This strawberry shortcake trifle is easy to make with layers of pound cake, sweet whipped cream and fresh strawberries. It’s a classic dessert perfect for summer!

Strawberry shortcake trifle layered in a trifle dish with pound cake, cream and sliced strawberries.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read disclosure policy.

Easy Strawberry Trifle Recipe

I love how fancy and pretty a trifle looks with it’s layers of color of texture! Strawberries are my favorite fruit to add to a trifle dessert during summer. They taste amazing in this strawberry shortcake trifle, as well as my brownie strawberry trifle.

Each bite of this show-stopping strawberry trifle dessert is a delicious blend of buttery pound cake, sweet whipped cream, and juicy strawberries. It’s just like eating angel food strawberry shortcake but in an easy trifle!

I love desserts with strawberries and also make strawberry shortcake bars recipe and strawberry shortcake biscuits!

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle Ingredients

This strawberry shortcake trifle recipe is ready in about ten minutes and so easy that the kids can help make it, plus it has just a few easy ingredients.

Strawberry shortcake trifle ingredients on counter.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Pound cake: Pre-made store purchased pound cake or homemade pound cake is tastes amazing when paired with the fresh berries and cream. It’s moist, tender and it’s dense texture makes it sturdy enough to support the trifle layers.
  • Strawberries: Fresh, juicy strawberries add sweetness and fresh flavor. Look for plump strawberries with a vibrant red color and sweet fragrance.
  • Cream: Making a stabilized whipped cream or homemade cool whip recipe from scratch is not only delicious, but will help the cream stay sturdier for longer. Regular homemade whipped cream is another option, although it tends to fall quicker.

Substitutions and Variations

  • I love to use pound cake, but vanilla cake or my homemade angel food cake cubes taste great as well. You can even use Costco pound cake muffins.
  • Other types of berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries) would also taste delicious.
  • Sweeten the strawberry layer by making an easy strawberry sauce with a sprinkle of granulated sugar. This makes them a little more syrupy.
  • Store-bought cool whip may also be used in place of the homemade stabilized whipped cream.
  • Use a cream cheese filling or vanilla pudding instead of whipped cream. It won’t be as fluffy, but will be rich in flavor like the mascarpone cream in this strawberry tiramisu dessert.
  • Make a chocolate version by using chopped homemade brownies or chocolate cake instead of pound cake.

How to Make a Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

Step by step collage showing how to make strawberry shortcake trifle.
  • Prepare the whipped cream. Let the gelatin Dissolve gelatin in a small bowl of water to bloom. Once thickened, heat in the microwave for about 10 seconds to liquify the mixture again. Next beat the cold heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla using an electric mixer or hand mixer on low until combined, then on high until a soft peak forms. Slowly pour in the gelatin and beat until a stiff peak forms.
  • Cake layer. Slice the pound cake into 1-inch cubes. Then add half of the cake cubes into the bottom of a trifle dish.
  • Strawberry layer. Next you’ll chop the fresh strawberries and sprinkle half of the berries on top of the cake layer.
  • Cream layer. Spread half of the whipped cream over the fruit, then repeat with the remaining pound cake, strawberries and cream until the trifle is filled to the top. Garnish with mint leaves if desired.
Strawberry shortcake trifle layered in a glass cup.

Tips for the Best Trifle

  • Chill your beaters. Before making the whipped cream layer, place your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 15 minutes prior. This helps the stiff peaks form.
  • Don’t use frozen strawberries. They will be too soggy in the trifle.
  • Macerate your strawberries. A trifle is often made with macerated berries which is a fancy way of saying the strawberries are tossed with sugar to sweeten them! It’s easy, just mix sliced strawberries with around 1/3 cup sugar and let them rest for 20 -30 minutes.
  • Chill until serving. During summer when it is warm, storing your trifle in the fridge until serving keeps this sweet treat fresh.
  • Strawberry shortcake trifle cups. To assemble individual strawberry shortcake cups, distribute half the pound cake evenly between 12 individual serving glasses. Sprinkle half the strawberries over top, add a dollop of whipped cream to individual cups then repeat layers. Such a cute mini dessert!
Strawberry shortcake trifle in a glass trifle dish.

Need more strawberry desserts? Try strawberry cake, strawberry sheet cake and easy strawberry brownies!

More Strawberry Dessert Recipes

See all
See all

Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

5 from 15 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Freeze Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6
This strawberry shortcake trifle is easy to make with layers of pound cake, sweet whipped cream and fresh strawberries. This classic dessert is perfect for summer!
Print Pin This! Rate

Video

Ingredients 

Stabilized Whipped Cream

  • 2 teaspoons gelatin (unflavored)
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 2 cups heavy cream , cold
  • 5-6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberry Trifle

  • 2 loaves pound cake , cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 6 cups strawberries , chopped

Instructions

Stabilized Whipped Cream

  • Place a medium-large-sized mixing bowl and the beaters into the freezer for about 15 minutes.
  • Dissolve 2 teaspoons gelatin in a small bowl with the water. Let sit a few minutes until thickened. Microwave about 10 seconds until it turns back to liquid.
  • Pour 2 cups cream, 5-6 Tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla into the chilled bowl. Beat on low until the ingredients are mixed together, then beat on high until a soft peak forms, about 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly mix in the liquid gelatin while the beaters are on. Beat until a stiff peak forms.

Strawberry Trifle

  • To assemble the trifle, distribute half of the pound cake into the bottom of the trifle. Sprinkle half the strawberries over the top, then add a dollop of whipped cream. Repeat with remaining pound cake, strawberries, and whipped cream until complete.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Strawberry Trifle Cups: To assemble the trifle in cups, distribute half of the pound cake evenly between 12 individual serving glasses. Sprinkle half the strawberries over the top, then add a dollop of whipped cream to each cup. Repeat with remaining pound cake, strawberries, and whipped cream. You can cut the recipe in half to make 6 small cups. 
Variations:
  • I love to use pound cake because it is sturdier, but vanilla cake or angel food cake taste great as well.
  • You can also swap out the berries, if you prefer blueberries or raspberries. 
  • If you would like for the strawberries to have more of a syrup, you can sprinkle sugar over top of the strawberries 15 minutes before adding. 
Make-ahead: Assemble the trifle up to 2 hours in advance and store in fridge until ready to serve. Wait to add the whipped cream on top. It is definitely best served the first day. 
Whipped cream: The homemade stabilized whipped cream is worth the extra effort, but in a pinch store-bought cool whip will work just as well. You can also use regular whipped cream, however it tends to fall easier (still absolutely delicious just not as pretty). 

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 90mg, Sodium: 25mg, Potassium: 297mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 1184IU, Vitamin C: 85mg, Calcium: 76mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Strawberry trifle topped with whipped cream and a fresh strawberry.
Original Photo by The Baker Upstairs