Prepare to dazzle your guests with this incredible Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle – a dessert that promises both elegance and ease. This magnificent layered dessert combines the vibrant freshness of strawberries, the airy lightness of angel food cake, and a rich, creamy cheesecake filling, all elevated by a hint of Amaretto and luscious whipped cream. It’s not just a dessert; it’s a show-stopping centerpiece for any occasion.
Hosting a memorable brunch or a special gathering often calls for a dessert that’s both visually stunning and utterly delicious. My solution? Taking a classic fruit-filled trifle and infusing it with the luxurious flavors of a homemade cheesecake. The result is this irresistible Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle, a recipe that elevates the humble trifle into a truly spectacular sweet treat, perfect for impressing without the stress.
Why This Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle Will Be Your New Favorite Dessert
There are countless reasons why this Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle deserves a prime spot in your recipe collection. From its effortless preparation to its breathtaking presentation, it’s designed to impress and delight with minimal fuss.
- Effortless Elegance: One of the greatest advantages of this recipe is the use of a store-bought angel food cake. This simple shortcut drastically cuts down on preparation time, allowing you to create an impressive dessert without spending hours in the kitchen. It’s perfect for busy hosts who want to serve something special.
- The Perfect No-Bake Indulgence: Say goodbye to turning on your oven! This is a completely no-bake trifle dessert, making it an absolute lifesaver for hot summer days when you want to keep your kitchen cool. It’s equally ideal for holiday gatherings when your oven is often monopolized by savory dishes like turkey and casseroles. Enjoy a spectacular dessert without the added heat or logistical challenge.
- Visually Stunning Presentation: The beauty of a trifle lies in its transparent serving vessel, showcasing the vibrant, distinct layers. This Strawberry Trifle, with its bright red berries, creamy white cheesecake filling, and fluffy cake cubes, creates a truly gorgeous display that will captivate your guests and become the centerpiece of any dessert table.
- Decadent Yet Lighter: While undoubtedly a treat, this strawberry trifle offers a delightful balance. It feels indulgent with its rich cheesecake layers, yet it’s often perceived as lighter fare compared to many other heavy, baked dessert options. The fresh fruit and airy cake contribute to a refreshing experience that satisfies without overwhelming. It’s truly a testament to its deliciousness when even the most discerning palates inquire about the ingredients – a sure sign it’s a hit! Every bite delivers a harmonious blend of textures and flavors, a truly delicious party in your mouth.
- Rave Reviews Guaranteed: Don’t just take our word for it! Feedback consistently praises this dessert, with one Pinterest commenter exclaiming, “OMG, this summer dessert is absolutely delicious! Have to make it during strawberry season to use the best berries. My whole family raved about it! Will be a new summer fave!” Prepare for similar enthusiastic responses from your own family and friends.
Essential Ingredient Notes for a Perfect Trifle
Crafting the perfect Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle begins with selecting high-quality ingredients and understanding how each component contributes to the final masterpiece. Here’s a guide to ensure your trifle is nothing short of sensational:
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Kitchen Staples:
- Powdered Sugar: Essential for the cheesecake filling. For the smoothest, most luxurious texture, always sift your powdered sugar before incorporating it. This prevents lumps and ensures a silky-smooth cream cheese mixture.
- Granulated Sugar: Used to sweeten the strawberries and the whipped cream. Adjust to your preferred level of sweetness.
- Real Vanilla Extract: Opt for pure, real vanilla extract over artificially flavored alternatives. The difference in taste is significant, adding a rich, aromatic depth to both the cheesecake filling and the whipped cream.
- Cream Cheese: For the ultimate richness and stability in your cheesecake layer, always use full-fat cream cheese. It provides the creamy texture and tangy flavor characteristic of a classic cheesecake. Remember to bring it to room temperature before blending; this ensures a smooth, lump-free mixture that incorporates beautifully with the other ingredients.
- Sour Cream: Like the cream cheese, full-fat sour cream is recommended. It adds a crucial tanginess and richness that balances the sweetness of the sugar and complements the cream cheese, contributing to a wonderfully complex flavor profile.
- Almond Extract: This extract provides a delicate, nutty undertone that pairs exquisitely with strawberries and Amaretto. A little goes a long way, so use it sparingly to enhance, not overpower, the other flavors. (I personally favor the Penzey’s brand for its quality, but any good quality almond extract will work).
- Heavy Cream: Essential for making fresh whipped cream, which lightens the cheesecake filling and adds an ethereal texture. Look for heavy cream with at least 36% butterfat content for the best whipping results and a stable, fluffy consistency.
- Angel Food Cake: The foundation of our trifle! While you can certainly bake your own, a good quality store-bought angel food cake is a fantastic time-saver and works perfectly. Cut the cake into uniform cubes, about 1-inch in size, to ensure even layering and absorption of flavors.
- Fresh Strawberries: The star of the show! For the best flavor and vibrant color, use ripe, in-season fresh strawberries. Hull them (remove the green leafy tops) and slice them into uniform pieces. The quality of your berries will truly shine through in this dessert.
- Amaretto: This almond-flavored liqueur adds a sophisticated depth and a hint of warmth to the strawberries. Alcohol acts as a flavor enhancer, intensifying the natural sweetness and aroma of the berries. While highly recommended for an extra layer of deliciousness, it is an optional ingredient. If you prefer to avoid alcohol, simply omit it or substitute with a touch of almond extract (added to the strawberries) or orange juice for a non-alcoholic alternative.
Step-by-Step Guide to Assembling Your Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle
Creating this magnificent trifle is a straightforward process, broken down into simple, manageable steps. The key to its stunning appearance lies in careful layering and attention to detail.
- Prepare the Strawberry Layer: Begin by combining your fresh, hulled, and sliced strawberries with sugar and Amaretto (if using) in a medium bowl. Gently toss to coat the berries evenly. Allow them to sit for about 10-15 minutes, which will help them release their juices and create a delicious, slightly syrupy consistency.
- Prepare the Angel Food Cake: If you haven’t already, cut your store-bought or homemade angel food cake into uniform 1-inch cubes. A serrated knife works best for this, ensuring clean cuts without compressing the delicate cake.
- Craft the Cheesecake Filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened full-fat cream cheese with sifted powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the full-fat sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract until the mixture is smooth and lump-free. In a separate, chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with the additional vanilla extract and sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until just combined, creating a light and airy cheesecake filling.
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Begin Layering (First Half):
- Berry Layer: Spoon half of the prepared strawberries (with their juices) into the bottom of your clear trifle bowl. Carefully spread them to create an even layer, ensuring they touch the sides of the bowl for visual appeal.
- Cake Layer: Arrange half of the angel food cake cubes over the strawberry layer. Try to place them evenly, filling any gaps. The cake will begin to soak up the strawberry juices, adding moisture and flavor.
- Cheesecake Layer: Gently spread half of the decadent cheesecake filling over the cake cubes. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to carefully smooth the layer, extending it to the edges of the bowl without smearing the sides.
- Repeat the Layers: Carefully repeat the layering process with the remaining strawberries, followed by the remaining angel food cake cubes, and finally, the rest of the cheesecake filling. Take your time to ensure each layer is even and neat.
- Final Touches and Chilling: Use an offset spatula to gently smooth the very top layer of the cheesecake filling, creating a clean and elegant finish. Once assembled, cover the trifle tightly with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. This crucial chilling time allows the flavors to meld beautifully and the cake to absorb the strawberry juices, resulting in a perfectly moist and cohesive dessert. Ideally, make it the day before you plan to serve it for maximum flavor development.
- Garnish and Serve: Just before serving, remove the trifle from the refrigerator. Garnish the top with a few whole fresh strawberries, perhaps some fanned strawberry slices, or even a sprig of fresh mint for a pop of color and freshness. Serve chilled and watch your guests marvel at its beauty and taste!
Expert Tips for a Flawless Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle
Achieving a picture-perfect trifle, especially one made in a straight-sided glass bowl, requires a bit of finesse. The goal is a beautiful presentation where each layer is distinct and vibrant. Follow these expert tips for an immaculate and delicious dessert:
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Embrace Strawberry Season:
PRO-Tip: While you can enjoy this recipe year-round, truly save it for strawberry season. Using fresh, fragrant, and perfectly ripe berries will elevate the flavor profile immensely. Alternatively, it’s also a fantastic dessert around the holidays when high-quality fresh berries are often available in stores. - Selecting the Best Strawberries: When choosing strawberries, look for ones that are uniformly red, without any white or yellow patches, indicating ripeness. They should be firm but not hard, and emit a sweet, inviting fragrance. Inspect the tiny seeds covering the berries; if they appear dry and brown, it’s a sign the berries might be past their prime.
- Precision Cake Cutting: For clean, even angel food cake cubes that maintain their shape within the layers, always use a serrated knife. A gentle sawing motion will cut through the delicate cake without compressing it, ensuring light and fluffy cubes. A straight-edged knife tends to flatten angel food cake, making for less appealing layers.
- Mindful First Layering: The first layer sets the tone for the entire trifle’s appearance. When placing your berries at the bottom of the bowl, start by spooning them into the center and then gently spreading them outwards towards the perimeter. This technique helps prevent berry juices from spattering up the sides of the transparent container, which can mar the clean look of your layers.
- Even Cake Distribution: Since the cake pieces are light and airy, they don’t leave significant marks. Focus on arranging them as evenly as possible to create a flat base for the subsequent cheesecake layer. This helps in maintaining a balanced structure throughout the trifle.
- Delicate Cheesecake Application: The cheesecake, custard, or pudding layer (depending on your trifle recipe) requires particular care. Because it contains fat, any smears on the glass bowl can be difficult to clean without harsh chemicals – something you definitely want to avoid around edible items!
- PRO-Tip for Spreading Creamy Layers: Mindfully add the creamy cheesecake filling to the very center of your cake layer. Then, using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, gently and slowly spread the mixture outwards towards the edges. This controlled movement minimizes the chance of touching the sides of the bowl, creating a perfectly smooth and even layer that beautifully showcases the definition between layers.
- Artistic Garnish: Elevate the final presentation by garnishing the top of your trifle. A few whole, perfectly ripe strawberries make a classic and elegant statement. For an added touch of color and freshness, consider adding a sprig or two of fresh mint. Fanned strawberry slices or a light dusting of powdered sugar can also enhance its visual appeal.
- Serving Flexibility: The number of servings will naturally vary depending on the size of your trifle bowl, but this recipe is typically generous and feeds a crowd. If you don’t own a traditional footed glass trifle bowl, don’t fret! Any clear glass container with straight sides, such as a large glass punch bowl or even a clear deep mixing bowl, will do the trick. The glorious, distinct layers of this strawberry trifle recipe are guaranteed to wow your guests, regardless of the vessel!
Frequently Asked Questions About Trifles
A trifle is a remarkably versatile and forgiving layered dessert, historically originating from England. Traditional English trifles typically consisted of delicate sponge cake fingers, generously soaked in sherry, layered with sweet jam, candied or fresh fruit, and rich custard. Over centuries, the trifle has evolved significantly. While this recipe uses light angel food cake, trifles are also commonly made with other cake bases like pound cake or delicate ladyfingers. The dessert is traditionally presented and served in a distinctive footed glass trifle bowl, specifically designed to showcase its beautiful, colorful layers. The earliest mention of a trifle in a cookbook dates back to the late 1500s, a fascinating period when gelatin, made from calf bones, was used to create the jelly or jam layers.
The beauty of a trifle lies in its adaptability, allowing for endless creative variations to suit any palate or occasion. Traditionally, cake pieces are often soaked in stronger liquors like sweet sherry, port, Madeira, or even whiskey for a pronounced boozy kick. However, for a less intense alcoholic flavor, I love to sprinkle in lighter liqueurs such as Chambord (raspberry), Amaretto (almond), or Grand Marnier (orange). In this specific Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle recipe, the Amaretto is added directly to the berries. This strategic choice allows the cake cubes to remain beautifully white and fluffy, providing a striking visual contrast to the vibrant red strawberries, while still infusing the dessert with a delightful hint of almond.
Beyond liquor, the possibilities for adaptation are vast:
- Cake Alternatives: Swap the angel food cake for sponge cake, pound cake, or elegant ladyfingers. Each will offer a slightly different texture and density. For a chocolate lover’s dream, consider using brownie chunks or chocolate cake.
- Fruit Combinations: While strawberries are fantastic, explore other fresh fruits. Berries like raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries are excellent choices. Tropical fruits such as mango or pineapple can create an exotic trifle. During colder months, roasted apples or pears with cinnamon can be a delicious variation.
- Creamy Layers: Instead of cheesecake filling, you could use homemade custard, vanilla pudding, chocolate mousse, or even a lemon curd for a zesty twist.
- Adding Jam: A classic English trifle often includes a layer of jam. While I omitted it in this cheesecake version, feel free to spread a complementary jam (like strawberry, raspberry, or apricot) on your cake pieces for another delicious layer of flavor and texture.
- Nutty Crunch: Add a layer of toasted almonds, pecans, or walnuts for a delightful textural contrast.
- Chocolate Shavings: A sprinkle of dark or white chocolate shavings can add a touch of decadence and visual appeal.
Absolutely! In fact, making your trifle ahead of time is highly recommended and often results in a more flavorful and cohesive dessert. This Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle requires at least 4 hours of refrigeration. This crucial chilling period allows the various layers, particularly the berry juices, to thoroughly soak into the angel food cake cubes, moistening them and allowing the flavors to meld and deepen beautifully. For the best possible taste and texture, it can be prepared a full day before you plan to serve it. This makes it an ideal make-ahead dessert for entertaining, reducing stress on the day of your event. Just ensure it’s tightly covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from absorbing any refrigerator odors or drying out.
Explore More Delicious Desserts:
- Strawberry Buttermilk Cake from The View from Great Island
- Strawberry Topped Cheesecake
- Mascarpone Cheesecake with Balsamic Strawberries
- Fresh Strawberry Meringue Cake
- Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberry Gelee
- Fudgy Brownie Trifle
- Traditional English Trifle
- More Best Dessert Recipes
Useful Tools for Trifle Perfection:
- Pampered Chef Trifle Bowl: The ideal vessel for showcasing your beautiful layers.
- KitchenAid 9-Speed Hand Mixer: Perfect for whipping cream and creaming cheese with ease.
- Medium Spatula, Cherry Red: For folding ingredients gently and scraping bowls clean.
- Small Offset Spatula: Indispensable for spreading layers smoothly and neatly in the trifle bowl.
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Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle Recipe
30 minutes
30 minutes
18 servings
A delightful twist on a traditional English trifle, this recipe features fluffy angel food cake, fresh, juicy strawberries, and a rich, creamy cheesecake filling. An impressive no-bake dessert, adapted from Country Woman.
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake Layer:
- 16 oz (2 blocks) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream (minimum 36% butterfat), chilled
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (for whipped cream)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for whipped cream)
For the Cake Layer:
- 1 large angel food cake (store-bought or homemade), cut into approximately 1-inch cubes (Note: You may only use half of a very large bakery angel food cake depending on your trifle bowl size)
For the Strawberry Layer:
- 2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur, optional (can substitute with a splash of orange juice or extra almond extract for non-alcoholic)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cheesecake Base: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened cream cheese and sifted powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully incorporated and lump-free. Set this mixture aside.
- Whip the Cream: In a separate, small deep metal bowl (chilled for best results), whip the heavy cream, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold this freshly whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until just combined, creating a light and airy cheesecake filling. Set aside.
- Prepare Strawberries: In a medium bowl, combine the hulled and sliced strawberries with 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and the Amaretto (if using). Gently toss to coat and let sit for 10-15 minutes to allow juices to release.
- Assemble the Trifle: Begin layering in a large glass trifle pedestal bowl. First, spoon half of the prepared strawberries (with their juices) into the bottom. Follow with an even layer of half the angel food cake cubes. Next, carefully spread half of the cheesecake filling over the cake. Repeat these layers: remaining strawberries, remaining cake, and finally, the remaining cheesecake filling.
- Chill and Serve: Use an offset spatula to smooth the top layer of the cheesecake filling. Cover the trifle tightly with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or ideally, overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the cake to absorb the delicious strawberry juices. Garnish with whole fresh strawberries or mint just before serving.
Notes
For a festive, patriotic dessert, consider adding fresh blueberries to the strawberry mixture for a beautiful red, white, and blue presentation.
The number of servings will vary depending on the specific size and shape of your trifle bowl or serving dish.
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Recommended Products
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- Serrated Knife
- OXO Cutting Board
- European Trifle Bowl with Pedestal
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
18
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 244
Total Fat: 16g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 5g
Cholesterol: 48mg
Sodium: 99mg
Carbohydrates: 23g
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 20g
Protein: 3g
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