the ladyfingers: Dip lady fingers in coffee on both sides, as you’re layering, don’t dip ahead of time. Line the bottom of a 3-qt. trifle or glass serving bowl with a third of the ladyfingers.
- Assemble the trifle: Top with a third of the sliced strawberries, grated chocolate and mascarpone mixture. Repeat, creating 3 layers of each, finishing off with the mascarpone cream and shaved chocolate.
- Finish the trifle: Garnish with a strawberry on top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Will My Strawberries Get Soggy?
If you’re planning on making this trifle a few days ahead, you’re perfectly fine to leave the strawberries in the filling. They wont get soggy in the trifle itself and if anything they will help further soften our lady fingers. The strawberry on top as garish may start to look a little sad so feel free to add that last when you’re planning to serve.
Want To Make A Grown Up Tiramisu Trifle?
Looking make an adult version of this cake? Try dipping the lady fingers in a coffee liquor, dark rum, or sweet wine like Moscato. This is also a great option if you’re not a fan of coffee.
Don’t Like Vanilla Pudding?
You can use any flavor of pudding you’d like, they will all work! Just keep in mind that it will completely change the flavor profile of the dish, but you never know what your new favorite combo will be until you test it out!
Leftovers
You can store this recipe covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dish as once it thaws the lady fingers tend to get a little too mushy. Enjoy this trifle within the first few days of whipping it up and you’ll thank me later!
Love Classic Cakes? Try These Delicious Recipes:
- Tres Leches Cake
- Tiramisu
- Sex in a Pan
- Magic Cake
- Apple Pie Cake
- Pound Cake Recipe
- Carrot Cake
- Red Velvet Cake
- German Chocolate Cake
- Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake
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Strawberry Tiramisu Trifle
Video
Ingredients
- 1 quart fresh strawberries ((4 cups))
- 1½ cups milk (cold)
- 3.4 ounce instant vanilla pudding mix ((1 package))
- 8 ounce mascarpone cheese
- 2 cups instant coffee (or brewed coffee, room temperature)
- 2 cups cool whip (or whipped cream)
- 3 ounce ladyfingers
- 6 ounce bittersweet chocolate (grated or shaved)
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
- Set aside one strawberry for garnish; slice the remaining strawberries, stems removed.
- In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Refrigerate for 2 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, beat mascarpone cheese until smooth; gradually beat in 2 tablespoons coffee. Beat in pudding. Fold in cool whip.
- Dip lady fingers in coffee on both sides, as you’re layering, don’t dip ahead of time. Line the bottom of a 3-qt. trifle or glass serving bowl with a third of the ladyfingers. Top with a third of the sliced strawberries, grated chocolate and mascarpone mixture.
- Repeat, creating 3 layers of each, finishing off with the mascarpone cream and shaved chocolate.
- Garnish with a strawberry on top.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Notes
- If you make this a day or two ahead of time, leave the garnish strawberries off until right before you serve it.
- If you don’t like vanilla pudding, use whichever type is your favourite. The flavour of the trifle will change, but it will still be good.
- If you’d like to make an adult version of this cake, try dipping the lady fingers in a coffee liquor, dark rum, or sweet sparkling wine.
- You can store this recipe covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this dish as once it thaws the lady fingers tend to get a little too mushy. Enjoy this trifle within the first few days of whipping it up and you’ll thank me later!
- Recipe originally shared May 1st, 2012.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
I made this over the weekend with the following tweaks:
1) Homemade Lady Fingers (super easy) the night before so they’re extra absorbent.
2) Homemade whipped cream (super easy and so much better than cool whip).
3) Kahula soaked Lady Fingers.
4) Cooked vanilla pudding.
5) Espresso (since you’re only using two tablespoons in this version, it brings out the coffee flavor a little more).
Of course it was a bit more time consuming, since the pudding has to cook and cool, but absolutely worth it. Next time, I’ll made the pudding while the Lady Fingers are baking.
Looks delicious!
Can I substitute nilla wafers for the lady fingers? I could not find lady fingers at my local grocery store.
Yes, you can. I’ve made it with nilla wafers before, still good. 🙂
Will bananas work without getting mushy?
I know there are banana trifles, never made one myself but I imagine is like a banana pudding. I can tell you that the bananas don’t really get mushy, they just blend in with the pudding and everything else.
If I use ready made pudding do I need milk when whisking ?
No you don’t, the milk is just if you’re using instant pudding (powder).
Hi, what is the UK equivelant of instant vanilla pudding please?
I’m not really sure, not familiar with UK products. However you can make your own vanilla pudding and use that, you can use my recipe here: https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/homemade-vanilla-pudding/
Making this tonight for dessert. looks delicious ,love making tiramisu. never tried it with strawberries. love the extra color and flavor. Can’t wait to try it!
Do you think I could use Almond milk instead of regular?
Yes you can for sure!
Can this be made 2 days ahead? Or do you think the strawberry will leave water?
You know what, this lasts for a few days and it’s always better the next day. I haven’t found that the strawberries got soggy, if you decorate on top with some strawberries, those will start to look pathetic, but the ones in the trifle will be good.
Wow, strawberries and tiramisu. Must try this 🙂 And gorgeous photos. Makes me want to make it even more.
The Angel Berry Trifle is getting bookmarked as well. As you can probably tell, I’m British, and trifle is my thing 🙂
Thank you!
I’m not a fan of vanilla pudding. Could you use chocolate pudding instead?
I mean sure, it’ll change the flavor to more chocolatey but sure, any pudding would work.
You leave me drooling (and with presentation envy) every single time I stop by. Cannot get over this gorgeous creation!
This is a stunner! I bet it’s delicious
Do not, I say I do not like coffee in any way shape or form. I want to make a tarrimisu.
In fact I’ve already bought the ingredients. Would it make any sense to dip the lady fingers in maybe chocolate milk?
Hmm, I don’t know if chocolate milk would be a good idea, how about coffee liqueur or some sparkling wine?
This looks sooo good ! I really love that bowl, have to buy one soon. I also like the Corina’s idea for sweet wine..Gonna try that too 🙂
Hello Jo
IM from Argentina and my mom used to dip the lady finger in sweet wine. Like moscato wine. It was delicioso…… Now when i make this i dip the lady finger in rum. You have to try this with rum or wine. Its not goog if you have kids, but make one for kids with no alcohol n one for the adults….. 🙂
Wow, sounds interesting, will definitely have to give this a try. 🙂 Thanks for the tip.