I first threw this dessert together on Christmas Eve when plans changed at the last minute. I had intended to make a classic strawberry trifle, but the grocery store was completely wiped out of strawberries. I grabbed raspberries instead, and honestly, it was a happy accident. They break down a bit better than strawberries when tossed with sugar, creating a nice sauce that soaks into the cake.
This is a “shortcut” recipe. I use boxed instant pudding and store-bought pound cake because, frankly, once it’s all layered in the bowl, nobody can tell the difference. The first time I made this, I followed a recipe that called for two whole cakes and three pounds of fruit, and I ended up with enough leftovers to make a second trifle. I’ve scaled this down to realistic amounts that fit a standard 5-to-6-inch deep trifle bowl without overflowing.
Ingredients
- 1 box (5.1 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix
- 3 cups cold whole milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1.5 lbs fresh raspberries (can substitute strawberries)
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 loaf pound cake (about 16 oz), cubed
- Optional: Whipped cream for the top
Instructions
- Prep the Fruit: Gently wash your berries. In a medium bowl, mix the raspberries with the sugar. Let them sit on the counter for about 15 minutes. This step is important—the sugar pulls the moisture out of the berries to make a syrup.
- Make the Pudding: In a large bowl, whisk the pudding mix and cold milk together. Beat it for about two minutes until it starts to thicken, then let it sit for five minutes to fully set.
- Cube the Cake: Slice your pound cake into 1-inch cubes. They don’t need to be perfect; they are going to get squished anyway.
- Layer: Start with a layer of cake cubes at the bottom of your glass bowl. Spoon some of the raspberries (and the juice!) over the cake. Spread a layer of pudding over that. Repeat until you reach the top.
- Chill: You can eat it right away, but it’s better if it sits in the fridge for an hour so the flavors meld.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Adaptability: If the store is out of strawberries, use raspberries. If you hate blueberries, leave them out. It works with almost any soft fruit.
- Speed: Using instant pudding and pre-made cake means you can assemble this in about 20 minutes.
- Visual Appeal: Even if you mess up the layers, it looks impressive in a glass bowl.
Chef’s Tips for Perfection
- Bowl Size Matters: My trifle bowl is about 6 inches deep. If you have a very shallow bowl, you might only get one layer of each component. Just pile it high.
- Don’t Skip the Sugar: Even if the fruit is sweet, macerating it with that 1/4 cup of sugar creates the liquid needed to keep the cake from being dry.
- leftovers: If you find you bought too much fruit or cake (like I did the first time), just make mini trifles in drinking glasses for the next day.
Storage and Reheating
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. It holds up well for about 24 hours. After two days, the cake at the bottom starts to get a bit too mushy, though it still tastes fine.
Nutritional Notes
This isn’t a light dessert, mainly due to the pound cake and sugar, but you can lighten it up by using sugar-free pudding mix or angel food cake instead of pound cake.
