Fruit Trifle Favorite Family Recipes

What Fruits Do You Put in a Trifle?

The sky’s the limit when it comes to what kind of fruits to use in a fruit trifle. Berries and fruits that don’t brown easily will stay longer and look prettier. Bananas aren’t ideal unless you plan on serving the trifle right away. If you do want to add bananas, apples, or fruit that has a higher chance of browning, put them near the middle or bottom. Here are some ideas for what fruit to use in a fruit trifle:

Strawberries Kiwi Blueberries Raspberries/Blackberries Nectarines Grapes Pineapple Fresh peaches Mandarin oranges Mangoes Cantaloupe Watermelon Honeydew

What is the Best Way to Layer a Fruit Trifle?

There are two things to take into consideration when layering a trifle:

Can I use Frozen Fruit?

Fresh will taste best but frozen fruit works great too. Keep in mind that frozen berries, when thawed, may have juices that will drip down over the other fruit. Also, sometimes the fruit that is frozen isn’t as sweet. You may want to toss the fruit in a little sugar before adding to the trifle.

Add a Topping or Fruit Dip

Because this fruit trifle doesn’t have layers of whipped cream, cool whip, or instant pudding, you can always add a bowl of it on the side. Set a out couple cans of store-bought whipped cream or make your own whipped cream by whipping together heavy cream, powdered sugar, and a splash of vanilla extract. If you want to take it a step further, make our Easy Cream Cheese Fruit Dip (HIGHLY recommended). Just place a bowl of the fruit dip next to the fruit trifle and let your guests add as much as they would like to their individual plates.

Variations

Most trifles have layers of cake, custard, cheesecake, or pudding (or any combination of these). You can add these kinds of layers to your fruit trifle or you can go with one of these other ideas: Berry Trifle – Layer cubes of pound cake (or butter cake), instant pudding or whipped cream (or mix both together) and a layer of berries. Repeat layers until the trifle dish is full. Chocolate Trifle – This chocolate trifle recipe has layers of brownies, pudding, whipped cream, and candy bars! Pumpkin Trifle – This Easy Pumpkin Trifle has a ginger snap cookie layer, a rich pumpkin spice cheesecake layer, and a fluffy homemade whipped cream layer. Lemon Berry Trifle – Layer angel food cake, lemon pudding (with added lemon zest), whipped cream, and your favorite berries to make this zesty fruit trifle.

Make a Trifle in Advance

You can assemble the entire trifle 1-2 days in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. If you are planning on assembling the trifle at a different location, you can wash and prepare the fruit and place each layer in a separate bag before transporting. If you are using apples or pears or a fruit that browns easily, you may want to toss a teaspoon or two of lemon juice in the bag and gently shake to cover the fruit. This will help prevent browning while transporting.

Servings in a Fruit Trifle

Trifles are usually made for larger groups and typically serves 12 people. Because this trifle is made with fruit only, I would say it serves closer to 20. If served with a dip on the side, it could probably serve 24 or more.

Tips:

If desired, toss some of the fruit, such as the berries, in a little bit of sugar. I particularly like to gently toss the strawberries with a tablespoon or two of sugar to bring out the flavor and sweetness. Make a design on the top of the trifle using the leftover prepared fruit (see image below)

Storing the Leftovers:

If there is a lot left over, you can leave the fruit in the trifle dish and cover with plastic wrap until ready to serve again. Otherwise, you can place the fruit in a plastic freezer bag or airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days.