Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

Talk about a showstopper: Strawberry Shortcake Trifle is loaded with tender white chocolate-studded cake bites, a creamy vanilla filling, and fresh strawberries. It’s easy to make and assemble, and a crowd pleaser wherever you serve it.

We’re obsessed with trifles for a fun dessert; try this Brownie Trifle next!

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

This delicious Strawberry Shortcake Trifle makes for the ultimate Easter dessert. Tender and moist bites of cake sandwiched in between a fluffy, vanilla-flavored custard and sweet sugared strawberries. It doesn’t get much better than that!

There’s nothing like traditional Strawberry Shortcake with homemade biscuits, but this trifle has quickly rivaled even a traditional shortcake for popularity in my home. 

Ingredients In Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

Cake Batter:

• Eggs: Help the cake hold together and rise.
• Sour cream: Makes the cake moist and rich.
• Oil (coconut or vegetable): Keeps the cake soft and moist.
• Vanilla extract: Adds flavor.
• Cake Mix and Vanilla Pudding Mix: Provide the basic cake ingredients and make it extra moist and tasty.
• White chocolate chips: Add sweet, creamy bits to the cake.
• Buttermilk or water: Adds liquid to mix everything together; buttermilk makes it a bit tangy.

Cream Layer:

• Whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla: Whipped together to make a sweet, fluffy cream.
• Condensed milk and 1% milk: Make the cream layer in this strawberry shortcake trifle sweet and creamy.
• Dry vanilla pudding mix: Helps thicken the cream and adds flavor.

Sugared Strawberries:

• Strawberries and sugar: Sugar makes the strawberries juicy and sweeter.

How To Make Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

1. Bake the Cake: Mix eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla. Stir in cake and pudding mixes, white chocolate chips, and buttermilk or water. Bake in a greased 9×13-inch pan until done, then let it cool and cut into cubes.
2. Prepare Strawberries: Slice strawberries and mix with sugar. Let them sit for 30 minutes, then drain off excess liquid.
3. Make the Cream Layer: Whip cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla together. In another bowl, mix condensed milk, 1% milk, and dry pudding mix. Fold the whipped cream into the milk mixture.
4. Assemble the Trifle: In a trifle dish, layer cake cubes, cream, and strawberries. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used. Serve and enjoy!

More Fruit-Filled Dessert Recipes

• Fruit Dip
• Creamy Fruit Salad
• Mini Fruit Tart
• Fruit Pizza Cheesecake Tart
• Fruit Salsa 

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5 from 3 votes

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

By Chelsea Lords

This unforgettable Strawberry Shortcake Trifle is loaded with tender white chocolate-studded cake bites, a creamy vanilla filling, and fresh strawberries. It's easy to make, simple to assemble, and a crowd pleaser wherever you serve it.

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Make Ahead Cake Layer: 1 day day

Total Time: 1 day day 1 hour hour

Servings: 10 -12 servings

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

Lemon OR Vanilla Cake

• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 3/4 cup full-fat sour cream
• ▢ 3/4 cup melted coconut oil or canola/vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 box (15.25 Ounces) 15.25 ounces Super Moist Lemon or French Vanilla Cake Mix (Betty Crocker makes this; I use the lemon cake for this trifle)
• ▢ 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix (not sugar free) (dry -- do not prepare)
• ▢ 1 cup white chocolate chips chopped
• ▢ 1/2 cup buttermilk (or you can use warm water)

Cream Layer

• ▢ 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or pure vanilla extract)
• ▢ 1 can (14 ounces) full-fat sweetened condensed milk
• ▢ 1/2 cup 1% milk skim is okay, do not use whole or 2%
• ▢ 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding (dry -- do not prepare to package directions)

Sugared Strawberries

• ▢ 2 pounds fresh strawberries
• ▢ 1/2 cup sugar (reduce if strawberries are already pretty sweet)
• ▢ Optional: fresh mint for garnish

Instructions 

• CAKE: Line a 9x13-inch metal pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang. Parchment paper is important for easy removal of the cake. Lightly coat the parchment paper with nonstick spray. If you aren't using parchment paper, grease the pan with nonstick spray. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk 3 eggs with a fork. Add in the 3/4 cup sour cream, 3/4 cup oil, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Stir until completely combined. Add in the cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, and coarsely chopped 1 cup white chocolate chips. Stir well. Add in the 1/2 cup buttermilk (or water) and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake according to package directions for a 9x13-inch pan. Test that the cake is finished by inserting a toothpick into the center; if it comes out dry or with moist crumbs, the cake is finished. Allow cake to cool in the pan, preferably overnight. (Cover the cooled cake with plastic wrap and let it sit out overnight.) Once ready to use the trifle, cut the cake into 1-inch cubes and use a metal spatula to remove cubes from the pan.
• STRAWBERRIES: Remove the tops and stems of the strawberries, slice thinly, and add to a large bowl. Top with the 1/2 cup sugar (less if you're using sweet strawberries) and stir gently to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, tossing at least once or twice more. Drain off any accumulated liquid before adding the strawberries to the trifle.
• CREAM: Add the 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla (paste or extract) to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk on low speed to combine. Gradually increase to high speed until medium-to-stiff peaks form, about 2-4 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid over-beating. In a separate large bowl, mix together the 1 can sweetened condensed milk and 1/2 cup of 1% milk. With a hand mixer, mix in the pudding mix until combined. With a spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the condensed milk and pudding mixture. Fold until smooth and combined.
• ASSEMBLE: Place about 1/3 of cake pieces in the bottom of the trifle dish. Cover with 1/3 of the cream and then 1 layer of 1/3 of the strawberries. Repeat the layers: cake, cream, strawberries. Repeat the layers one last time: cake, cream, strawberries. Serve immediately. If desired garnish with fresh mint.

Recipe Notes

I recommend serving the trifle right after it's been assembled. Here's how to make the components of the trifle ahead of time:

• Wash the strawberries a few hours or up to a day in advance. Dry thoroughly and then store in the fridge. An hour before serving, add in the sugar and let the strawberries stand at room temperature.
• Prepare the cake up to two days in advance. Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use.
• Prepare the cream filling a few hours in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It does thicken a lot as it sits; this is totally fine, and it will taste the same!
• With all the components prepared ahead of time, assembly goes quickly -- especially if you can grab a couple helpers as you're putting it together!

Nutrition

Serving: 12servings | Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 44.9g | Protein: 5.6g | Fat: 25.6g | Cholesterol: 67.5mg | Sodium: 305.8mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 40.9g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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