Description
Angel food cake trifles with cheesecake topping and blueberry sauce brings together light, fluffy cake layers with creamy cheesecake and tangy berry sauce in one elegant dessert that’s easier to make than you’d think. These individual trifles come together quickly since the components are straightforward, and you can prep them ahead so everything’s ready when your guests arrive.
Ingredients
Scale
Blueberry Sauce:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups frozen wild blueberries
Cheesecake Topping:
- 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Assembly:
- 1 13 ounce angel food cake
- Fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan at medium-high heat, whisk 1/4 cup granulated sugar with 2 tsp cornstarch together until combined.
- Add 1/3 cup water and 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice to your sugar mixture, then stir in 2 cups frozen wild blueberries.
- Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often, and let it bubble for about 2 minutes until thickened to your liking.
- Remove your sauce from heat and let it cool on the counter, then refrigerate it completely; if you’re short on time, place it in the freezer and stir every 5 minutes.
- Pour 1 1/2 cups heavy cream into a chilled medium bowl and use an electric hand mixer at medium-high speed for about 3-4 minutes until stiff peaks form when you lift the beaters.
- In a separate large bowl, beat 12 oz softened cream cheese with 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 3/4 cup powdered sugar for 2-3 minutes at medium speed until smooth and light.
- Gently fold your whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two additions until no streaks remain and everything flows together smoothly.
- Slice a 13 oz angel food cake into small cubes using a serrated knife, being gentle so your pieces stay intact.
- Layer half of your cake cubes evenly across the bottom of dessert cups or bowls.
- Transfer your cheesecake topping into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe half of it over the cake layer in each glass.
- Spoon 1-2 Tbsp of your chilled blueberry sauce over the cheesecake topping in each cup.
- Repeat the layering in your cups: remaining cake cubes, then the rest of your cheesecake topping, then the remaining sauce.
- Top each trifle with fresh mint leaves if that appeals to you, then serve right away while the layers taste best together.
Notes
- Chill all your bowls and beaters before whipping the cream and cream cheese, since cold equipment helps the mixture reach stiff peaks faster and holds its shape better in the trifle.
- Make the blueberry sauce the day before if that works for your schedule, because it gives the flavors time to develop and saves preparation time when assembling your trifles.
- Use a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion when cutting the angel food cake so the delicate crumb structure stays intact rather than getting crushed or compressed.
- Skip the piping bag and simply layer the cheesecake topping with a spoon if your kitchen tools are limited, since the trifle tastes just as good without the fancy presentation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Trifles
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 305 kcal
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg