What dessert is more patriotic than this Red White and Blue Trifle? Okay so maybe a flag cake, but this dessert is so much easier and consists of homemade pound cake brushed with a simple lemon syrup, cubed and then layered with fresh raspberries and blueberries and a fluffy mascarpone whip! Decadent yet light and bursting with freshness. Serve this at your nesxt get-together!

Red White and Blue Trifle

Did I really just post four recipes in 4 days? I did. The 4th of July is approaching at lightening speed and I wanted you to get these spectacular recipes sooner than later, and definitely before the fireworks go off. My kitchen has been a disaster for the last week and I’m not mad about it. I’m also starting to feel like a broken record. If I type the word easy or simple one more time! But alas, I have yet another easy, throw-together-kind-of-recipe!

Sure it requires making pound cake (I made half this recipe and baked it into smaller loaves) but once that’s out of the way (and you could even use store-bought and make this dessert that much more simple <—there I go again) it only takes about 30 minutes to throw this trifle together.

Trifles aren’t typically my thing. My husband’s family usually has a brownie-slash-pudding-slash-whipped-cream trifle that graces the dessert table on the 4th of July and that got me thinking about a more patriotic version. You guessed it, a red, white and blue version. The red and blue was simple; berries. The white is the fluffy mascarpone whip that separates the berries from the lemon syrup soaked pound cake. And if you know me at all, you know lemon and I are like this (insert appropriate emoji). Not to mention that lemon and berries and cream is a match made in dessert heaven.

Red White and Blue Trifle

I was supposed to bring taco salad to our families 4th barbecue. However I may whip this ditty up as well, because I’m such a rebel. You should too!

Red White and Blue Trifle ingredients

To make this Red White and Blue Trifle you will need:

  • pound cakeHomemade or store-bought if you’re in a pinch (1 standard loaf or 2 small loaves).
  • lemon Adds flavor and brightens up this dessert.
  • sugarUse white granulated sugar for a touch of needed sweetness. 
  • mascarpone cheeseA soft Italian cream cheese that has a mildly sweet and almost nutty flavor.
  • heavy creamThins out the mascarpone and adds body and richness.
  • fresh blueberries and raspberriesThese add texture and add the red and blue for this dessert.

making mascarpone whip

First make the mascarpone whip; in a medium bowl combine 1/3 cup sugar with 1 cup of heavy cream and 8 ounces softened mascarpone cheese. Then using a hand mixer, blend until fluffy and no lumps remain. Cover and chill until ready to use.

poundcake

Next, slice the poundcake into thick, 1-inch slices and set aside for a minute.

lemon simple syrup

Then, in a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup of granulated sugar with 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Next, heat on medium-low, stirring until the sugar is dissolved and you have a syrup. Do not boil.

brush sliced pound cake with the simple syrup

Next, use a pastry brush and paint the lemon syrup on both sides and the tops of each slice of pound cake.

cut poundcake into cubes

Then cut into 1-inch cubes.

layer lemon soaked cake

Then, in a trifle dish or equivalent, layer half of the lemon syrup soaked pound cake…

dollops of mascarpone whip

Then using a large spoon or spatula, drop half of the mascarpone whip in large dollops over the pound cake.

blueberries

Sprinkle with half of the blueberries.

raspberries and repeat

And then half of the raspberries.

Red White and Blue Trifle

Next, repeat with the remaining pound cake, mascarpone whip and berries.

Red White and Blue Trifle

Lastly, lightly cover and chill until ready to serve.

Red White and Blue Trifle

Finally, it’s time to serve.

Now let’s be real. There is absolutely no way to serve this elegantly. I tried. Really, I did. With that said and because there’s no other way (see below photo) just to dig deep, scoop and serve.

This Red, White and Blue Trifle is perfect for summer and even more perfect dessert for this coming 4th of July. Because the lemon soaked poundcake with the creamy mascarpone whip and tart, sweet berries is absolutely decadent yet light and refreshing– who cares how it looks, really?

Red White and Blue Trifle

Enjoy! And if you give this Red White and Blue Trifle recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

Red White and Blue Trifle

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Yield: 8 servings

Red White and Blue Trifle

What dessert is more patriotic than this Red White and Blue Trifle? Okay so maybe a flag cake, but this dessert is so much easier and consists of homemade pound cake brushed with a simple lemon syrup, cubed and then layered with fresh raspberries and blueberries and a fluffy mascarpone whip! Decadent yet light and bursting with freshness. Serve this at your nesxt get-together!

Ingredients

FOR THE MASCARPONE WHIP LAYER:

  • 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

FOR THE POUNDCAKE LAYER:

  • 1 loaf homemade pound cake, or 2 loaves if small, sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

FOR THE BERRY LAYER:

  • 2 pints blueberries, rinsed and drained
  • 12 ounces raspberries, gently rinsed and drained

Instructions 

  • In a medium bowl combine the mascarpone cheese with heavy cream and sugar. Use your hand mixer and blend on low to medium speed until smooth and no lumps remain. Cover and chill until ready to use.
  • In a small sauce pan combine the 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice and zest. Heat on medium-low and stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Do not boil.
  • Brush both of the sides and the tops of the poundcake slices with the lemon syrup, then cut into cubes.
  • Place have of the lemon syrup soaked poundcake into a trifle dish or equivalent. Then using a large spoon or spatula, drop half of the mascarpone whip in large dollops over the pound cake and sprinkle have of the blueberries and raspberries. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
  • Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Serving: 1g, Calories: 378kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 69mg, Sodium: 29mg, Potassium: 186mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 913IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 78mg, Iron: 1mg