Summer Berry Trifle
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This no-bake berry trifle is quick to make, make-ahead friendly, and always one of the first desserts to disappear at a party.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Berry trifles make perfect summer party desserts—they’re beautiful, feed a crowd, and can be made ahead. The only downside is that all those layers can be time-consuming to make from scratch. I take a few shortcuts: store-bought Savoiardi (crisp ladyfingers), cream cheese whipped into the filling for richness, and raspberry jam to bring the fruit together. The result is a stunning, crowd-pleasing trifle that comes together in just 30 minutes.
Use a deep, clear glass bowl or a footed glass trifle dish so the pretty layers can be seen. And don’t worry if the layers look slightly uneven or if the layers mix a bit—that’s the beauty of a trifle! You can also make the trifle in small glasses as individual parfaits.
“Oh my! This is so easy, beautiful and absolutely delicious!! Made for a party and everyone raved.”
What You’ll Need To make A Summer Berry Trifle
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Warm the jam and toss with berries. In a large bowl, heat the raspberry jam in the microwave until it’s hot and liquidy—about 1 minute. Add the sliced strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, then gently toss to coat. Let the mixture sit while you prep the cream; the berries will soften slightly and get nice and glossy.
Step 2: Whip the cream. In a large mixing bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip—you want it fluffy and smooth. Set it aside for now.
Step 3: Make the cream cheese filling. In another large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the confectioners’ sugar until it’s completely smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract.
Beat in about a third of the whipped cream to lighten the mixture. Switch to a spatula and gently fold in the rest of the whipped cream until fully combined and fluffy.
Step 4: Assemble the trifle. Begin with a layer of ladyfingers in the bottom of a large glass trifle dish or bowl (break them as needed to fit). Spoon on about a third of the berry mixture—juice and all—then spread a third of the cream on top. Don’t worry about being perfect; rustic looks beautiful here.
Continue layering, ending with the cream cheese mixture on top. For the last layer, try to leave a 1-inch border around the edge so the colorful berries peek through underneath. Sprinkle some berries and a fresh mint on top. Let the trifle chill for at least 8 hours or overnight, then top with some fresh berries and mint, if you like. Enjoy!
Video Tutorial
More Summer Desserts You May Like
Summer Berry Trifle
Juicy berries, pillowy cream, and crisp ladyfingers—this trifle looks like a showstopper but couldn’t be easier to throw together.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (8 oz) seedless raspberry jam
- 1 quart (1½ pounds) strawberries, hulled and cut into ¼-inch slices
- 1 pint (12 oz) raspberries
- 1 pint (12 oz) blueberries
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 16 ounces cream cheese (preferably Philadelphia brand), at room temperature
- 1¾ cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (7 oz) package crisp lady fingers (also called savoiardi biscuits)
- Fresh mint spring, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Set aside a few berries for topping the trifle.
- Heat the raspberry jam in a large bowl in the microwave for about 1 minute, or until hot and liquidy. Add the fresh berries and toss to coat. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the recipe, stirring occasionally.
- In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla, then beat in a third of the whipped cream. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the rest of the whipped cream until well combined.
- Cover the bottom of a 9-inch (14-cup capacity) trifle dish or glass bowl with a layer of lady fingers (break into pieces as necessary). Follow with ⅓ of the berry-jam mixture (including ⅓ of the juices), then ⅓ of the cream. Alternate, ending with the cream cheese mixture on top; for the last layer of cream, leave a 1-inch border around the edge showing the fruit beneath. Garnish with the reserved whole berries and a fresh mint spring if using. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight, before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 554
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Sugar: 41g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 7g
- Sodium: 197mg
- Cholesterol: 143mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This was FABULOUS!! My family loved it and requested it for future family gatherings! I’ve already made it twice now! I love the filling; can it be used to frost a cake? If yes, how much lemon juice and/or zest should I add to make it a lemon frosting? Thanks so much for all of your recipes; they ROCK! :o)
It will definitely be a lighter frosting, but I think it should work. (And so glad you enjoyed this!)
Easy to make, impressive presentation and really delicious! May I finish it off for tomorrow’s breakfast?
LOL – go for it! 🙂
Delicious and easy to make! It was a beautiful dessert for our 4th of July BBQ. It certainly feeds a crowd!
Hi Jenn, If I make this today will it be ok for a BBQ this Sunday? I’m out of town tomorrow and I need a good but quick deasert to feed 10 book club peeps! Thanks. Janet
Hi Janet, I think you could get away with it. It keeps well for several days. 🙂
Great and thanks for your quick reply! I will come back with a rating but I’m 1000% sure its going to be delish and get devoured by all!
I made this for the 4th, and it was a winner! So beautiful and absolutely delicious! I did substitute a pound cake for the ladyfingers, but otherwise followed the recipe. I only got two layers out of my ingredients, but it was still gorgeous. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so excited to make this today, since it’s been a huge success every 4th of July for the last couple of years as well as on some other special occasions. I’ve only had rave reviews and even some fighting over the last portion! Thank you!!
A perfect desert for a summer get together !! loved it
This was absolutely yummy!! I made homemade lady fingers from another website recipe. Then made individual desserts in tiny mason jars. SOOOOO good! Although my super healthy son requested I make it next time with the jam. Not sure how that will go, but we will give it a try!
Hi! This looks amazing. Do you think frozen fruit would work?
Hi Chelsea, this is really best with fresh fruit – sorry!
I made this dessert for Father’s Day and it was a big hit. It is so delicious. I loved the cream cheese- whipped cream filling. Well done Jenn.