Patriotic Trifle

This classic Patriotic Trifle is a red, white, and blue dessert I make with angel food cake, fresh fruit, lemon cream, and tangy lemon curd. It’s the perfect sweet treat for Independence Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, or any day of the year! I love loading it with blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries for a pretty design, and since there’s no baking required, you can have this trifle finished and ready to eat in less than an hour.

This year we’re celebrating the 4th of July with some American friends, and I’m planning to bring this stunning Patriotic trifle. I know they’ve got a sweet tooth, and honestly, how could anyone not be amazed by a red, white, and blue dessert like this? It’s bright, festive, and just so pretty! If you’re planning something similar, I also recommend trying my Patriotic poke cake or the red white and blue cheesecake salad, both are super fun to make and guaranteed to impress!

For this delicious patriotic trifle, you really only need a handful of ingredients; cake, fresh berries, lemon curd, a little sugar, lemon juice and zest, and cream. What I love most is how easy it is to switch things up. Sometimes I use pound cake instead of angel food, or swap the cream for pudding if that’s what I’ve got. It’s not just a Fourth of July thing either, I make this anytime we’re craving something fruity and fun. I hope you give it a try and have as much fun layering it as my kids and I do!

Why you will love this recipe 

• No oven? No problem!: I don’t even turn on the oven for this one. With store-bought angel food cake, fresh fruit, and a quick lemon cream, it comes together in no time.
• Made for celebrating outside: I always bring this to 4th of July or Memorial Day parties because it looks festive and feeds a crowd. The red, white, and blue layers make it such a fun centerpiece.
• Fresh and tangy flavors: The mix of sweet berries, creamy lemon filling, and tangy lemon curd makes every bite light and refreshing. It’s not too sweet, just the right balance I love.
• Make it now, serve it later: I usually build the trifle a few hours early and let it chill in the fridge. It’s great for busy days when I want dessert ready before guests show up.

What you will need

For the cake:

• Angel food cake: I cut the cake into 1-inch cubes so it’s easy to layer and scoop.
• Lemon curd: I use store-bought for this and it adds a perfect tangy layer.
• Berries: I mix fresh blueberries, raspberries, and sliced strawberries for color and sweetness.

Lemon syrup:

• Water: I use a little water to help dissolve the sugar for the lemon syrup.
• Granulated white sugar: Just enough to sweeten the syrup.
• Fresh lemon juice: I squeeze the juice from half a lemon to keep things bright and citrusy.

Cream frosting:

• Cream cheese: I let it soften at room temp so it mixes up nice and smooth.
• Granulated white sugar: Just the right amount to sweeten the cream layer.
• Heavy whipping cream: I pour it in slowly, then whip until it’s light and fluffy.
• Vanilla extract: A little splash adds a sweet flavor to the cream.
• Lemon zest and lemon juice: These brighten up the cream and tie in with the lemon curd perfectly.

How to make

Make the syrup: I mix two tablespoons of lemon juice and two tablespoons of sugar with a quarter cup of water in a glass. I stir it until the sugar fully dissolves, then set it aside while I prep the rest.

Make the lemon cream: I beat 3/4 cup of sugar and one pound of softened cream cheese in a medium bowl using the whisk attachment on my mixer. I stop to scrape the bowl a few times so everything blends smoothly. Then, I slowly pour in the heavy cream while mixing on low, and once it’s combined, I turn the speed to medium-high and beat until it’s light and fluffy. Last, I gently fold in the vanilla until it’s all mixed in.

Assemble the trifle: I start by adding about a third of the angel food cake cubes to the bottom of my trifle dish. Then I brush them with a third of the lemon syrup using a pastry brush so the cake soaks it up perfectly.

Make your layers: I spoon about a third of the lemon cream over the cake and gently spread it out, trying not to shift the pieces too much. Then I add a third of the lemon curd on top and carefully spread it over the cream layer.

Add a design on top: I layer on half of the raspberries and strawberries, spreading them out evenly to make it look pretty before starting the next round of layers.

Repeat the layers: I go through the steps again with the remaining ingredients, this time using blueberries instead of strawberries for the next fruit layer. For the final layer, I add the rest of the cake cubes, spread on the last of the lemon cream, and top it off with a mix of blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries.

Chill and serve: I pop the trifle in the fridge and let it chill until we’re ready to dig in. Right before serving, I like to add a few extra berries on top to make it look even more festive.

Expert tip

Prep and dry the fruit

One thing that really helped improve my trifle is prepping the fruit ahead of time and giving it a quick pat with a paper towel. I used to add the berries right after rinsing them, and the extra water made everything a little too runny. Now I slice them earlier in the day and let them dry out a bit, and it makes a big difference. The cream stays fluffy, the layers hold together better, and the whole dessert looks so much prettier when it’s time to serve.

More tips to consider:

• If you do not have a trifle bowl, you could use a large bowl like a punch bowl or Pyrex dish. I like being able to see all those pretty layers.
• I often grab an angel food cake from the store to save time. It works just as well and still tastes great.
• I usually decorate with a blue star in the center and red berries around the edge. But you can get creative and make a flag or any pattern you like.
• Just in case, buy (or make) two angel food cakes in case you need more cake. 
• If you’re making a flag or star design, you might need more blueberries than you think. I make sure to grab an extra pint if I’m planning a more detailed topping.
• If you use pudding, be sure to let it stand until it is soft set before adding it to the mix.

Recipe variations:

• Try a new cake: If I don’t have angel food cake, I use about 16 ounces of pound cake instead. Since it’s a bit heavier, I cut the cubes smaller so it layers more easily.
• Box mix works: I’ve used a boxed vanilla cake mix before and it worked great. I just bake it ahead of time and let it cool completely before cutting.
• Cool whip shortcut: If I’m out of heavy cream, I just use Cool Whip. I usually need about one 8-ounce tub for the same fluffy effect.
• Blackberry backup plan: When I’m low on blueberries, I toss in about a cup of blackberries instead. They’re just as pretty and give a nice dark pop of color.
• Frozen fruit fix: I’ve made this trifle with frozen berries when fresh ones were hard to find. Just a heads up, about 4 cups of frozen fruit works, but the colors may bleed a bit as it thaws.
• Holiday color swap: This recipe isn’t just for the Fourth of July. I’ve made it for Christmas using strawberries and sliced kiwi to match the red and green theme, and it turned out really fun!

Serving suggestions

When we’re hosting for the Fourth of July or planning a backyard BBQ with friends, this Patriotic trifle is always part of the lineup. I usually start the day by throwing together a pitcher of peach sangria and letting it chill while we prep the rest. My husband handles the grilled chicken skewers, and I layer the trifle and pop it in the fridge until dinner, when I usually serve it with whipped cream and strawberry curd for anyone who wants an extra topping.

For the kids, I always make a batch of Patriotic stuffed strawberries and some red, white, and blue fudge, they’re simple and fun little treats that disappear pretty quick. Ha! And if the trifle topping doesn’t turn out perfect, I just mix it all up and call it a day. It still looks festive and no one ever complains. By the end of the night, the dishes are empty, the fireworks are going, and we’ve got happy, berry-stained smiles all around.

How to store leftovers

• Store: I keep any leftover patriotic trifle in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 36 hours. If I know it’ll sit longer, I use pound cake instead of angel food because it holds up better and doesn’t get soggy as quickly.
• Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this trifle. The cream and fruit layers don’t hold up well once thawed.

Frequently asked questions

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