Fresh Fruit Trifle

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This fruit trifle is made up of layers of super light and fluffy angel food cake, fresh berries and their juices, vanilla pastry cream and silky chantilly cream.

Why you’ll love this fruit trifle

Angel food cake is the lightest and most airy type of sponge and pairs perfectly with the fruit, pastry cream and chantilly cream.
The cake and the creams both serve well chilled so the textures are spot on.
This pastry cream recipe is simple and the chantilly cream is quite literally the easiest cream on the planet to make.
Super versatile – you can use different types of sponges/cream/fruits, etc. and flavor them differently because there are NO RULES when it comes to trifles.

If you’re into light and fluffy types of cakes, I have several for you! I think you’ll love my Chantilly Cake, Lemon Curd Cake, Cranberry Orange Cake and my beloved Tiramisu Cake!

What is a trifle

A trifle is an English dessert that’s made up of layers of cake, fruit and cream. It can be made SO many different ways, with or without the fruit. A traditional recipe would include sponge cakes soaked in wine or fruit juice, fresh fruit and/or fruit spread, pastry cream and whipped cream.

It’s generally served in a tall glass dish – like a giant parfait but fear not, if you don’t have one, you can make it in a large bowl or a large pan as well.

I cubed an angel food cake for this trifle because I wanted it to be light as a feather. You can use any type of cake but I recommend a sponge cake that’s more squishy for the best texture. My daffodil cake is a GREAT option, you can download that below. A biscuit sponge or a hot milk sponge would also be phenomenal.

I paired it with none other than a combo of pastry cream and chantilly cream because they just go together phenomenally (mixing them would give you diplomat cream which would also be delicious!!).

As for the fruits, you can use whatever your heart desires. I went with a mix of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. I recommend at least 16 ounces of fruit but I prefer 20-24 ounces.

Ingredients

Flour: Angel food cake is super delicate and requires cake flour. It can technically be subbed for all-purpose flour but you’ll risk a more “rubbery” texture because there’s a higher protein content and we’re already working with a cake made of only egg whites and no fat.
- I HIGHLY recommend using a digital scale, as flour is so often over measured.
- If you do sub the cake flour for all-purpose flour, sub 1 Tbsp of the flour for cornstarch.
- My favorite cake flour is King Arthurs; I find that some other ones taste kind of funny…
Sugar: granulated sugar can be used for the cake, the chantilly cream and the pastry cream. I don’t recommend reducing it.
Eggs: Angel food cake uses all egg whites but you’ll need half of the egg yolks for the pastry cream so save those!
Heavy Cream: Heavy whipping cream (or double cream) is used to make the chantilly cream.
- Make sure to use something between 35%-45% fat. I haven’t tried a dairy free cream but if you have a dairy free heavy cream or whipped topping you like, feel free to use that instead.
Milk: I recommend a full-fat milk for the pastry cream but 2% will also do.
Cornstarch: this is used to thicken the pastry cream.
Vanilla: The main flavor here is vanilla so I like to use vanilla bean paste. Vanilla extract and vanilla beans also work, the higher the quality the better the flavor.
Fruit: I used strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries – I let them macerate with lemon juice and a little sugar to bring out the juices so we can drizzle that on the cakes.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Start making the cake by beating the egg whites with the sugar until it’s a thick fluffy meringue that forms SOFT peaks.

Step 2: Add the vanilla and sift the flour on top of the meringue, mix the flour just until the last streak is combined (you can fold it with a spatula or mix with the beater on medium-low speed – don’t over mix).

Step 3: Distribute the batter between two UN-GREASED (8 or 9 inch) pans OR spread it into a tube pan (17-18 ounces each) and bake for about 25 minutes (or 35 in a tube pan). The top will be a pale golden color and bounce back when you press on it.

Step 4: Remove the pans from the oven and flip upside down onto a cooling rack/tray. Let the cakes cool upside down in the pan (they won’t fall out if the pan wasn’t greased) until they’ve COMPLETELY cooled. If they’re even still slightly warm, angel food cake will sink/shrivel up if you take it out.

Step 5: Meanwhile, slice the berries and place them into a bowl with the sugar and the lemon juice. Toss them around for a minute and then let them rest while the cake cools.

Step 6: Make the pastry cream by whisking together the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch until they’re completely smooth.

egg yolks whisked with sugar and cornstarch - smooth — egg yolks whisked with sugar and cornstarch – smooth

Step 7: Gently heat the milk and then temper the egg mixture. Return the mixture to the pot and cook for a couple of minutes, whisking continuously. Once it starts to thicken, whisk aggressively for a minute and then pour into a bowl with the butter and vanilla.

Pastry cream cooked — eggs tempered with milk in saucepan

Step 8: Once the butter melts into the pastry cream, it may separate a little but it’ll come back together as you whisk it. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and allow it to cool to room temperature.

pastry cream splits when you add butter but comes back together as you whisk it

butter mixed into the cooked pastry cream — pastry cream splits when you add butter but comes back together as you whisk it

Step 9: Use a butter knife to release the cooled cake from the pan and then remove the cake. Slice the cake into 1×1 inch cubes and set aside.

Step 10: Make the chantilly cream – sift the sugar in a bowl and add the heavy whipping cream and vanilla bean paste. Whip the cream until it’s thick and fluffy and just when it reaches a stiff peak. Don’t over-beat or it won’t be smooth anymore (and can turn into butter lol). If you over-beat slightly, add a touch more cream and fold just until it’s combined.

Step 11: Strain the fruit from its liquid and begin assembling.

Step 12: Place the first layer of cakes on the bottom of the dish – just enough to fully cover the bottom, packed in a little (I recommend 6 ounces of angel food cake for each cake layer). Then drizzle 3-4 Tbsp of the juice left from the berries onto the cakes.

Step 13: Layer on ⅓ of the pastry cream (do a little more than I did in the photo lol), followed by a layer of fruit. I recommend about 7 ounces of fruit or ⅓ of however much you have.

Step 14: Top with a generous layer of whipped cream and repeat until you reach the top. I did three layers of each followed by a few berries on top. Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours or overnight, so it can all settle in the bowl.

This fruit trifle is best served cold or slightly chilled.

What can I make ahead of time?

The chantilly cream must be made fresh when using it.

The fruit should be sliced a few hours before assembling – best if done the same day though.

The pastry cream can be made a few days in advance and kept covered in the refrigerator.

The cake can be made in advance. If it’s 1 day, cover it or wrap it in plastic wrap as soon as it’s cooled and leave it at room temperature. If it’s longer, refrigerate for a few days or freeze the cake for up to a few weeks. Bring the cake back to room temperature and slice before assembling.

Expert tips on getting the perfect cake

Don’t swap ingredients unless I mentioned them in the ingredient section above.
Don’t over-mix the cake or the cream at any stage.
Don’t reduce the sugar in the cake or the cream (I promise it’s not overly sweet).
Weigh the ingredients with a digital scale.
Don’t skip sifting the sugar and flour.
Weigh the batter for each cake to make them even (17-18 ounces each).
Use a light colored stainless steel cake pan for a more even bake and browning.
Don’t rush the cooling process for cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a trifle with any fruit?

Yes! You can use any type of fruit in a trifle. Kiwis, raspberries, bananas, etc. If it’s not juicy, like berries, you may want to consider making a simple syrup or using a fruit juice. It’s not entirely necessary, the trifle will still be delicious without it but if you want the cake to be even more moist and flavorful that’s an option.

Can I use a store bought cake to make a trifle?

You definitely can. I used 18 ounces of cake to give you a rough estimate but the density of the cake can definitely make them weigh differently. A store bought angel food cake would work perfectly or even a boxed mix if you want to make that instead.

Can I use store bought whipped cream?

You definitely can – I always recommend Cool Whip over other brands. Make sure to thaw it in the fridge before using it.

Can I use store bought vanilla pudding?

You can make or buy vanilla pudding instead of making the pastry cream – you may need 2-3 packs of pudding.

What to do with leftover egg yolks?

You’ll use 6 egg yolks for the pastry cream, leaving you with 6 leftover egg yolks. My favorite thing to do is to make a French Buttercream and put it in the freezer for later use. Then make a batch of lemon curd or pistachio cookies.

How to store a trifle

Cover the trifle with foil and refrigerate for up to a week – best if eaten within 3-4 days though.

Thanks so much for reading today’s post, if you have any questions just comment down below.

If you make this fresh berry trifle, I’d love it if you left a star rating for me. If it’s less than five stars, please leave a comment with the rating so I know why! 🙂

As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!

Love, B