Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle
This stunning Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle is a make ahead dessert that’s always a crowd pleaser. It’s filled with layers of sweet strawberries, angel food cake and a luscious cheesecake filling. Serve it for any special occasion when show stopping desserts are on the menu.
Ingredients to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle Recipe
This impressive strawberry trifle is a cinch to make. It features the flavors of strawberries and cream and it serves a crowd. This layered confection features cake pieces, layer of strawberries and a creamy cheesecake filling in each bite. 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. It’s a fun dessert to make and serve and there’s never a spoonful leftover.
Key ingredients to make simple Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)
- Strawberry Layer – Fresh diced strawberries mixed with one can of premium strawberry pie filling, plus 1/3 cup sugar and lemon juice to macerate the strawberries.
- Cheesecake Layer – Cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract. No instant pudding mix needed!
- Cake – One baked angel food cake cooled and cubed. You can bake it from scratch using my recipe or using a box of angel food cake mix baked in a 13×9-inch pan. You could also purchase one at the grocery store bakery. If you prefer pound cake, you can use my buttermilk pound cake recipe for the cake layer.
How to Make the Best Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle Recipe
- Prep Strawberries – Hull and cube the strawberries.
- Macerate the Strawberries – Mix together the cubed strawberries with 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 juiced lemon. Stir well then set aside to macerate for 10 minutes.
- Add Pie Filling – Add the strawberry pie filling to the macerated strawberries, mix well then set aside until assembling the trifle.
- Make the Cheesecake Layer – Whip together the cream cheese with powdered sugar and heavy cream plus the vanilla extract until combined.
- Make Whipped Cream – In a separate bowl, use the mixer to whip the remaining heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip until stiff peaks form, don’t overbeat.
- Combine – Fold 2 cups of the whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture by hand. Reserve the remaining whipped cream for the top.
- Assemble – In a large glass bowl or trifle dish assemble alternate layers of cake cubes, strawberry mixture and cream cheese mixture in that order. Repeat until all ingredients have been used.
- Decorate the Top – Frost the top with the reserved whipped cream and garnish as desired.
- Refrigerator – Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight, prior to serving.
Kitchen Equipment to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle
- 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 dish, large bowl, medium bowl, large spoon.
Recipe Variations, Tips and Variations
- Angel Food Cake Substitutions – You could use a strawberry cake or a pound cake for the cake layers in this trifle.
- Flavorings – For the cheesecake layer, you could replace some of the vanilla extract with almond extract or strawberry extract.
- Fresh Berries – You could add a layer, or two, of fresh blueberries for a red, white and blue trifle.
- Why Use Pie Filling? It’s a shortcut hack to make the strawberry layer more pie-like. If you want to adapt using one of the packets of premade strawberry glaze found in the produce department, you could.
- Decorate the Top to Suit Your Taste: You don’t have to get super fancy with the whipped cream on top. It’s perfectly fine to frost the top just as you would a cake using cool whip and decorate it with fresh strawberries.
- No Trifle Bowl? Use a Large Glass Bowl – If you don’t have a trifle bowl, any large glass bowl will do. It should be able to hold at least 4-6 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 – You can serve this strawberry trifle at birthday parties, potluck gatherings and of course, for the holidays. I make this trifle year-round when I can get my hands on sweet strawberries. Add blueberries and it’s perfect for July 4th!
Storage and Leftovers
- Leftovers – Store Strawberry Trifle covered with plastic wrap chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer – You can freeze leftovers by scooping it into a freezer safe container. Store trifle frozen for up to 2 months, thawing in the fridge prior to serving. It won’t be as pretty, but it will still taste delicious.
More Strawberry Desserts To Make
Fresh strawberries tend to be readily available year-round. For more ways to add strawberries to the dessert menu check-out 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.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 463kcal
Ingredients
- Strawberries:
- 2 pints fresh strawberries hulled and cubed
- 1/3 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 tsp vanilla extract divided use
- 1 angel food or vanilla pound cake cubed
Instructions
- Strawberry layer: Hull and cube the strawberries. In a medium bowl, mix together the cubed fresh strawberries with 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 juiced lemon (about 3 tablespoons). Stir to combine then set aside for 10 minutes to macerate.
- After 10 minutes add the strawberry pie filling to the macerated strawberries, mix until fully combined. Set aside.
- Cheesecake Layer: Using an electric mixer whip together the cream cheese with 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1 1/2 cups heavy cream in a large bowl. 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 1/2 cups heavy cream with 1/2 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.
- Assemble: In a large glass bowl or trifle dish arrange alternate layers of cubed cake, strawberries, and vanilla cheesecake mousse in that order. Repeat until all ingredients have been used. (Layers could vary slightly depending on the size of the bowl. A 5-6 quart bowl works best.)
- Frost the top with the reserved whipped cream and garnish as desired. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight, prior to serving. (You can also frost the top with cool whip.)
- Store leftovers chilled for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Angel Food Cake Substitutions – You could use a strawberry cake or a pound cake for the cake layers in this trifle.
- Flavorings – For the cheesecake layer, you could replace some of the vanilla extract with almond extract or strawberry extract.
- Fresh Berries – You could add a layer, or two, of fresh blueberries for a red, white and blue trifle.
- Why Use Pie Filling? It’s a shortcut hack to make the strawberry layer more pie-like. If you want to adapt using one of the packets of premade strawberry glaze found in the produce department, you could.
- Decorate the Top to Suit Your Taste – You don’t have to get super fancy with the whipped cream on top. It’s perfectly fine to frost the top just as you would a cake using cool whip and decorate it with fresh strawberries.
- Homemade Cake – Make your own Angel Food Cake or Buttermilk Pound Cake.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 463kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 242mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 883IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!
Made this tonight. Super easy and oh so good!
Wonderful, thank you!
This looks delicious! I’m wondering if you could add some blueberries with the strawberries for the 4th of July? Or would that change the taste too much?
Not a problem at all go for it!
Hi Melissa,
Made your fabulous recipe last night for a large group and it was a HUGE hit!
Can it be made with bananas?
Don’t know what pie filling to use with this.
I’m glad you enjoyed this! Trifles can be made in many different ways. Checkout others in my recipe index here.
If you are using bananas rather than pie filling try banana instant pudding! Make sure to prepare the pudding first and adjust the correct measurement! Like if the pie filling is 16 oz make sure you make 16 oz of pudding!
That would turn this into a different recipe altogether.
Hey Melissa, i was just wanting to know if i could use coolwhip instead of heavy creme ?
And if so would a 16 oz size work the best ?
I make this recipe just as written. If you’d like to adapt this my guess is you will need at least double that.
My question is on step 2: do you use the 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream in liquid form or is it
Whipped first? What is Maserati going strawberries? I’ve cooked for 65 years and have never heard this term or seen it in a recipe?
Macerated berries are berries sprinkled with sugar to allow the juices to release. The heavy cream whipped with the cream cheese does not need to be whipped beforehand. The heavy cream that is whipped is for the topping.
When does the vanilla cheese pudding go in at
There’s no pudding in this recipe. The mousse is layered with the cake and strawberries.
I made this for a baby shower two weeks ago. It was amazing! Will definitely be making it again. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Any chance you can use frozen strawberries if thawed and well drained. It is hard to get strawberries where I live right now.
I’m sure you could adapt this, sure.
This recipe is wonderful! I’ve made it twice with great results. I may try it with raspberries next time. Thank you. It certainly doesn’t last long. 😉
Sp happy you’re enjoying this one, I love it, too! Thanks so much for visiting.
I really would prefer not to use pie filling. Would you recommend using more doubling the strawberry/sugar/lemon juice part?
It won’t be the same but, you could try it if you prefer.
Hi. I made this last week and company raved! I want to make it again for Mother’s Day perhaps with a different fruit. Do you think peach works with the cheesecake mousse ? Thanks for the great recipe 🙂
I’m so happy you enjoyed this one. I think you could use any fresh fruit you like in this trifle, the cheesecake should compliment peach as well.
What is the cheesecake moose? A pudding?
I am going to make this sunday for Mothers Day. I have a question can i make individual small ones or does it have to be in the bigbig bowl and everytone takes some.I thought it would be nice if everyone had their own.cant wait to make it it looks so good.
I assume you mean as parfaits. Sure, why not if you have a collection large enough to handle the amount of ingredients. They would be pretty!
I’m hoping someone in my family picks up on my hints and makes me this for Mother’s Day!
I hope so too, Michelle!
Strawberry is my Fav Fruit and I love those dish which uses strawberry
Hi Melissa,
Question: Does the recipe as is , make enough to garnish the top or should I plan on buying extra whip topping?
Can’t wait to try it!
You may need extra so make sure you have ample if you want to pipe the whipped cream on top.
I made this last week end and it was FABULOUS!!! We were at our week-end beach home and our grocery store is limited. I used a frozen pound cake – I would never have eaten this cake by itself, but in this trifle, it was perfect! Next time I will use a pound cake and see if I like it any better. Thanks for a a really, really good recipe!!
I’m so happy to hear it, thank you!
How could I cut this recipe in half?
Since this recipe isn’t baked requiring adjusting ingredients you could adapt this into a smaller version just by cutting things in half.
If preparing the day before, would you recommend using the angel food or the pound cake? Would you add the whip topping to the top of the trifle the day before, or add it before serving?
If kept well chilled, either of those cakes should maintain their texture. If you’re planning on topping this as pictured, I usually frost with the cheesecake layer and then cover with plastic wrap to keep it fresh then I finish the top with the decorative topping just before serving. This way,I can leave it uncovered and not ruin the garnish. If traveling with this do the same, so you won’t have to cover it and damage the whipped cream.
Hi Melissa , this was a wonderful dessert . Everyone just loved the flavours and it was easy to put together. I used the lemon burst buttermilk cake for this and the flavour of lemon complimented the strawberries wonderfully! I must add that I reduced the quantity of cream cheese and cream a little to make it a little guilt free. Also did not have the pie filling . But I just increased the fresh fruit quantity. It turned out well with minor modifications. Thank you so much for the recipes! This will definitely be made for get togethers. The other dessert recipes are equally tempting to try out and taste of course????
I love the idea of using that cake in this trifle, thanks so much for taking the time to let me know.
Thank you so much for this comment! I made this dessert with the lemon burst cake and it was amazing. I will definitely make this dessert again.
One question, are you mace rating the berries with the juice of the lemon or with the juiced lemon itself?
The berries are macerated with the juice of the lemon not the actual lemon. Hope this helps!
I can’t wait to make this Truffle it looks so good. I have an important Question. Is there a way to make this and other recipes for Diabetics? I’m trying not to cheat.
Hi Sharon, there are so many wonderful low sugar substitutions these days I would suggest you make those based on the brands you like. Perhaps use neufchatel cheese in place of full fat cream cheese, sugar free whipped topping and so on. Hope this helps, stay healthy!