Berry Trifle (Easy Gluten-Free Dessert)

A gluten-free patriotic trifle recipe with mixed berries, pound cake, pudding, and whipped cream.

5 from 10 votes

Berry Trifle (Easy Gluten-Free Dessert)

Bright and fresh, this gluten-free triple berry trifle is a deliciously, summery dessert! Made with layers of gluten-free pound cake, thick vanilla pudding, fluffy whipped cream, and sweetened berries this pound cake has a burst of flavor in each bite.

Prep Time1

Total Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: people

Calories: 361kcal

Author: Gwen Wolken

Ingredients

Trifle

1 vanilla pound cake
1 instant vanilla pudding mix 5 oz box prepared
3 cups heavy whipping cream whipped, or 2 containers of Cool Whip
1 tablespoons sugar
16 ounces strawberries
16 ounces blueberries
12 ounces raspberries

Sauce

16 ounces strawberries
⅓ cup sugar

Instructions

Make The Sauce

Cut the strawberries into quarters or dice them.
Combine the strawberries and sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Cook until the strawberries begin to break down and it is simmering, about 5-10 minutes.
Let it cool to room temperature. Can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Pound Cake

You can purchase a store-bought pound cake but I use a gluten-free pound cake mix.
Make according to the package instructions. It can be made ahead and kept on the counter.
Let it cool to room temperature then cube the pound cake when ready to use.

Pudding

Make according to the box. Can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Whipping Cream

If you are using Cool Whip, make sure you defrost the cartons a day ahead.
If you are using heavy whipping cream, place the cream and sugar into a bowl.
Whip until you get stiff peaks. This can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Berries

Place all the berries into a large bowl and combine.

Assemble In The Following Order:

½ of the pound cake cubes
Berries
½ of the pudding
½ of the whipped cream
Pound cake
Berries
Sauce (I like this on the top layer only)
Pudding
Whipped cream
Top with berries and any garnish of your choice. I like mint leaves.

Notes

For the best texture, make sure each layer is fully cooled before assembling the trifle. Warm pudding, sauce, or cake can melt the whipped cream and make the layers look messy.

If you are making homemade whipped cream, whip it until you get stiff peaks so it holds its shape between the layers. If you prefer to keep things easy, Cool Whip works well here too and holds up nicely in the refrigerator.

Try to cut the pound cake into evenly sized cubes so the layers stay neat and each spoonful has a little bit of everything. This also helps the trifle hold together better when serving.

The strawberry sauce adds extra berry flavor and moisture, but it is best to let it cool completely before layering. If it is too warm, it can make the dessert overly soft.

This berry trifle is best served the day it is assembled or the next day. After that, the cake will continue to soften and the berries may release more juice.

If you are making it ahead, you can prep the cake, pudding, whipped cream, and strawberry sauce in advance and assemble everything closer to serving time.

Nutrition