The Best Ever Strawberry Shortcake Trifle
This Strawberry Shortcake Trifle is an easy, no-fuss dessert made with fluffy angel food cake, creamy vanilla pudding, and juicy macerated strawberries. It’s a crowd-pleasing, make-ahead summer dessert that looks impressive but takes minutes to assemble.
Equipment
- Trifle Dish or Large Glass Bowl
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1 box angel food cake mix (or 1 prepared angel food cake)
- 1 1/4 cups water (for cake mix, if using)
- 5-6 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 package vanilla instant pudding mix (3.4 oz)
- 3 cups cold milk
- whipped cream or Cool Whip (optional, for topping)
Instructions
- Bake angel food cake according to package directions and cool completely. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Skip this step if using store-bought cake.
- Toss sliced strawberries with sugar and let sit for 15–20 minutes until syrupy.
- Whisk pudding mix with cold milk for 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes until softly set.
- Add half the cake cubes to the bottom of a trifle dish. Spread half the pudding evenly over the cake.
- Spoon half the strawberries and some of the syrup over the pudding layer.
- Repeat layers with remaining cake, pudding, and strawberries. Top with whipped cream if desired. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
This trifle tastes even better after chilling overnight, allowing the cake to soak up the pudding and strawberry juices.