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Home » Recipes » Gluten Free Desserts

Gluten Free Trifle Recipe

Published: Jun 28, 2023 · Modified: May 21, 2025 by Kim · This post may contain affiliate links · 6 Comments

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This Gluten Free Trifle Recipe has layers of berries, cake, and a light cheesecake filling and is perfect for any celebration!

gluten free patriotic trifle in trifle bowl showing layers.

UPDATE: This post was originally published on July 1, 2020 and has been updated with new pics, plenty of new tips and frequently asked questions, and a new video.

Some of the items linked in this post are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission.

This is one of my favorite desserts ever, and it's so easy to put together. It just requires a little pre-baking for us gluten free peeps. Unless, that is, you've found a bakery in your area that makes gluten free angel food cake. I've never seen a store-bought gf one in my city, but then again we don't have much in the way of gluten free anything.

But now that I've found a new EASY way to make angel food cake from scratch, it'll be no problem whipping up our own gluten free angel food cake to add to this trifle. Of course, if you happen to have an Aldi near you, they sometimes sell a gluten free angel food cake mix, especially during the month of May (celiac awareness month). I've never tried it, but I'm sure it's pretty decent and would work well in this trifle.

close up of berries on top of gluten free trifle recipe.

ingredients needed for a patriotic trifle

  • Gluten free angel food cake -- my recipe for easy gluten free angel food cake is just that--EASY! No babysitting, no finicky preparations, and no worries.
  • Cream cheese -- adding cream cheese to cream and whipping creates a fluffy but stable cream filling that's perfect for this trifle. It's also not overly sweet.
  • Sugar -- for a little bit of sweetness to the cream mixture.
  • Fresh berries -- in keeping with the red, white, and blue theme, I use strawberries and blueberries, and sometimes add raspberries as well. Feel free to use any fruit you'd like.

how to make a berry trifle

  • Make the cake and cut or tear it into roughly one-inch cubes. Set aside.
  • Add softened cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and whisk while slowly adding the sugar.
  • Pour the heavy cream into the bowl and continue whipping on medium high until light and fluffy.
  • Arrange one third of the cake cubes into the bottom of a trifle bowl (affiliate link) or large glass bowl.
  • Top with a layer of berries, and then spoon half of the cream mixture over the berries.
  • Repeat layering with cake, berries, and cream mixture, ending with a layer of berries.
  • Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
adding cream mixture on top of cake layer in trifle dish.
placing berries on top of cream cheese layer in trifle bowl.
spreading final cream cheese layer on top before adding final berry layer.

substitutions and alternatives

For dairy free/vegan -- use a dairy-free cream cheese, such as Kite Hill (affiliate link), and a dairy-free cream alternative, such as Califia Farms (affiliate link) or even canned coconut milk or coconut cream (affiliate link).

Don't want to make your own gluten free angel food cake? Use sponge cake or pound cake, such as my Perfect Gluten Free Pound Cake. You could even use gluten-free brownies, like the ones from this recipe, for a chocolate version!

If you'd rather make a custard (pudding) instead of the cream cheese/cream mixture, here's an easy recipe for vanilla pastry cream, which can also be lightened with whipped cream to create a diplomat cream.

Not a fan of berries? Substitute the fresh berries with other fruits. Think sauteed apple filling (like the filling in my Amazing Gluten Free Apple Pie), or the filling from my Perfect Gluten Free Peach Pie.

Gluten Free Trifle FAQs

Can I substitute the heavy cream with Cool Whip?

Yes, you can use Cool Whip instead of the heavy cream. A large (16-oz) tub, thawed, would be ideal. You can also use Coco Whip, which is a dairy-free, vegan alternative (and tastes great, too!).

Can trifles be made in advance?

Absolutely! In fact, it's preferred to make it a day in advance and allow it to refrigerate overnight. This will help the flavors merry and the cake soften with the cream cheese mixture.

I'd rather use pastry cream instead of cream cheese. Is that possible?

Yes, pastry cream is a traditional ingredient used in English trifles and can be lightened with whipped cream to make it even lighter and extend it further.

more gluten free patriotic recipes to try

  • Gluten Free Patriotic Ice Cream Sandwiches
  • Gluten Free Red, White, and Blueberry Cookies
  • Red, White, and Blueberry Cupcakes
  • Pavlova (A Naturally Gluten Free Dessert)
  • Gluten Free Blueberry Pie
  • Gluten Free Strawberry Pie
scooping a large scoop of berry trifle out of glass bowl.

Celebrate the birth of our nation (or anything else) with a gluten free trifle recipe that's as festive as it is delicious!

gluten free patriotic trifle in trifle bowl showing layers.

Gluten Free Trifle Recipe

Kim
This Gluten Free Trifle Recipe has layers of berries, cake, and a light cheesecake filling and is perfect for any celebration!
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 1 gluten free angel food cake (homemade or made from a mix)
  • 1 lb (452g) cream cheese, softened
  • ⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar
  • 2 cups (480ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 2 qts (1.89kg) strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 2 pints (946g) blueberries
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Make gluten free angel food cake according to recipe or box instructions. Allow to cool completely before cutting or tearing into one-inch cubes. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add whipping cream and increase speed to medium high. Continue to whip into soft peaks.
  • In a trifle dish or large glass bowl, layer cubes of angel food cake followed by cream cheese mixture and berries, then another layer of cake and cream cheese mixture, ending with berries on top. Refrigerate for at least one hour, preferably overnight.
  • Serve cold. Trifle will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Keyword 4th of july, Gluten Free, patriotic, trifle
Tried this recipe?Tag @letthemeatglutenfreecake on Instagram so we can see!

Adapted from Food Network's Patriotic Berry Trifle

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Comments

  1. Daniel C says

    March 14, 2025 at 2:50 am

    I haven’t made this yet but before I do, I need to know what size of trifle dish to use. I own one but know from past experience it is rather small. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kim says

      March 16, 2025 at 6:39 am

      Mine says it's 104 ounces.

      Reply
  2. Katie says

    February 24, 2024 at 11:42 am

    Our family loved this trifle so much we made it practically every week last summer while our berries were producing. I made your angel food cake recipe to go with it. It pairs well with the custard for use of eggs. We’re looking forward to our fresh berries again ! Thanks, Kim!

    Reply
    • Kim says

      March 05, 2024 at 9:43 am

      So glad you like it!!

      Reply
  3. Nicci Hansens says

    July 05, 2020 at 7:54 am

    This was pretty and delicious!!!! Everyone loved it!

    Reply
    • Kim says

      July 06, 2020 at 3:36 pm

      Thanks so much, Nicci!!! I'm so glad you loved it 🙂

      Reply

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Hey there, I'm Kim!

I won't let a celiac diagnosis stop me from enjoying my passion for baking and cooking, so stick with me and I'll show you how to make the BEST EVER gluten-free renditions of the food we used to know and love 🤗

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