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This Pound Cake Trifle recipe uses moist, fluffy pound cake, fresh strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries that are drizzled with a rich and creamy lemon cream cheese sauce.
Have you ever baked your favorite pound cake recipe only for it to get stuck in the pan? That’s why I created this recipe. I was testing out a new recipe, and for the love of me, I couldn’t figure out why the cake kept getting stuck.
So I had 4 botched pound cakes in my house, and my wife said I needed to find something to do with them. The cake was still moist and flavorful but wasn’t pretty and missing some pieces.
I also don’t like waste, so the following recipe is the perfect way to use a cake that you worked hard on but got stuck to the pan for some reason. Nobody will ever know unless you tell them.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this amazing pound cake trifle.
Cream Cheese
I love the creamy, rich flavor that cream cheese adds to pound cakes, so using it was a no-brainer.
Lemon
Zest of 1 small lemon will have your tastebuds dancing.
Powdered Sugar
This is the base for our lemon cream cheese sauce.
Heavy Whipping Cream
This will lighten our sauce and make it pourable.
Pound Cake
I recommend trying one of my pound cake recipes linked in the “more pound cake recipes.” Think about your final presentation because that’ll determine how small or large you should chop the cake.
Fresh Berries
You’ll need strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries.
How to make a pound cake trifle recipe?
The whole family can get involved in assembling a trifle pound cake. Get creative with the way you’ll stack the berries and cake. I will present two different presentation options for you; one is better for large parties and the other for more intimate dinners or dinner parties.
Option 1:
In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, lemon zest, powdered sugar, and salt with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, and slowly pour in the heavy cream mix for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and thick but pourable.
In a 12-14 cups trifle dish, add a layer of chopped pound cake, add the majority of the sliced strawberries, then half of the cream cheese sauce. Next, add a layer of blueberries and blackberries, a layer of pound cake, and the remaining cream cheese mixture.
Garnish the top layer with the remaining berries. Serve immediately or wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Trifle is best 2 days after assembling.
Option 2:
Amongst 8 wine glasses, add a layer of pound cake, some strawberries, and half of the cream cheese sauce.
Next, add a layer of blueberries and blackberries, a layer of pound cake, and the remaining cream cheese sauce.
Garnish the top layer with the remaining berries. Serve immediately or wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
Here are a few notes to remember while making this delicious lemony pound cake trifle.
- You can use sponge cake or angel food cake instead of a homemade pound cake.
- Sliced-pound cake, then chop it to your desired size.
- Sara Lee pound cake is a good neutral cake that works in this recipe.
- Change the fruit depending on the season. Oranges, mangoes, bananas, and sauteed apples will be excellent.
- Use any glass dish for the dessert presentation.
- It will work in the recipe if it can go on or in a cake.
- You can finish the top layer with homemade whipped cream. Its flavor will be better than any store-bought whipped topping.
- Feel free to use your favorite cake for this recipe. Instead of the lemon cream cheese, you can mix instant vanilla or lemon pudding.
- Make sure it’s enough pudding mix to serve 8.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the top questions readers have about making pound cake trifle.
A cake trifle is a delicious no-bake dessert made from layers of cake, custard, whipped cream, and fresh fruit. It is usually served cold or at room temperature.
In America, a trifle is called a pound cake trifle. It is a popular dessert because it is easy to make and can be customized to fit any taste. The layers of pound cake, whipped cream, and fruit or other flavors are always a hit.
That depends on what’s your trifles foundation. Angel food cake or ladyfingers will become soggy if made the night before. However, since pound cake is denser, it will hold up for 2 days fully prepared.
This is a personal preference. Jelly may be your secret ingredient that adds a layer of extra sweetness and texture that your guest loves. There’s no right or wrong answer, but it depends on you.
A trifle with pound cake is perfect for a trifle because its dense texture prevents it from becoming soggy when absorbing the liquid toppings. This gives you more room to be creative with your flavors and textures.
Cake and cream cheese sauce can be made one day in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge.
Place leftover trifle pieces in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 days.
More Pound Cake Recipes
If you’re a fan of pound cake like I am, then you’ll love these recipes!
- Lemon Pound Cake Loaf
- Buttermilk Pound Cake
- Sweet Potato Pound Cake
- Red Velvet Pound Cake with Spiked Eggnog
Latest Recipe Video:
Before You Begin
Before getting started, here are the steps I use to get organized.
Step 1: Get all ingredients for the pound cake trifle on the counter.
Step 2: Measure everything out.
Step 3: Follow the recipe and make an amazing presentation. All your friends and family will love you for bringing this dessert.
Now that you know how to make a pound cake trifle, it’s time for you to try it out! I would love to hear about your experience making this dessert – leave me a comment and a star rating below. Did you follow the recipe exactly? Did you add any of your own twists? Let me know in the comments!
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Pound Cake Trifle
Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- zest of 1 small lemon
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 baked pound cake chopped
- 2 lbs. strawberries washed, stemmed, sliced
- 12 oz. blueberries washed
- 12 oz. blackberries washed
Instructions
Option 1:
- In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, lemon zest, powdered sugar, and salt with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, and slowly pour in the heavy cream mix for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and thick but pourable.
- In a 12-14 cups trifle dish, add a layer of chopped pound cake, add the majority of the sliced strawberries, then half of the cream cheese sauce. Next, add a layer of blueberries and blackberries, a layer of pound cake, and the remaining cream cheese mixture.
- Garnish the top layer with the remaining berries. Serve immediately or wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Trifle is best 2 days after assembling.
Option 2:
- Amongst 8 wine glasses, add a layer of pound cake, some strawberries, and half of the cream cheese sauce.
- Next, add a layer of blueberries and blackberries, a layer of pound cake, and the remaining cream cheese sauce.
- Garnish the top layer with the remaining berries. Serve immediately or wrap and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Notes
- You can use sponge cake or angel food cake instead of a homemade pound cake.
- Sliced-pound cake, then chop it to your desired size.
- Sara Lee pound cake is a good neutral cake that works in this recipe.
- Change the fruit depending on the season. Oranges, mangoes, bananas, and sauteed apples will be excellent.
- Use any glass dish for the dessert presentation.
- It will work in the recipe if it can go on or in a cake.
- You can finish the top layer with homemade whipped cream. Its flavor will be better than any store-bought whipped topping.
- Feel free to use your favorite cake for this recipe. Instead of the lemon cream cheese, you can mix instant vanilla or lemon pudding.
- Make sure it’s enough pudding mix to serve 8.
