This Lemon Trifle recipe is sweet, tart, light, and wonderful. Layers of homemade angel food cake, lemon curd, pudding, blueberries, shortbread cookies, and whipped cream result in a stunning presentation, but it’s so easy to make! Perfect dessert for a Sunday brunch, Easter, Mother’s Day, or any holiday!
Anything cinnamon or lemon and I come running. How can anyone not love either of those flavors? Today we’re focusing on the latter – lemon! This lemon trifle dessert recipe is not only absolutely delicious and easy, but it’s a showstopper in presentation.
What is a Trifle?
The first (and traditional) trifle originated in England around the 18th century and consisted of three or four layers, which included sponge cake that was soaked in booze, custard, and some type of fruit. In between the layers was usually homemade jam. Since then, there are a gazillion American made versions. Chocolate trifle, strawberry, and lemon are among the most popular. Not surprising!
This particular lemon trifle recipe is so easy to make, but guests will think you labored over it all day and will oooh and aaaah over how fancy it looks. It’s a perfect dessert for entertaining, and simple enough for the inexperienced baker.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Homemade or Store Bought. I use my homemade angel food cake recipe and homemade lemon curd, but you can absolutely use store-bought ingredients to make this even easier. And if you have an aversion to Cool Whip, feel free to make homemade whipped cream instead.
- Trifle bowl or Regular Glass Bowl. A regular glass bowl works if you don’t own a stemmed trifle bowl. Trifle bowls are usually tall, though, so if you opt to use a glass bowl, I recommend dividing the ingredients in thirds, instead of half, so you still get those gorgeous layers.
- Make Individual Parfaits instead. You can convert the trifle into individual parfaits, too. If you want to do that, divide your ingredients into however many servings you are making. Then divide each one of those servings in two, to create the layers.
- Easy swaps. Use small cut up pieces of pound cake instead of angel food cake, if preferred. Blueberry or raspberry sauce can be swapped for the lemon curd. Vanilla pudding can replace the lemon pudding, and the shortbread cookies can be replaced with Nilla wafer cookies or graham crackers.
- For adults. Drizzle a little bit of limoncello liqueur over the cake pieces.
Lemon Trifle Dessert
Ingredients
- 14 ounce angel food cake , cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 boxes (3.9 ounces each) instant lemon pudding mix
- 4 cups cold whole milk (for the pudding mix)
- 1 cup lemon curd
- 1/2 cup crushed shortbread cookies
- 1/2 cup small fresh blueberries
- 16 ounces Cool Whip , thawed (see note)
- lemon slices , for garnish
- fresh mint leaves , for garnish
Instructions
- Cut the angel food cake into 1-inch cubes.
- Prepare pudding according to package directions.
- Make my homemade lemon curd recipe, or buy a jar at the store.
- In a 5 quart glass trifle bowl, layer in the following order: half of the cake cubes, half of the lemon curd, half of the pudding, half of the crushed shortbread cookies, half of the blueberries, and half of the Cool Whip.
- Repeat layers in the same order.
- Cover and refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight.)
- Top with lemon zest and a couple mint leaves, if desired.
- Scoop and serve!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Other Notes
Make Ahead and Storage
It’s actually best to make this trifle several hours ahead of time (or up to a day ahead.) You can also make the pudding and angel food cake a day ahead of time – keep the cake wrapped, stored on the counter and the pudding stored in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
Store any leftovers tightly covered up to 4 days in the fridge. This dessert is not freezer-friendly.
More Lemon Desserts To Try:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube!
How did you get your whipping cream to come out so pretty? Did you use a piping bag?
Yep!
Made this last summer it was a huge hit. I recently was asked if I could make it again . I will be making this soon it was so delicious and refreshing!
Wow! I loved this! Easy to make, fresh and sooo good. I made it with a layer of raspberry sauce because I served it for Christmas dessert. I will make this again and again.
We loved this trifle so much
I’m having trouble finding the lemon pudding mix can you tell me where to purchase ir
Hi Chris – I’ve been able to purchase it at Walmart, Safeway, and Raleys. If those aren’t options for you, online from Amazon works.
By the way I made this with lemon pie filling and it worked just fine. Wanted to pass that along in case someone didn’t have the lemon curd. Great tasting
Made this for a get together with friends it was a hit! Very lite and lemony. Delicious. It’s a winner!
Can you use lemon pie filling instead of the curd?
Hi Pam – It’s not my preference since pie filling isn’t as tart or lemony as curd, but yes, you can definitely use it instead.
Made these in 6 oz mason jars and they were so cute and tasty! Will definitely add to the dessert rotation.
This was the perfect treat for Mother’s Day! Everything from the homemade angel food cake to the lemon curd. Easy, delicious, and a keeper!
I made this for Easter last year and I’m making it again this year – it’s wonderful!
I made this trifle a couple of Easters ago, and plan to make it again this year. Everybody LOVED it! Our family loves any lemon desserts, and this one is PERFECT!!!
Can you use frozen strawberries instead of blueberries and if so do you have to sweeten them
Sure! Strawberries would be delish. Sweetening them would be a matter of preference.