Mixed Berry Trifle (and Other Trifles)

This dessert has luscious pudding, light and airy cake cubes, flecks of chocolate and fresh fruit all mixed into a wonderful combination that is so much more than the individual items could be on their own. It does not feel heavy or too rich when you eat it and it has a perfect combination of sweet and tart that doesn’t overwhelm your taste buds.

Although I have singled out mixed berries and vanilla, this recipe is a bit of a chameleon. While the basic parts remain the same, changing the fruit can change the entire dessert. My personal favourites are strawberry vanilla or chocolate cherry, whereas my father-in-law loves the vanilla peach version. This past summer I was a little short on strawberries, but had thankfully stockpiled a bunch of different berries the day before, and I created the mixed berry version.

At this point, I must make a disclaimer that while this is a “homemade” recipe, it is one with “cheats”. It uses instant pudding mix and pre-made (read: purchased) cake. You can also substitute thawed Cool Whip in the place of whipped cream, if you’re really pressed for time. As a result, some who desire completely “homemade” recipes may be disappointed, but I hope that doesn’t stop them from trying this delicious recipe.

As desserts go, this one has a myriad of choices you can make to suit your personal tastes, or what you have on hand. Here is one version sure to satisfy:

Through the years, I have made this recipe with only vanilla or chocolate puddings, although using banana or caramel pudding might be tasty with the right fruit. I have also used pound cake, brownies and sponge cake for the cake-cube layer, but angel food cake is by far my favourite because it is so light. Finally, fresh fruit is amazing in this dessert, but using canned fruit is also very tasty. I have used canned cherries (so gooey & sweet!), canned peaches and frozen strawberries – you get the idea.

One last thing – the chocolate flakes. These have been omitted in about half my renditions of this dessert, usually because I didn’t have any chocolate on hand, or because I simply forgot to add it. If you don’t have any, don’t worry – it can still be delicious without it. It does, however, look nice as a garnish, so if you’re going for the big WOW factor, make sure to include it.

Let me know what combination of flavours you tried and how it was received by your family and friends in the comments below.