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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Hi Jenn,
Love love love your website!
Would like to try the Summer Berry Trifle but my family is not a big fan of cream cheese. Could I cut the cream cheese down by more than half & substitute more whipping cream instead? Or would that make the trifle too soggy?
Glad you like the site, Gina! Yes, I think you could use just whipped cream without a problem here. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Hi, I was thinking of assembling this dessert in individual mason jars – Do you think would work. I was also going to make your Lemon Buttermilk Cake and thought that would be amazing torn in to pieces in this dessert (and add a little lemon zest to the whip cream/cream cheese mixture) Thanks!
Hi Judy, Yes and yes!
Hi! I’m fairly new to baking but oh my gosh this recipe looks amazing! Going to try to make it for my grandfather’s birthday dinner this weekend 🙂
2 questions:
1. How much pound cake would you recommend for this recipe as a ladyfingers substitute?
2. In the directions when it says something like 1-1/2 cups that means 1.5 (1 and a half) cups right?? Sorry if that’s a silly question, just don’t wanna mess this up. Thanks so much!!
Hi Kristin, I think 1 pound cake would be sufficient when cut into chunks. And yes, it’s 1 and a half cups– not a silly question– hope you enjoy and happy birthday to your grandfather!
I made this instead of a cake for my boyfriend’s birthday. I realized quickly I had to stash a little away so that there would be something left for his sister who arrived late. I live in the Netherlands and I haven’t quite got a handle on the birthday cakes here, so I decided on a departure from both traditions. My boyfriend and his family want it again next year, so I guess we went ahead and created our own tradition.
I made this for a dinner party and all of our friends loved it! I didn’t have a trifle bowl so I had to get one. It was so worth it because the presentation was so beautiful. Thank you for another successful recipe! I love trying your recipes and you’re my favorite cooking blog! I’ve used more recipes out of your blog than some of my cook books. Thank you!!! You’re an amazing chef!
I really like this trifle. I like pound cake better than lady fingers but this is a great cake.
This was wonderful: so simple to make and it tasted amazing and the presentation is dramatic. I found the Italian lady fingers in our local supermarket, the preparation was easy and it was served for a gathering and was the favorite dessert. My husband has followed this blog for a while and I just found the recipe by luck, and I’m so glad.
Hello I am so keen to make this as it sounds lovely..just checking it would be ok to dip the lady fingers in sherry cream before using? Thank you
Yes, Tracey, that would be just fine. Enjoy and please let me know how it turns out!
Hi Jen,
First I want to thank you for the many wonderful recipes you have provided for my family to enjoy. Last night I made your buffalo chicken wings and summer berry trifle. The only change I made was to replace the cream cheese with custard, since one son dislikes cream cheese.
The meal, including the perfect thin and crispy french fries recipe from another website, was declared the best meal I have made. Thank you for making my family so happy, and making me look so good. Your name is a well known in our house. Bless you, and I look forward to purchasing your cookbook in the future.
Sheila
Hi Jenn, what is the absolute longest time that I can make this ahead? I see the minimum is 8 but I am hoping to make this well in advance but don’t want to ruin it! I was thinking of making it the morning a day before (it would be approx 17 hours before hand). Do you think it would still turn out?
What you have in mind should work just fine– enjoy!