Kitchen Report

My Grandma Ruth’s birthday fell on the Fourth of July and hardly a year went by that she wasn’t presented with a sheet cake made to look like a flag with a blueberry-studded square in the upper left corner and rows of slivered strawberries marching across white frosting. Sometimes the sugary Old Glory was topped with sparklers.

With strawberry and blueberry season here very little needs to be done to add patriotic colors to your Fourth of July spread. Another family tradition: strawberry and blueberry shortcakes to celebrate the holiday.

A blueberry and strawberry trifle is just as easy and quick to make as a shortcake. You can either make your layers in large glass bowl and present your guests with a spoon, or you can build individual trifles in clear glasses if you have a smaller crowd. The ingredients are simple: fresh berries, instant vanilla pudding mix, whipping cream, condensed milk, and bakery-made pound cake. It’s easy, you don’t have to turn on the oven, and everyone will want seconds. If you have leftovers, and you are the first to get up after the fireworks from the night before, they’ll be delicious for breakfast (wink, wink).

Berry Trifle

1 10-ounce package of pound cake, cubed
1-1/2 cups strawberries, sliced
1-1/2 cups blueberries
1-1/2 cups raspberries (or just stick with strawberries and blueberries)
1 5-ounce package of instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup milk
1 14-ounce can condensed sweet milk
1 cup whipping cream

Slice the pound cake into 1-inch cubes.

Prepare instant pudding mix as directed.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form.

In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix, milk, condensed milk, and whipped cream. Stir well. 

Cover the bottom of a large glass serving bowl with a layer of the cubed pound cake. Sprinkle a layer of the berries, then pour the pudding and cream mixture over berries. Repeat the layers, top off with any leftover whipped cream and a few berries.