Summer Berry Trifle
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This berry trifle is perfect for a summer party — it’s refreshing, gorgeous, and make-ahead.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Berry trifles make wonderful (and patriotic) summer party desserts. Not only are they gorgeous, they feed a crowd and are made in advance. The only drawback is that, with all their layers, they can be time-consuming to make from scratch. I save time by using store-bought Savoiardi biscuits (a.k.a. crisp ladyfingers), cream cheese, and raspberry jam. The result is a dazzling, delicious berry trifle that can be made in 30 minutes. Use a deep, clear glass bowl or a footed glass trifle dish so the pretty layers can be seen. And don’t worry if the layers look slightly uneven or if the layers mix a bit — that’s the beauty of a trifle. You can also make the trifle in small glasses as individual parfaits.
“Oh my! This is so easy, beautiful and absolutely delicious!! Made for a party and everyone raved.”
What You’ll Need For Summer Berry Trifle
Step-By-Step Instructions
To begin, warm the raspberry jam in the microwave.
Toss it with the berries and let it sit while you prepare the rest of the trifle.
Beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form, then set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and Confectioners’ sugar.
Beat until smooth and creamy, then beat in the vanilla.
Add a third of the whipped cream.
Beat until smooth and then add the remaining cream.
Fold with a rubber spatula until evenly combined.
To assemble, begin by layering the lady fingers in the bottom of the dish. Top with a third of the berry mixture, followed by a third of the cream. Continue alternating the lady fingers, berries, and cream.
End with the cream cheese mixture on top; for the last layer of cream, leave a 1-inch border around the edge showing the fruit beneath. Sprinkle some berries and a fresh mint on top.
Let the trifle chill for at least 8 hours, then top with some fresh berries and a spring of fresh mint, if desired.
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Video Tutorial
Summer Berry Trifle
This berry trifle is perfect for a summer party — it’s refreshing, gorgeous, and make-ahead.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (8 oz) seedless raspberry jam
- 1 quart (1½ pounds) strawberries, hulled and cut into ¼-inch slices
- 1 pint (12 oz) raspberries
- 1 pint (12 oz) blueberries
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 16 ounces cream cheese (preferably Philadelphia brand), at room temperature
- 1¾ cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (7 oz) package crisp lady fingers (also called savoiardi biscuits)
- Fresh mint spring, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Set aside a few berries for topping the trifle.
- Heat the raspberry jam in a large bowl in the microwave for about 1 minute, or until hot and liquidy. Add the fresh berries and toss to coat. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the recipe, stirring occasionally.
- In a large bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla, then beat in a third of the whipped cream. Using a large rubber spatula, fold in the rest of the whipped cream until well combined.
- Cover the bottom of a 9-inch (14-cup capacity) trifle dish or glass bowl with a layer of lady fingers (break into pieces as necessary). Follow with ⅓ of the berry-jam mixture (including ⅓ of the juices), then ⅓ of the cream. Alternate, ending with the cream cheese mixture on top; for the last layer of cream, leave a 1-inch border around the edge showing the fruit beneath. Garnish with the reserved whole berries and a fresh mint spring if using. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight, before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 554
- Fat: 31g
- Saturated fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Sugar: 41g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 7g
- Sodium: 197mg
- Cholesterol: 143mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Just wanted to let you know I have tried and enjoyed many of your recipes and this was one of my favourites! It looks fantastic and tastes even better! Thanks so much <3
This trifle is delicious !
I made this wonderful dessert on the 4th of July but used mascarpone instead of Philadelphia cream cheese. May try it again with peaches and blueberries and maybe amaretti instead of ladyfingers?
For those that are lactose intolerant, can this recipe be made with the berries, raspberry jam, and layered lady fingers with Cool Whip on the top?
Diane, It may not look quite as pretty, but I think you can just put the whipped cream on top. You could also use a whipped cream that is completely dairy-free and layer it throughout the trifle.
Loved your recipe for the trifle. On second making, combined bits of your recipe with one I’ve used for years. Instead of cream cheese and whipped cream, I made lemon curd and folded that into the whipped cream. For added kick, I dipped each lady finger into limoncello. I’ve always used just plain berries, but I like the additional flavor of your glaze, so that’s a keeper.
Hi Randy, Love your idea for the lemon curd.
Any excuse to use lemon curd I will take it! This brilliant suggestion took this berry trifle over the top. Love love love it! Will make for our neighborhood block party next…
I brought the trifle to a July 4th potluck. Spectacular!
This was
Perfect end to our July 4th picnic. Excellent and easy. A definite make again.
This red, white and blue dessert was a huge hit on the 4th of July! This is one of my all-time favorite desserts. The recipe is written so well (thank you for the volume and weight measurements on the fruit) that it was very easy to make. I found the ladyfingers at our local Sprouts as well as the same raspberry jam. This is the perfect summer dessert!
I made the trifle for the 4th and it was a huge hit. I found the lady fingers at Whole Foods. Thank you for providing the other name of savoiardi. That helped a lot! I will definitely make this showstopper again.
Could you explain ladyfingers, are there different kinds? meaning hard like a cookie or soft like cake. Thank you
Yes Mya, there are both hard/crispy and soft/cakey lady fingers– This recipe is best with the crispy variety. If you can’t find them, cut up pound cake makes a good substitute!