4th of July Berry Trifle – A Red White and Blue Dessert

a top view of a red, white, and blue berry trifle with cream cheese filling and two small glass bowls of berry trifle

4th of July Berry Trifle – A Red White and Blue Dessert

This 4th of July trifle dessert layers lemon glazed pound cake, a fluffy cream cheese filling, and fresh strawberries and blueberries into one stunning red, white, and blue dessert. It is a no bake way to feed a crowd that looks like it took far more effort than it actually did.

4.80 from 10 votes

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Prep Time 25

Total Time 25

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings people

Calories 334 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the lemon glaze

¼ cup lemon juice juice of 1½ to 2 lemons
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 premade pound cake or angel food cake if preferred

For the cream cheese filling

16 ounces cream cheese 2 blocks, softened
⅔ cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream

For the fruit

2 quart strawberries washed, dried, and sliced
3 pints blueberries washed and dried

Instructions

For the lemon glazed pound cake

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together sugar, lemon juice, and water. Stir frequently until sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and whisk in almond extract. Set aside to cool.
Cut the pound cake into 1-inch slices and then cut the slices into cubes. Use a basting brush to slather glaze on at least two sides of each cube. Set aside to dry.

For the cream cheese filling

Using a mixer on medium speed, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add heavy cream and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

For the trifle

Arrange half of the glazed cake on the bottom of the trifle bowl, then top with ⅓ of the cream cheese filling. Top the filling with sliced strawberries and blueberries then repeat the layers. Top the blueberries with the rest of the cream cheese filling, then all the rest of the berries.
Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Notes

I love the flavors in this trifle, but if you want a really, really quick and easy version, you can buy a pre-made and pre-glazed poundcake and cut it into cubes. Use whipped topping from a tub in place of the cream cheese filling and layer with the strawberries and blueberries. Voilà, nearly instant trifle.

Cake options

My recipe calls for a pound cake because it is dense and rich, but you could use any boxed mix cake, the almond cake from this recipe, or an unfrosted cake from the store bakery. Any vanilla, almond, lemon, or butter cake will work. I've also had nice berry trifles made with angel food cake which is light and airy and pretty much the opposite of pound cake but also very delicious.

Fruit options

This recipe is easy to customize, and you can use any fruit you like. If you’re making it for a patriotic holiday, try to stick to red, white, and blue colored fruit. Here are a few suggestions. Don't try to use them all at once; that would be gross.

Red – cherries, strawberries, red raspberries, watermelon, pomegranate, cranberries
White – pears, apples, white nectarines, white peaches
Blue – blackberries, blueberries

Storing leftovers

Refrigerate the trifle both before and after serving, since the berries and cream cheese filling need to stay cold.

Chill for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving to let the layers set.

Can be assembled up to a day ahead, which makes this red, white, and blue trifle dessert an easy make ahead option for a busy holiday.

Leftovers keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days, though the cake will soften over time so it is best enjoyed within the first day or two.

Nutrition

Keyword blueberries, cake, cream cheese, strawberries

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