Lemon Blueberry Trifle

5 from 6 votes

Lemon Blueberry Trifle recipe is light, refreshing, and super easy to make! Perfect dessert for summer with bursts of fresh berries and bright citrus in every bite!

Prep Time20

Chill Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1 cup servings

Calories: 312kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

2 medium size fresh lemons washed and dried
8 ounces cream cheese softened
½ cup powdered sugar
6.8 ounces (2 3.4-ounce) lemon instant pudding mix
3 cups cold whole milk
14 ounces store bought angel food cake sliced into 1 inch x 1 inch cubes
2 pints fresh blueberries washed and dried very well (divide out ½ cup for garnish)
8 ounces thawed whipped topping

Instructions

Zest 1 of the fresh lemons (This should give you 1 tablespoon - this will go into the cream cheese)
2 medium size fresh lemons
Add the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar to a medium size (2-3 quarts) mixing bowl. Use a handheld mixer on medium low speed to mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth, about 1 - 1 ½ minutes. Add the lemon zest and continue to mix just until well incorporated.
8 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup powdered sugar
In a separate mixing bowl, use either a handheld whisk, or a handheld mixer on low speed to mix the cold milk and instant pudding mix until the pudding begins to thicken up (the consistency should be that of yogurt)
6.8 ounces (2 3.4-ounce) lemon instant pudding mix, 3 cups cold whole milk
Once the pudding has reached the desired consistency, add half of the pudding to the cream cheese mixture. Use a handheld mixer on low speed to combine the pudding and cream cheese until smooth, then add the remaining pudding and continue mixing until smooth.
In a trifle bowl (3.25 quart -or- 104 ounce) create a single layer of 1-inch cake cubes at the bottom. (Be sure the cake cubes are uniform in size and tightly fitted to form a sturdy base for your trifle)
14 ounces store bought angel food cake
Spoon ½ of the pudding mixture over the layer of angel food cake layer. Smooth the pudding with an offset spatula or silicone spatula.
Evenly sprinkle 1 ¾ cups of the blueberries over the pudding layer.
2 pints fresh blueberries
Repeat the layers - angel food cake, pudding and blueberries.
Evenly spread the thawed whipped topping over the top berry layer. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
8 ounces thawed whipped topping
Just before you are ready to serve, slice the remaining lemon either into quarters or into slices. Neatly arrange the sliced lemon in the center of the whipped topping. (You can arrange the lemon slices in a layered, rounded fan shape or a pinwheel shape. It is completely up to you)
Arrange the remaining blueberries around the edge of the whipped topping and you can also scatter a few berries around the lemons. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to serve.

Notes

Storage:

To Store: This lemon blueberry trifle is best served chilled. It can be refrigerated, lightly covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. Please note that the longer this sits, the softer the cake will become from the moisture in the pudding and cool whip layers.
To Freeze: This is not a dessert suited for freezing. It is best to make and serve the same day.

Tips:

Be sure the cake cubes are uniform in size and tightly fitted to form a sturdy base for your trifle.
When adding each layer to your trifle bowl, be careful around the outer edges to keep the cake, pudding, and blueberry layers nice and neat. This will ensure that you have a beautiful layered presentation when you are looking at the outside of the bowl.
When using the zest of a fresh lemon, be sure to rinse it with cool water and wipe dry with a paper towel to remove any waxy residue from the outer skin.
Whole milk or 2% milk works best for this recipe. Milk alternatives do not work well as they affect how the pudding sets up.
Make sure you use instant pudding mix and not the cook-and-serve kind.
My trifle bowl was 3.25 quarts or 104 ounces. You may end up with extra cake cubes, depending on the size of your trifle bowl.

Nutrition