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 recipe is fast, easy, very light and will go in a flash! You might need to make two for parties (smiles). This is a keeper …especially to bring to a gathering. Everyone will want to know who made this! Enjpy!
Made this for the family over the Labor Day weekend. It was awesome! Everyone loved it. Definitely will make this again and again.
This was another winner. Sometimes I add a splash of sherry or brandy to the ladyfingers to give it a more adult fruity flavor.
This triffle is so delicious. It’ a crowd pleaser. It is fast and ease to make.
Family is coming in September for a weekend. Thinking this is the dessert we will have.
Hi Jen- could you substitute Angel Food Cake (cut into chunks) for the Lady Fingers if you did not have time to let this sit for a while before serving? Thanks!
Yes, I think that would work. Pound cake is a good option as well. Please let me know how it turns out!
I did end up subbing the Lady Fingers for angel food cake and it was sooooo delicious and very light. I also served in individual mason jars. They turned out adorable. Thank you for the great recipe!
So glad, Janine! Thx for letting me know 🙂
I was unable to locate lady fingers when I wanted to try this. I DID use angel food cake torn into small chunks. Prepared this a full 24 hrs before serving. The only thing that would’ve made the angel food cake better would have been to make one of my own from scratch. Big hit. Getting ready to do it again for company tomorrow. Thank you!
I loved this recipe! Was visiting my young nephew who loves blueberries and his mom, my sister in law, who loves pastries in late summer and this was a total hit with both! I did find that with a full width trifle dish I ran a (oh sorry, I had to) trifle short on the whipped cream/cheese mixture so I ended up whipping a little more cream and confectioners sugar. Also I was in a town where ladyfingers weren’t available at all so I used pound cake which worked just fine. All in all, huge hit with everyone and a perfect summer patio dessert!
Hi Jen,
I would like to take this dish along when we visit our family. How long ahead of time can this be made? Would I be able to make it the day ahead and serve it at dinner the following day?
Thanks, Lila
Hi Lila, Yes, absolutely, it will be perfect.
Hi Jen,
Thank you so much for great recipes you’ve shared. I’ve tried some of them and they turned out delicious and so yummy.
For the berries in this trifle recipe, can I use frozen blueberries and raspberries? If yes, do I use it straight from freezer or do they need to be thawed first?
Thanks in advance and I’m looking forward to make this trifle.
Warm regards, Lyly
Hi Lyly, This is one recipe where I think it’s best to use fresh fruit. Sorry!
I whipped this up on Saturday morning thinking we could have it for Sunday dessert, but when we had a spontaneous Sat. pm summer gettogether, “my” trifle was the perfect treat to serve!! Thanks again, Jen!