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This delicious layered Strawberry Shortcake Trifle with Cream Cheese is such a fun twist on a traditional Strawberry Shortcake dessert! The cream cheese layer adds an extra texture that takes this dessert to the next level!

I LOVE making trifles! I just think they’re such a fun little dessert! And when they’re made into individual trifles, they’re even better in my opinion!

My husband doesn’t have a huge sweet tooth, but the man loves Strawberry Shortcake! And he likes it even more since I started putting together this Strawberry Shortcake Trifle with Cream Cheese! He must have a thing for layered desserts because he also loves these Mini Ice Cream Cakes, Eclair Cake, Banana Bars, and a Nutty Torte Layered Dessert!

3 small trifle desserts in clear glasses. The trifles are layered with shortcake, cut up strawberries and coolwhip.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CREAM CHEESE TRIFLE

Items Needed:

1 Shortcake
1 large carton of Strawberries
2 containers of Cool Whip
2 8oz cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
Clear smaller cups

HOW TO MAKE A STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE TRIFLE

Start by heading over to my Easy Cream Cheese Fruit Dip and making it! You will only need about ½ of what this recipe makes, so feel free to half it. Or make the whole thing and have extra on hand to enjoy with your fruit over the next few days! This fruit dip will be one of the layers of your Strawberry Shortcake Trifle. The cream cheese layer is what makes this trifle EXTRA good! You can click over to this post to see the full instructions!

A bowl of strawberry fruit dip ready to serve with Strawberries and other fruit around the edges of the bow.

After you make the Fruit Dip, let’s cut up your shortcake. I usually just buy my Shortcake from the store, but feel free to make it if you have a recipe you love!

A wood cutting board with cut up shortcake on it.

Next, wash and cut your strawberries into small pieces. Feel free to leave out a few of the smaller strawberries to top your trifles with if you want! Or you can just garnish the trifles with a few of the cut-up pieces!

Cut up strawberries on a wood cutting board.

Now you’re ready to start assembling your trifles! You can use small glasses you have on hand or they have really cute disposable ones on Amazon like this – dessert cups.

Now, let’s get layering! You will start with the bottom layer and work your way up!

Bottom layer: Shortcake
Then: Fruit Dip
Then: Strawberries
Last: Cool Whip

REPEAT the layers one more time! Top your trifle with a small strawberry or a little bit of the chopped strawberries!

A clear class with a layered strawberry and cream cheese trifle in it. You can see cut up strawberries, cubed shortcake and coolwhip.

LAYERING TIPS

Feel free to make the trifle layers as thick as you want. But, I have found I prefer doing the 8 thinner layers vs thicker ones! That way no one layer overtakes the taste in your mouth!

CAN YOU MAKE THESE AHEAD OF TIME?

With this recipe, I think it’s best if you make it not long before you plan on serving it. If you do need to make it beforehand, I would say not to do it much more than 2-3 hours ahead of time and immediately refrigerate them. This should allow the cream cheese layer to stay cold enough that it won’t saturate the shortcake and make it soggy!

Print Recipe

Strawberry Trifle with Cream Cheese

Prep Time30

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Trifles

Calories: 328kcal

Author: Over The Big Moon

Equipment

12 Small Trifle Cups

Ingredients

Instructions

Start by heading over to my Easy Cream Cheese Fruit Dip and making it! You will only need about ½ of what this recipe makes, so feel free to half it. Or make the whole thing and have extra on hand to enjoy with your fruit over the next few days! This fruit dip will be one of the layers of your Strawberry Shortcake Trifle. The cream cheese layer is what makes this trifle EXTRA good! You can click over to this post to see the full instructions!
After you make the Fruit Dip, let's cut up your shortcake. I usually just buy my Shortcake from the store, but feel free to make it if you have a recipe you love!
Next, wash and cut your strawberries into small pieces. Feel free to leave out a few of the smaller strawberries to top your trifles with if you want! Or you can just garnish the trifles with a few of the cut-up pieces!
Now you're ready to start assembling your trifles! You can use small glasses you have on hand or they have really cute disposable ones on Amazon like this - dessert cups.
Layer starting with the bottom layer and work your way up to the top: Shortcake --> Fruit Dip --> Strawberries --> Cool Whip
REPEAT the layers one more time!
Top your trifle with a small strawberry or a little bit of the chopped strawberries!

Video

Notes

LAYERING TIPS:

Feel free to make the trifle layers as thick as you want. But, I have found I prefer doing the 8 thinner layers vs thicker ones! That way no one layer overtakes the taste in your mouth!

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @OverTheBigMoon or tag #OverTheBigMoon!

I hope you enjoy this tasty treat! It’s seriously so good and the perfect light dessert!

I hope you enjoy this dessert friends! Don’t be shocked if you join the Trifle train after this! Trifles are seriously my favorite!

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* Originally posted on August 2019 and has been updated with new pictures, better instructions, and a video.