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Lemon Strawberry Trifle in a clear glass trifle bowl
Recipe

Easy Lemon Strawberry Trifle

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 10-12 servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: No Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

This Easy Lemon Strawberry Trifle is quick to put together with layers of homemade lemon filling, fresh strawberries, mascarpone whipped cream and angel food cake! Such a light dessert that’s perfect for spring parties and summer potlucks!


Ingredients

Lemon Filling

  • 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 6 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice (23 lemons)
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest
  • 16 oz (452g) cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (104g) sugar
  • 2 tbsp (29g) sour cream
  • 1 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 1/2 cup (58g) powdered sugar
  • Yellow gel icing color, optional

Mascarpone Whipped Cream

  • 8 oz mascarpone cheese*
  • 1 1/4 cups (300ml) heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup (58g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Additional Ingredients

  • 1 lb strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced**
  • 15 oz angel food cake

Instructions

To Make the Filling

  1. In a medium sized measuring cup, combine the sweetened condensed milk with the lemon juice and lemon zest. Set aside to thicken.
  2. In a large mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until well combined and smooth.
  3. Add the sour cream and mix until well combined and smooth.
  4. Add the lemon juice mixture to the cream cheese mixture and mix until well combined and smooth. Set mixture aside.
  5. In another large mixer bowl, add the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar for the filling. Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
  6. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two parts until well combined.
  7. Add a little yellow gel icing color and gently fold to combine, if desired. Set aside.

To Make the Mascarpone Whipped Cream

  1. To make the whipped cream, add the mascarpone cheese to a mixer bowl and beat just until it starts to smooth out. Don’t over beat it, or it’ll thin out too much.
  2. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and whip on high speed until medium to stiff peaks form. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to be sure the mascarpone cheese was all incorporated. Set aside

To Assemble the Trifle

  1. To layer the trifle, wash, hull and slice the strawberries, reserving a few berries for decoration if desired. Cut or rip angel food cake into bite-sized chunks.
  2. Add a layer of angel food cake chunks to the bottom of the trifle bowl and cover with about half of the lemon filling.
  3. Next, add about half of the strawberries in an even layer, then about half of the mascarpone whipped cream.
  4. Repeat the layers starting with another layer of angel food cake (you might not need the entire cake) and the other half of the lemon filling.
  5. Top the trifle with the remainder of the sliced strawberries and cover well with plastic wrap.
  6. Place in the refrigerator to chill at least 5-6 hours or overnight.
  7. Just before serving, fill a piping bag with the remaining mascarpone whipped cream and pipe swirls on top. I used Ateco tip #. Then decorate the top with a few sliced strawberries and lemon slice halves.
  8. Best if eaten within 3-4 days.

Notes

* Set out the mascarpone cheese about 15-20 minutes before you are ready to use it. You want to take the chill off, but not get it too warm. When mascarpone cheese gets too warm and soft, it doesn’t firm back up well.

** I like to reserve a few strawberries to use on top of the trifle. If you want to decorate it similar to how I did, I’d suggest setting aside 4-5 strawberries to cut in half later. If your package of berries is full of large berries and that removes half of your package, you might want to purchase an extra package of berries to make sure you have enough to decorate with.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 592
  • Sugar: 44.8 g
  • Sodium: 489.4 mg
  • Fat: 33.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 65.3 g
  • Protein: 10.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 103.3 mg