Strawberry shortcake trifle

15 min.
A no-bake strawberry shortcake trifle dessert is incredibly easy to make. In almost no time, you can serve a delectable treat with layers of vanilla cake, fresh strawberries, strawberry jam, and whipped cream. The combination of different colors, flavors, and textures make for an incredible dessert. Use our easy strawberry shortcake trifle recipe to make a decorative, layered iftar dessert this Ramadan.

Ingredients

4 portions

Instructions

Tip

For ease, or in a time pinch, you do not need a freshly baked cake for this recipe. Simply choose a vanilla-flavoured one, cut it into small squares or pieces and use it to create the strawberry trifle layers.

Homemade or not, you can make a strawberry shortcake trifle with pound cake, sponge cake, or angel food cake, either fresh or leftovers that have become somewhat dry. Simply moisten it up by drizzling it with vibrant, fresh orange juice or clementine juice. It is the perfect way to use leftover cake in a new and tasty way.

For a sweeter option, you can take inspiration from our recipe for basbousa and use homemade simple syrup flavoured with floral aromatics such as orange blossom water or rose water to drizzle the pieces of cake. A strawberry shortcake trifle is, as such, a wonderful way to give old cake new life.

Questions about strawberry shortcake trifle

With this recipe for strawberry shortcake trifle, making a delicious dessert is wonderfully easy. To learn more about this perfect iftar dessert, read our answers to the most frequently asked questions about it below.
How to make strawberry shortcake trifle?

A quick and easy dessert is perfect for busy periods when you are already spending a lot of time cooking in the kitchen, and this strawberry shortcake trifle dessert is just that. Just layer cubes of vanilla cake with strawberry jam, whipped cream, and halved, fresh strawberries to create a colourful strawberry shortcake trifle. Serve the dessert cold and enjoy its sweet flavours.

What cake is in strawberry shortcake trifle?

Though it has 'shortcake' in the name, these trifles are usually made with a moist, tender cake rather than a crisp and crumbly shortcake, but it is served the same way with whipped cream and fruit; in this case, strawberries. Different cake types may be used to create the strawberry shortcake trifle cake layers. You can, for instance, use a light sponge cake, a buttery, rich pound cake, or an airy and fluffy angel food cake. No matter which cake you decide to use, a sweet vanilla-flavoured one will be just the thing for this dessert.

How long does it take strawberry shortcake trifle to set?

As this easy strawberry trifle recipe with vanilla cake does not call for the use of custard, it does not need any time to set. However, allowing the jam a bit of time to seep into the vanilla cake and infuse it with its sweet, fruity flavour is a terrific idea. As such, making it slightly ahead of time gives the flavours more time to marry. The dessert is also best served cold, so a little planning goes a long way when it comes to enjoying a homemade strawberry shortcake trifle.

How long will strawberry shortcake trifle last?

Strawberry shortcake trifles will keep for 3 days in the fridge though the texture of the whipped cream and cake will loosen over time. Cover the serving bowl tightly with cling film or store any leftovers in an airtight container. We do not recommend freezing leftover strawberry shortcake trifle. To better preserve the fresh berries, you can macerate them with sugar (simply toss the halved berries with regular white sugar) to prevent them from softening too fast. Macerating berries and fruits this way also intensifies their flavour.

Other recipes you will love

Delicious layered strawberry shortcake trifle with cream

Strawberries and cream are considered a classic combination, and throwing pieces of tasty vanilla cake into the mix only makes the pairing even more delectable. Made with moist cake, sweet jam, fresh berries, and creamy whipped cream, this layered dessert is filled with sweet, summery flavours.

The colour contrast between the red berries and the white whipped cream creates a beautiful display, and when served in a clear glass or crystal bowl, this dessert is both a feast for the palate and a delight to the eye.

Fresh strawberry and sweet strawberry jam

Though it may seem excessive to use strawberry jam as well as fresh strawberries in this dessert, each brings something different in terms of flavour as well as texture. Depending on their ripeness, the fresh ones may be either wonderfully juicy and sweet or somewhat firm and sweet-sour. As such, the halved berries provide freshness, a bit of bite, as well as acidity. The jam, though, is always sure to be sweet. Its thick yet saucy consistency serves to tie the dessert together as it soaks the cake and makes it even moister and tenderer.

For more lovely desserts with fresh fruit, check our recipes for mini fruit tartlets and fruit salad with cream.

Easy strawberry trifle with vanilla cake

A strawberry trifle made with moist and fluffy cake is a creamy, tender treat. A vanilla-flavoured one pairs well with sweet strawberries and rich whipped cream. The delicate vanilla gives the cake a fruity-sweet, slightly floral flavour with lovely warming qualities, perfectly matching the berries and whipped cream. It is a dessert with only a handful of ingredients and almost no preparation time, but it your family and guests are guaranteed to feel pampered and enjoy it regardless.

Experiment with a mixed berry trifle

Maybe the best strawberry shortcake trifle recipe for you includes using other berries as well. Strawberries pair well with many fruits and berries including blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

The strawberry jam may, of course, also be mixed or substituted with other types of fruit preserves to create exciting flavour combinations. You might, for instance, like to pair a tart raspberry jam with sweet strawberries and floral blueberries or use a rich and sticky date jam with tart cranberries or sweet-tart cherries.

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