Berry Trifle

 My family LOVES my trifle! And it makes me so happy! :) Never heard of trifle? It is a dessert made with layers of spongey cake, custard or pudding, and fruit. I make trifle at least once a year, if not more often... I've made different variations, but most of the time I end up sticking with berries. I made this for our family Easter get-together on Sunday. Some recipes of trifle call for soaking the cake in rum or other alcoholic beverages, but since we had little kids at our event that were going to be eating this, I didn't think that was a good idea. ;) My recipe is fairly simple, but you can make it more complex (i.e., totally homemade) if you so choose. I didn't make my own whipped cream, although it is pretty easy to make. I also didn't make my own pudding. The packaged ones are so much easier, especially when you're in a hurry! I also used store bought pound cake. I have also used angel food cake in other trifle recipes, and it is just as delicious. It is a little more delicate than pound cake, so it might get soggy faster than pound cake does. My supermarket was all out of raspberries, which I prefer for this recipe, but I used blackberries, and it was still yummy! I also normally add banana slices to my recipe, but I had "Momnesia" on Sunday and totally forgot until I was already done making my trifle! Oh, well! It will taste yummy either way. I slice about half of the strawberries to make them "pretty" when they show through my dish. I chop the remaining strawberries that aren't going to be seen through the glass. I also add a special "drizzle" of fruit sauce over the cake. I think it adds even more fruity flavor to the dessert! Enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

1 pound cake, cubed

2 packages (3.4 oz) banana pudding mix

4 cups cold milk

1 tub whipped cream (8 oz; or make your own)

1 pound (16 oz) fresh strawberries, sliced and/or chopped

about 6 oz fresh blueberries 

about 6 oz fresh blackberries

2 to 3 medium bananas, sliced and/or chopped

2 tbsp raspberry preserves (preferably seedless)

1 lemon, zest and juice

1 tsp agave nectar (honey would probably be fine too)

To make "fruit sauce drizzle": Mix raspberry preserves with zest and juice of 1 lemon, and the agave nectar. I use a mini whisk, but you can use a fork too. Mix until the sauce is relatively smooth. 

To make banana pudding: Mix milk with banana pudding mixes. Stir with a wire whisk for a couple of minutes. Let the pudding mixture set while you're preparing fruit. 

Putting it all together: Place half of the pound cake cubes on the bottom of your trifle bowl. Drizzle with half of the "fruit sauce". Arrange about 1/3 of the fruit pieces evenly over the cake. I like to make a little pattern of fruit around the bowl, so some fruit pieces are peeking through. It makes it look really pretty! Pour about 1/2 of the pudding over the fruit, and spread evenly. Spread about 1/2 of the whipped cream over the pudding evenly. Repeat layers once. On the top layer of whipped cream, arrange your remaining pieces of fruit in a pretty pattern, or just arrange pieces evenly over the top. This dessert tastes great when it is left in the fridge for a few hours before serving. It allows all the flavors of the fruits to soak into the cake... Mmmm! 

Berry Trifle