This Strawberry Lemonade Trifle is a go-to dessert for our family because it is easy enough for a weeknight, but impressive enough for a party. It combines easy homemade whipped cream and lemon curd with your favorite strawberry jam and frozen pound cake. One of the best things about owning a strawberry farm (besides being able to pick the best strawberries in Alabama anytime I want) is that our friends, neighbors and customers bring us amazing strawberry treats - like strawberry jam! This recipe is a delicious way to show-off your jam making skills (or your neighbor's- I won't tell). If you don't have homemade, you can definitely buy the jam though. Hornsby Farms makes our favorite: https://www.deloachfarms.com/post/bite-sized-tips-4-sweet-tips-to-add-big-flavor-fast
There are 4 components to this recipe: whipped cream, lemon curd, strawberries, and jam sandwiches or cubes made from frozen pound cake. They are all pretty simple and most can be made ahead. I'll walk you through the company version step by step below. The recipe for both the company version and the weeknight version can be found at the end of this post.
Start off by making the lemon curd. You are not going to believe how easy it is to make this at home. If you aren't familiar with lemon curd, it tastes a lot like a really good lemon meringue pie filling. It's like a lemony & delicious stovetop custard - if you switched out milk for butter (so how could it not be good!).
Juice your lemons until get 3/4 cup of lemon juice. You are going to want to use real lemons here. Buy two bags to make sure you will have enough. Tip: Roll the lemons on the table using your palm to push down slightly before you squeeze them and be sure to strain out the seeds. If you have a zester, you also want to get about a teaspoon of lemon zest as well. You can add more or less to taste.
Cube 1/2 cup of butter.
You'll also need 3 eggs and 3/4 cup of sugar
Toss all of that (lemon juice, zest, butter, eggs, and sugar) in to a 2 qt sauce pan.
Whisk over medium-low heat continuously, until the mixture is thick enough for the whisk to leave a trail and bubbles are just starting to form. This should take about 10 minutes.
You do not want to rush this using higher heat. Your eggs will curdle into clumps of lemony scrambled eggs instead of tangy buttery custardy saucy goodnesses.
Set the lemon curd aside to cool while you pull the other components together. Tip: Lemon curd can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator under cling wrap for up to a week. I would have a hard time not eating it though, so I just make mine when I'm ready to use it :)
Now you're ready to make the whipped cream. I love how happy homemade whipped cream makes people. It's so much better than any store bought version and it just makes people feel so special that you took the time to make it from scratch. The funny thing is, that it actually only takes a few minutes to make. The secret to easy homemade whipped cream is chilling the mixing bowl and whisk before you start. If you have room in your freezer, just pop them in until they are ice cold. If you don't (or you just forgot and don't want to wait), fill the bowl with ice water for a minute, then empty and dry it. We are going to make a LOT of whipped cream for the trifle, if your mixing bowl is small you can work in batches.
Add 3 1/2 cups of very cold whipping cream (or 1 3/4 if you are working in batches)
Whip the cream at a high speed until stiff peaks are just starting to form.
Add in 4 teaspoons of vanilla (2 if you're working in batches) and 5 Tablespoons of powdered sugar (or 2.5) and mix to combine (only until you have stiff peaks - you do not want to over mix and make butter)
Chill until you are ready to assemble the trifle
The nice thing about this dessert is you can dress it up or just start chunking the components into a trifle bowl (or punch bowl or salad bowl...whatever makes you happy). I'm going to show you how I dress this up for a party step by step - but I also have a streamlined weeknight version for you if you scroll down.
First wash 2 qts of strawberries (buy them from a local farmer whenever you can. I used DeLoach Farms strawberries, of course!). I recommend you always wait to wash berries until just before you use them; they last longer. Other berries also work well in this recipe if it isn't strawberry season.
Hull the berries with a pairing knife (take off the green tops).
Since we are being fancy, slice the prettiest half of your berries into two halves, long ways. Save a few pretty whole berries for the top, and then chop the rest into quarters.
Take your 16 or 20 oz. frozen pound cake out of the freezer. I used Sara Lee. Of course you could also use homemade.
When I'm making this for a party (or to photograph for you) I take a few extra minutes to assemble jam sandwiches.
First trim off the crust and flatten the top using a serrated knife.
Cut the cake into two layers
Spread 1/3 to 1/2 cup of strawberry jam between the layers and reassemble. You can use another flavor if you like.
Slice off 1/2 inch jam "sandwiches" off the cake and arrange them in a circle around the bottom of your bowl. Cut an equal number of slices (plus 1) and reserve them for another layer.
Cube the remaining cake into bite-sized cubes. Fill in the bottom layer (inside the ring of jam sandwiches) with half of the cubes.
Drizzle about 1/3 of the lemon curd over the cake layer.
Place your pretty halved berries around the edge, pointed up and then cover the cake with a layer of quartered berries.
Add a generous layer of whipped cream to fill in to the top of the berries.
Add the reserved border of jam sandwiches and then fill in with the remaining cake cubes.
Drizzle the cake layer with another third of the lemon curd.
Add half of your remaining berries (you can quarter any halves you didn't use earlier).
Add whipped cream to fill up to the top of the jam sandwich ring.
Add a thin layer of lemon curd on top of the whipped cream (you may end up with a little left over).
Top with more berries.
Finish with a layer of whipped cream
Decorate the top with your reserved berries.
I hope your family loves this as much as mine does! We would love to see your version. Tag us on Facebook or Instagram or use #DeLoachFarmsDinner on Instagram.
Strawberry Lemonade Trifle
Don’t let the length of this recipe worry you. It has two versions to choose from. Either way, this trifle comes together quickly and is a great way to showcase sweet juicy local strawberries and strawberry jam!
Ingredients:
For the Whipped Cream:
3 ½ cups Heavy whipping Cream
4 t. Vanilla extract
5 T. Powdered sugar
For the Lemon curd
3/4 c Fresh Lemon juice (2 1lb bags should be plenty)
1 t. Lemon zest (optional)
3 Eggs
½ c.Butter, cubed
¾ c. Sugar
To assemble the trifle
1 16 or 20 oz. frozen pound cake (like Sara Lee)
1/3 to ½ c.Strawberry jam, (homemade is wonderful if you have it)
2 qts. Farm fresh strawberries
Directions:
Make the lemon curd
· Combine lemon juice, zest, sugar, and butter in a nonreactive 2 qt saucepan
· Whisk over low to medium-low heat continuously until the sauce thickens enough to hold marks from the whisk and bubbles are just starting to form (about 10 minutes)
· Be careful not to turn the heat up too high, which can curdle the eggs
· Set aside to cool, while you prepare the other ingredients
Make the whipped cream (working in batches as needed)
· Chill the mixing bowl and the whisk until they are ice cold
· Whip the cream at a high speed until stiff peaks are just about to form
· Add powdered sugar and vanilla
· Beat just until stiff peaks form, but don't over mix
· Chill until needed
Assemble the trifle: Weeknight edition
Keep the pound cake frozen until ready to use
· Using a serrated knife, cut the cake into two even layers.
· Spread the jam between the two layers of cake
· Cut the cake into bite sized cubes. Fill in the bottom layer with half of the cake cubes.
· Drizzle about 1/3 of the lemon curd over the cake layer
· Wash and quarter the strawberries. Add a layer above the cake & lemon curd.
· Add a layer of whipped cream to fill in to the top of the berries
· Keep repeating layers of cake, lemon curd, berries, and whipped cream until your container is almost full.
· Finish with a layer of whipped cream
· Decorate the top with your prettiest berries
Assemble the Trifle: Company's Coming edition
· Keep the pound cake frozen until ready to use
· Using a serrated knife, cut the cake into two even layers. Trim the crusts off and flatten the top.
· Spread the jam between the two layers of cake
· Cut <½ inch slices of cake and arrange in a circle around the edge of the trifle · Cut an equal amount of slices and reserve for another layer
· Cube the remaining cake into bite sized cubes. Fill in the bottom layer with half of the cake cubes.
· Drizzle about 1/3 of the lemon curd over the cake layer
· Add a layer of strawberries (tip: halve some of your prettiest berries and place them around the edge, pointing up). Fill in the middle with quartered strawberries.
· Add a layer of whipped cream to fill in to the top of the berries
· Add the reserved border of jam sandwiches and then fill in with the remaining cake cubes
· Drizzle the cake layer with a another third of the lemon curd
· Add quartered strawberries and whipped cream to fill in to the top of the cake boarder
· Spread a thin layer of curd on top of the whipped cream and top with a thin layer of strawberries
· Finish with a layer of whipped cream
· Decorate the top with your prettiest berries