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 Strawberry Shortcake Trifle layers white chocolate-studded cake bites, creamy vanilla filling, and fresh strawberries for a dessert that’s easy to make and always a hit!

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 servings

Equipment

• Metal baking dish 9 x 13-inch
• Parchment paper
• stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment
• Hand mixer

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ Cooking spray

Lemon or Vanilla Cake

• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 3/4 cup sour cream full-fat
• ▢ 3/4 cup melted coconut oil or canola or vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 (13.25-ounce) box Super Moist Lemon Cake Mix or French Vanilla; Betty Crocker makes this
• ▢ 1 (3.4-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix not sugar free; do not prepare
• ▢ 1 cup white chocolate chips chopped
• ▢ 1/2 cup buttermilk or warm water

Cream Layer

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

Sugared Strawberries

• ▢ 2 pounds fresh strawberries
• ▢ 1/2 cup sugar reduce if strawberries are already pretty sweet
• ▢ Fresh mint optional, for garnish

Instructions 

Cake

• Line a 9x13-inch metal pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. Lightly coat parchment paper with cooking spray. If not using parchment paper, grease the pan with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large bowl, whisk eggs with a fork. Add sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir until completely combined. Add cake mix, vanilla pudding mix, and coarsely chopped white chocolate chips. Stir well. Add 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, cut the cake into 1-inch cubes and use a metal spatula to remove cubes from the pan.

Sugared Strawberries

• Remove the tops and stems of the strawberries, thinly slice, and add to a large bowl. Top with the 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 strawberries to the trifle.

Cream Layer

• Add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla 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 overbeating. In a separate large bowl, mix together sweetened condensed milk and 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.
• 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

Make Ahead: 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, 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 2 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!

Storage: To store leftover Strawberry Shortcake Trifle, cover tightly or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Add fresh strawberries before serving if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | 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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