There are two issues I do know for certain. You’ll be able to’t come to a BBQ empty-handed, and everybody loves dessert. This Crimson, White, and Blue Trifle recipe is simply the factor you want in your subsequent summer time gathering! It’s budget-friendly, lovely, enjoyable to make, and a critical crowd-pleaser (belief me). I layer spongy cake, blueberry sauce, velvety whipped cheesecake filling, and contemporary strawberries to finish this show-stopping dessert. To not point out, this berry trifle brings a patriotic pop of crimson, white, and blue, making it good for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, or any sunny celebration!


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Straightforward Berry Trifle Recipe
I make a easy home made vanilla cake for this trifle, however for those who’re quick on time, a store-bought pound cake or angel meals cake works simply high-quality. The blueberry sauce is home made, too, utilizing frozen blueberries, sugar, water, lemon juice, and a little bit of cornstarch. It’s fast to make and provides a juicy, contemporary layer between the wealthy cake and cheesecake filling. I like to recommend planning forward when making this combined berry trifle since each the cake and sauce want time to chill earlier than layering, however as soon as all the things’s prepped, meeting is tremendous straightforward. This can be a enjoyable one for youths to assist with, too!
Crimson, White and Blue Trifle


Vanilla Cake Elements
- ¼ cup butter (room temperature (160g) $0.50)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (2oz, $0.17)
- ¾ cups granulated sugar (150g, $0.29)
- 2 eggs ($0.50)
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract ($0.59)
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour (400g, $0.29)
- 1 tsp baking powder ($0.04)
- ½ tsp salt ($0.01)
- ½ cup buttermilk (plus 3 Tbsp further, room temp (5.3oz whole) $0.27)
Trifle Elements
- 2 cups frozen blueberries (or contemporary, (250g) $1.79)
- ½ cup granulated sugar ($0.19)
- ¾ cup water (divided, $0.00)
- 1 lemon (juiced (3 Tbsp) $0.58)
- 1 Tbsp corn starch ($0.03)
- 8 oz cream cheese (room temperature, $1.82)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract ($0.67)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream ($2.83)
- 1 cup powdered sugar ($0.28)
- 1 lb. contemporary strawberries (washed and sliced, $2.12)
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Collect and put together all elements. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Flippantly grease a 9-inch cake pan, then line the underside with parchment paper for simple launch.
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To make the cake, in a big mixing bowl, use a hand mixer (or stand mixer with the paddle attachment) to beat the butter and oil collectively for about 1-2 minutes. It ought to look creamy and uniform.
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Step by step add the sugar to the bowl whereas on medium velocity. As soon as all of the sugar is added, enhance to medium-high and beat for about 3 minutes till the combination is mild and fluffy.
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Add the eggs one by one, mixing effectively after every addition. Pour within the vanilla extract and blend till simply mixed.
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In a separate bowl, whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low, alternate including the buttermilk and flour combination to the bowl with the butter/sugar combination in two batches, mixing simply till mixed—don’t overmix.
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Pour the batter into the ready pan and bake for half-hour or till golden and a toothpick comes out clear. Let the cake cool fully.*
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Whereas the cake is baking, make the blueberry sauce. Add the blueberries, granulated sugar, ½ cup of water, and lemon juice to a medium pot over medium warmth. Stir to mix.
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Let the combination come to a boil. Utilizing a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch into the remaining 1/4 cup of water till it’s fully dissolved. Add the cornstarch slurry to the blueberries and stir till included.
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Proceed stirring till the syrup within the blueberry sauce has thickened sufficient to coat the again of a spoon, 2-3 minutes. Take away the pot from the warmth, permit it to chill fully, and set it apart.*
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For the whipped cheesecake filling, in a medium bowl, utilizing a hand mixer on medium velocity, whisk collectively the cream cheese and vanilla till smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes, then put aside.
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In a big bowl, utilizing a hand mixer, whisk the heavy cream at excessive velocity till thick and fluffy however not stiff. Flip the hand mixer to low, add the powdered sugar, and proceed beating till included. Then, flip the mixer to excessive till stiff peaks kind.
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Add the cream cheese combination to the whipped cream bowl and fold till clean and mixed.
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To assemble the trifle, reduce the cooled cake into 1-inch items and slice the strawberries. Add half of the cake items to the underside of the trifle dish, overlaying the underside. Then, pour half of the cooled blueberry sauce evenly over the cake. Subsequent, unfold half of the whipped cheesecake filling evenly over the blueberries. Artfully high with sliced strawberries.
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Repeat the method, layering the remaining cake, blueberry sauce, whipped cheesecake filling, then strawberries. Serve and luxuriate in!
See how we calculate recipe prices right here.
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Medium Pot
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Medium Mixing Bowl
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Giant Mixing Bowl
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Hand Mixer
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Trifle Bowl
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9-Inch Cake Pan
The full prep time doesn’t embrace the cooling time for the cake and blueberry sauce, as this may differ relying on the temperature of your kitchen, whether it is made upfront (beneficial), and many others.
Serving: 1servingEnergy: 495kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 5gFats: 31gSodium: 256mgFiber: 2g
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diet disclaimer right here.
the best way to make Crimson, White and Blue trifle step-by-step photographs


Collect your whole elements: In case you’re making your individual vanilla cake, preheat your oven to 325°F and calmly grease a 9-inch cake pan. Line the underside of the greased cake pan with parchment paper to make it simpler to take away the cake after baking.


Make the cake: In case you’re making the home made vanilla cake, I like to recommend baking it the day earlier than you intend to serve it so it has loads of time to chill fully. You may also make it the identical day, so long as you give it sufficient time to chill earlier than assembling the trifle.
Add ¼ cup butter and ¼ cup vegetable oil to a big mixing bowl and use a hand mixer (or stand mixer with the paddle attachment) to beat them collectively for 1-2 minutes till creamy.


Now, regularly add ¾ cups granulated sugar to the bowl whereas mixing on medium velocity. If you’ve added all of the sugar to the bowl, enhance the velocity to medium-high and beat for an extra 3 minutes. The butter-sugar combination ought to look mild and fluffy as soon as finished.


Add one egg at a time and blend effectively after every egg. You want two eggs in whole.


Now add 1 Tbsp vanilla extract and blend till simply mixed.


In a unique mixing bowl, add 1 ⅓ cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp salt. Whisk to mix the dry elements.


Utilizing your mixer on low, alternate including ½ cup buttermilk and flour combination to the bowl with the butter and sugar in two batches. Combine till simply mixed with no streaks of flour remaining. Keep away from overmixing, as this may make the cake dense!


Pour the cake batter into your ready pan and bake for half-hour or till it’s golden. A toothpick inserted into the middle also needs to come out clear (a number of crumbs are okay).


Let your cake cool fully earlier than utilizing it to make this berry trifle. As soon as cooled, you’ll be able to wrap or cowl it and maintain it at room temperature for about 2-3 days earlier than utilizing.


Make the blueberry sauce: Whereas your cake is baking, you will get began on the blueberry sauce. Once more, this wants to chill fully earlier than utilizing it in your strawberry and blueberry trifle, so it’s greatest to make it the day earlier than if doable.
Add 2 cups frozen blueberries, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup of water, and three Tbsp lemon juice to a medium sauce pot over medium warmth. Stir to evenly mix and let the combination come to a boil.


In a separate bowl, mix 1 Tbsp corn starch with the remaining ¼ cup of water till absolutely dissolved. Pour the corn starch slurry into the sauce pot with the blueberries and stir till mixed. It will assist thicken the blueberry sauce.


Maintain mixing till the sauce has thickened to the purpose the place it coats the again of a spoon, about 2-3 minutes. Take the pot off the warmth and let the blueberry sauce cool fully earlier than utilizing.


Make the whipped cheesecake filling: Add 8 oz room temperature cream cheese and 1 tsp vanilla extract to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whip utilizing the hand mixer on medium velocity for about 2-3 minutes till smooth and creamy. Set this bowl apart for now.


In a separate giant mixing bowl, use your hand mixer to whisk 2 cups heavy whipping cream at excessive velocity till thick and fluffy (not stiff). Flip the hand mixer to low and add 1 cup powdered sugar. Maintain mixing till the powdered sugar is absolutely included. Now, flip the hand mixer again to excessive velocity and beat till stiff peaks kind. The whipped cream ought to maintain its form if you elevate the beaters.


Fold the cream cheese combination into your home made whipped cream till mixed.


Assemble the trifle: Slice your cooled cake into 1-inch items, as proven right here. Additionally, slice 1 lb. contemporary strawberries into slices for those who haven’t already.


Layer half of the cake items throughout the underside of your trifle dish.


Now pour half the cooled blueberry sauce on high, evenly coating the cake layer.


Then, unfold half the whipped cheesecake filling over the blueberry sauce.


High the cheesecake layer with half of the sliced strawberries. I like to face a few of the strawberry slices up vertically across the fringe of the dish so that they’re seen from the skin, after which I layer the remaining horizontally over the cheesecake layer. Be certain to solely use half your strawberries right here so you will have some to brighten the highest as soon as completed.


Repeat the layering course of by including the remaining cake items on high of the strawberry layer, then high that with the remaining blueberry sauce and cheesecake filling. End by topping your crimson, white, and blue trifle with extra strawberry slices, then serve!


- I extremely advocate you make the blueberry sauce and the cake the day earlier than to make meeting simpler. It’s actually necessary each these layers are cooled to keep away from the trifle from getting soggy. You may also cool the blueberry sauce within the fridge for those who’re in a rush.
- Be certain your strawberries are washed and dried effectively however don’t slice them too early. They’ll maintain their form and keep brisker for those who reduce them proper earlier than assembling (and also you’ll keep away from ending up with a watery strawberry layer in your trifle).
- I don’t advocate swapping the contemporary strawberries for frozen on this recipe. Nevertheless, you can use contemporary blueberries to make the blueberry sauce, however frozen normally works out less expensive.
- Keep away from overmixing the cake batter. The vanilla cake recipe I’m utilizing right here is definitely my colleague Jennie’s recipe (thanks, Jennie!) You wish to keep away from overmixing the batter as soon as the flour is added to make sure the cake bakes up mild and fluffy moderately than dense and heavy.
- Whip the heavy whipping cream in levels. You’ll discover I change the velocity of my hand mixer a number of instances when making the whipped cream for the cheesecake layer. First, whip it on excessive till it’s fluffy. Then, decrease the velocity when including the powdered sugar so it doesn’t puff all over the place. After that, flip it again as much as excessive and beat till stiff peaks kind. This helps maintain the feel mild and prevents overwhipping!
Variations to Strive
This crimson, white, and blue trifle is one of the best centerpiece for the 4th of July or any summer time get together the place you wish to wow a crowd. However for those who’re not celebrating a vacation, it’s additionally good for a yard birthday celebration, bridal, or child bathe! I like switching out the flavors and colours to match no matter event I’m making it for! Listed here are some scrumptious variations to strive:
- Use any coloured berries or fruits you want instead of the strawberries.
- Strive making a strawberry syrup for those who don’t have any blueberries.
- Swap the cake in your favourite store-bought or home made cake. I believe a lemon pound cake, chocolate cake, or coconut cake could be enjoyable to strive.
- Add a taste extract to the whipped cheesecake layer to go with which berries or cake you determine to make use of.
- Sprinkle some chocolate, chopped nuts, candies (I believe marshmallows like in our crimson, white, and blue fruit salad could be yum!), or shredded coconut between the layers.
- In case you don’t have a trifle bowl, don’t fear! I truly took inspiration from our no-bake strawberry cheesecake recipe for the filling, and I believe this trifle could be cute layered in mason jars, glasses, or any container you will have.
Meal Prepping & Storage
I like to recommend assembling this home made berry trifle the day you intend to serve it. Creating the layers and assembling them too early could make it soggy. You may make the vanilla cake and retailer it, coated, at room temperature for 2-3 days. You may also make the blueberry sauce upfront and maintain it saved within the fridge. Then it’s only a matter of assembling and serving! Simply don’t let the completed trifle sit out for greater than 2 hours (or 1 hour if it’s particularly sizzling out) to maintain all the things contemporary and food-safe.
In case you do have leftovers, you’ll be able to maintain them saved within the fridge for about 2 days, relying on the freshness of your elements. Simply notice the strawberries and cake layers will turn out to be a lot softer throughout storage.



