The thing about being on a diet is that sometimes you daydream about weird things you’d like to eat. Sometimes, they are things that you don’t even usually eat – but because you can’t have them, you want them.
This week, all I could think about was strawberry shortcake. Strawberry shortcake has always been one of my favorite desserts. My mama used to make it during the summer using those little yellow spongecakes that are in the produce section. Just a little cake, strawberries, and whipped cream. I loved it.
Truth be told, I probably should have had a strawberry shortcake for our wedding cake. Don’t get me wrong. Our cake was wonderful – and yummy. But if I wanted to have my favorite cake, it would be strawberry shortcake.
My tastes have changed as I’ve aged. And even though I certainly wouldn’t turn down a little yellow spongecake with whipped cream and strawberries, I think I can do a better.
And I did!
Even though I bought the cake to use in this recipe, I still consider this a homemade dessert. I mean, I made it at home, didn’t I?
I can never decide whether to use pound cake or angel food cake, so this time, I used BOTH! The result was wonderful. Two different textures of cake, creamy filling, and fresh strawberries. So good!
Strawberry Shortcake Trifle
- 2 pounds of strawberries, stems removed, halved
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 8 cups of cubed angel food cake
- 8 cups of cubed pound cake
- 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
- 1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
- 1 16-ounce container of whipped topping, thawed
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
Place strawberry halves in a bowl with sugar and vanilla. Stir to combine. Set aside for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cube angel food and pound cakes.
In a large bowl, place softened cream cheese and beat with an electric mixture until smooth. Add the sweetened condensed milk, using a spoon or rubber spatula to get all of the milk from the can. Beat the mixture again until smooth. Add half of the whipped topping and combine completely. Add the other half and beat until combined.
In a trifle bowl, ladle about a cup of the cream mixture. Add about a third of the angel food cake and a third of the pound cake. Spoon on about a third of the strawberries and pour a little of the macerating liquid over the cake cubes. Repeat the layers two more times, ending with strawberries and liquid.
Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Well Duh #1: No, I didn’t leave off an ingredient. Macerating liquid is the liquid you get when you macerate fruit. With some fruits, you add a combination of sugar and water. With really ripe strawberries, you only have to add sugar and it will draw out the natural juices of the strawberries. Mine weren’t quite as ripe as I like, so I added a little vanilla to help with the process.
Well Duh #2: If you don’t have a trifle bowl (or like me, you can’t remember where you put it!) you can use any large bowl. I like to use a clear bowl so you can see the layers, but that’s not really necessary.
Well Duh #3: The cake layers will really absorb the liquid while it’s in the refrigerator. To be honest, I had been promising strawberry shortcake all day, and my kids had been circling around in the kitchen like buzzards while I was making it. So we ate it as soon as it was done and the pictures had been taken. I wasn’t really happy with the pictures, but I had to abandon taking any more and get this thing served!
Well Duh #4: You could add some chopped pecans or slivered almonds for crunch, unless you’re a strawberry shortcake purist like me. I just love the soft textures in this one. Although I wouldn’t be opposed to some praline pecans!
This is not your mother’s strawberry shortcake. The cream mixture has the slight tang of the cream cheese and the yummy creaminess of the condensed milk, while the whipped topping adds a little bit of fluff. The combination of the angel food cake and the pound cake is just yummy! I like them both for different reasons. I like the slight chewiness of the angel food cake and the sweetness of the pound cake. And strawberries? What’s not to love about strawberries?
Try this awesome dessert when you need a reminder or your childhood – or when you just want something delicious!
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