Easy Pound Cake Trifle with Berries

Try making this Pound Cake Trifle with fresh strawberries, blueberries, buttery pound cake, and sweet cream. It's so simple to make and is ready in minutes. Perfect summer dessert to celebrate any occasion or share at a family gathering. 

If you're craving another delicious trifle recipe, then be sure to try making an Easy Peach Trifle. For more pound cake recipes, try making a Sun Drop Pound Cake, Greek Yogurt Pound Cake, or Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe. 

Summer is the best time to sit back and enjoy a fresh and cool dessert. It's also a holiday-filled time of year with Memorial Day, Juneteenth, 4th of July, and Labor Day. 

These holidays, family picnics, family reunions, barbecues, and cookouts are all the more reasons for you to enjoy all the grilled barbeque meats and sides. But we cannot forget about dessert. 

When it comes to desserts during the summer, I prefer something that's light, fresh, and easy to pull together with just a few simple ingredients.

And today I have a showstopper of a dessert for you to try that's loaded with fresh fruit, cream, butter pound cake, and is sure to be one of your favorite recipes. 

Let's get started!

What is a Trifle Dessert? 

A trifle dessert also known as a punch bowl cake is a cold dessert made up of delicious layers of cake, fruit, and cream (also custard, lemon curd, or jelly). It originated in England during the 18th century but has been made popular here in the United States.

It's the perfect dessert to serve a crowd and in the American South, it can usually be found at after-church, family gatherings, or served during special occasions in many different cake and fruit variations.

Ingredients You'll Need 

1. Pound Cake - You can use homemade pound cake or store-bought pound cake, whichever you prefer to create the pound cake layers. This buttery cake is mild but has a sweet flavor that pairs well with the berries and cream layers. My recipe for sour cream pound cake is perfect if you want to use homemade cake. Don't be afraid to use your own pound cake recipe or any flavored pound cake that you enjoy, such as lemon pound cake or 7-up pound cake. Angel food cake and sponge cake can be used as a substitute. 
2. Fresh Blueberries - Use fresh blueberries to add a fresh, sweet, and slightly floral taste between the layers of pound cake and sweet cream. 
3. Fresh Strawberries - Cut some fresh sweet strawberries into quarters to add to the berry layer of the trifle dessert. Add a sweet and slightly tart flavor to the dessert recipe. 
4. Cream Cheese - Add a slightly tart and sour flavor to the sweet cream that pairs well with the other sweet ingredients in the recipe. Allow the cream cheese to soften and come to room temperature a bit for easier mixing. 
5. Marshmallow Creme - Give the sweet cream layer a creamy and sweet flavor. It can be marshmallow cream or marshmallow fluff. 
6. Whipped Topping - Also known as Cool Whip is added to the top of the trifle to create a top layer of light, sweet, creamy, flavor. Make sure that you allow it time to thaw before using it. You could also make your own whipped topping using heavy cream/heavy whipping cream. 

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities and instructions.

How to Make Berry Trifle with Pound Cake 

Begin the summer berry trifle recipe by cleaning and preparing the fresh blueberries and fresh strawberries. Cut each strawberry into quarters and set aside. 

Cut the moist pound cake into small cubed pieces about 1 inch cubes in size and set it aside. 

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, add the cream cheese and mix on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the marshmallow cream and continue mixing until smooth and fully combined. Set aside. 

Start building the berry trifle in a trifle bowl or glass bowl, begin with half the prepared pound cake. Add it to the bottom of the trifle dish and spread it out in an even layer. Top the layer of pound cake with half of the prepared strawberries and blueberries. 

Top the fresh berries with half of the sweet cream and spread it out in an even layer. Repeat the layers with the other half of the pound cake, strawberries, blueberries, and cream. 

Lastly, top the sweet cream with the whipped topping in an even layer. Serve immediately or place the trife into the refrigerator until you're ready to serve. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips & Tricks 

• Use homemade pound cake or store-bought pound cake. If using store-bought cake, try going with one from the bakery section or the freezer section of the grocery store. The frozen Sara Lee pound cake is a good option, just make sure it is completely thawed before using it. 
• Make the homemade whipped cream using an electric mixer/stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer. Whip 2 cups cold heavy cream on medium speed until it starts to thicken, then add ¼ cup powdered sugar, and continue mixing until soft peaks form. 
• I do not recommend using frozen strawberries or blueberries for this particular recipe. 
• For an extra layer of flavor, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture. You may also add some lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice to the fresh berries. Try topping with a drizzle of caramel sauce or a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
• You can make an easy strawberry trifle by omitting the blueberries and using 4 cups of strawberries. 

Storage Tips

This pound cake trifle can sit out at room temperature for up to 2 hours, any more than that, place in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve again.

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. It can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight. It should not be frozen as it will not keep well.

Trifle With Pound Cake: Frequently Asked Questions

Want A Few More Easy Berry Recipes? Try These:

• Classic Strawberry Shortcake Recipe 
• Easy Blueberry Muffins with Frozen Blueberries 
• Lemon Blueberry Bread 
• Homemade Buttermilk Strawberry Biscuits 
• Cream Cheese Toast with Strawberries 
• No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake 
• Blackberry Cobbler

Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ways to enjoy this Pound Cake Trifle Recipe? Please share them in the comments below!

📖 Recipe

Original post date 06/26/2013. Updated 06/25/2021 and 07/09/2024.