This stunning Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle is a make ahead dessert that's always a crowd pleaser. It's filled with sweet strawberries, angel food cake and a homemade vanilla cheesecake mousse. Serve it for any special occasion when show-stopper desserts are on the menu.
Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle Recipe
How do you make Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle? To assemble this layered confection, I recommend starting with cubed cake, then a layer of strawberries and vanilla cheesecake mousse in that order. Depending on the size and depth of the trifle bowl used, the layers could come together differently, so consider the size of the bowl you're using when separating the ingredients into layers. This strawberry cheesecake trifle is a fun dessert to make and serve and there's never ever a spoonful leftover.
How to Make the Best Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle Recipe
- Ingredients you'll need to make homemade Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle: For the strawberry layer 2 quarts of fresh strawberries hulled and diced, one can premium strawberry pie filling, granulated sugar and lemon juice.
- To make the cheesecake layer you'll need: Softened plain cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract.
- You'll also need one baked Angel Food cake baked, cooled and cubed. You can make it using a box mix or purchase one at the grocery store bakery. You could also use a vanilla pound cake.
- Kitchen tools you'll need: A stand mixer or a hand mixer, measuring cups and spoons, a strawberry huller, sharp knife and cutting board, large trifle bowl, large bowl medium bowl, large spoon.
- Why use pie filling? It's a shortcut hack to make the strawberry layer more pie-like.
- You don't have to get super fancy with the whipped cream on top, unless you want to. It's perfectly fine to first the top just as you would a cake and decorate it with fresh strawberries.
- If you don't have a trifle bowl, any large glass bowl will do. It should be able to hold at least 4 quarts. My rule of thumb with trifle bowls is to go larger rather than smaller. A large bowl is still pretty if the filling doesn't go to the top but a small bowl overfilled is never a good idea.
- Serving Options: Birthday parties, church and office potluck gatherings and of course, for the holidays. I make this trifle year-round when I can get my hands on sweet strawberries. Thankfully, that's not a problem thanks to the fact that my local grocery store always has them in stock. Strawberry shortcake is a given during strawberry picking season, but the colors make it perfection at Christmas and the holiday season, too.
- Store Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
More Strawberry Desserts To Make
Strawberries are readily available year-round. For more ways to add strawberries to the dessert menu checkout these recipes:
- My Strawberries and Cream Poke Cake is dressed to impress.
- Black Bottomed Strawberry Cheesecake Pie has a surprise chocolate layer hidden inside.
- Easy Strawberry Layer Cake is pretty in pink.
- Easy Strawberry Parfaits are beautiful and delicious.
- Classic Strawberry Shortcake is one the whole family will love.
- Cool down on a summer day with no churn Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream.
- Fresh Strawberry Coffee Cake is a spectacular treat with a cup of coffee or hot tea.
- Strawberry Cookies from An Edible Mosaic.
Pick-up a copy of my Best-Selling cookbook here today!
Thanks for visiting come back soon!
Disclosure ~ If a purchase is made using one of the affiliate links on this website we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
Helpful Kitchen Items:
Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle
Ingredients
- Strawberries:
- 2 pints fresh strawberries hulled and cubed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 21 oz can strawberry pie filling
- Vanilla cheesecake mousse:
- 2 8 oz blocks plain cream cheese (OR Neufchatel cheese) softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar divided use
- 4 cup heavy cream
- 3 teaspoon pure vanilla extract divided use
- 1 angel food or vanilla pound cake cubed
Instructions
- To make the strawberry layer: Mix together the cubed strawberries with ⅓ cup granulated sugar and 1 juiced lemon. Stir well then set aside to macerate for 10 minutes.
- Add the strawberry pie filling to the macerated strawberries, mix well. Set aside.
- To make the cheesecake mousse: Using an electric mixer, whip together cream cheese with 1 ½ cup powdered sugar and 1 ½ cups heavy cream. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla. Whip for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed until creamy, fluffy and combined.
- In a separate bowl, use the mixer to whip the remaining 2 ½ cups heavy cream with ½ cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whip until stiff peaks form, don't overbeat.
- Fold 2 cups of the whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture by hand. Reserve the remaining whipped cream for the top.
- To assemble: Alternate layers of cubed cake, strawberries, and vanilla cheesecake mousse in that order. Repeat until all ingredients have been used.
- Frost the top with the reserved whipped cream and garnish as desired. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight, prior to serving.
- Store leftovers chilled for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Kouver
Can I make it cherry instead? If so can I use cherry pie filling and maraschino cherrys? Also would I still use the lemon and sugar?
Melissa
I haven't tested the changes you mention. If you try it let us know how it goes.
Amanda Guerrero
Got some pound cake from the Costco bakery and made for Vday this year. Super simple and delicious! 😋❤️
Melissa
I'm so happy you enjoyed it, thanks!
sue
Can you substitute with blue berries?
Melissa
I have a recipe for blueberry trifle here.
JoAnn
June 27,2020
I made this for my daughter’s housewarming party. I only changed one thing and it wasn’t an ingredient, but serving container. You can hardly beat the beauty of serving a trifle in a trifle dish, however we opted to go with dessert shooters! The particular ones I chose were about 4-5 oz. Although I only filled a dozen of them with this yummy dessert, it would have easily filled approximately 20-24. (We also served 2 other dessert shooter options and just didn’t need too many of them filled.) The trifle was a hit for everyone at the party and they commented many times on the amazing desserts! Thank you for such a great recipe!!!
Melissa
Love that, thank you!
Fabrizz
I have made this already quite a few times since I pinned it. I’ve done it as a cheese cake like the recipe but have also substituted and put banana vanilla pudding mixed with whipped cream. We love it!!! Great for no bake not to heat up kitchen on hot days.
Melissa
Sounds great, thank you!
Ayshie
Can you make ahead , the day before? Thank you!!!
Melissa
Absolutely, no problem at all. Just cover and chill.
Tracie Ridgeway
instead of pie filling, could you use strawberry glaze?
Melissa
If you prefer.
Tay
Are you supposed to chill the entire dish for 4 hours after you have assembled everything before serving it? The cook time says chill for four hours but never says what or when in the directions.
Melissa
Yes, please chill to allow it to set up after preparing.
Rose
This sounds so good! What could be substituted for the cheesecake mousse? I can’t find it anywhere 🙁
Melissa
You actually make the cheesecake mousse according to the recipe. If you can't find cheesecake pudding mix try white chocolate.
Christy
Where is the pudding mix in the recipe? I made this once and I thought it had pudding mix, but now I don't see it in the recipe?
Melissa
I have many trifle recipes and each one is slightly different. This one doesn't have pudding mix in the mousse. When you have time, browse the recipe index for trifles when you have time.