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This Lemon Berry Meringue Trifle is the perfect holiday dessert! It’s made with layers of pound cake, fresh strawberries and raspberries and whipped lemon curd finished with a meringue topping. You can easily make it ahead for Easter, summer parties or any special occasion alongside Lamb Bolognese, Smash Burgers, or Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers.
The spring and summer time calls for quick and easy recipes that you can simply throw together. Everything from this Gluten-Free Strawberry Tart and Homemade Choco Tacos to Camarones a la Diabla, and Lomo Saltado can all come together in under an hour and will be a crowd pleaser every time!
Ingredients You’ll Need for Lemon Berry Meringue Trifle
Pound cake – You can make this berry trifle using homemade pound cake or store-bought if you’re in a hurry!
Whipped lemon curd – This is lemon curd mixed with whipped cream. It’s light, fluffy and extra decadent!
Fresh fruit – I used sliced strawberries and raspberries. Add blueberries, blackberries or sliced peaches for a different flavor!
Meringue topping – This is totally optional and your trifle will be delicious with or without it or substitute with whipped cream! The meringue topping is simple to make using a stand mixer and it adds an extra delicious finish to this easy dessert.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How to Make Lemon Berry Meringue Trifle
For the pound cake. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream softened butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until pale in color. Add eggs in one at a time then increase the speed on your mixer to high, beating until it’s light and fluffy. Lastly, alternate folding in the dry ingredients and milk until you have a smooth batter.
Pour cake batter into a prepared loaf pan then bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool inverted on a wire rack.
For the lemon curd. In the bowl of your stand-up mixer beat together softened butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Next add in the egg yolks, whole eggs, salt and lemon juice.
Place your bowl with the lemon curd in it over a medium pot filled with a couple inches of water. Stir continuously as the curd begins to heat and the sugar dissolves. Once the mixture coats the back of a spoon, remove from the heat. Run the curd through a sieve so it’s silky smooth. Gently fold whipped cream into the lemon curd, then set aside.
For the meringue. In the bowl of a stand mixer whisk together egg whites until foamy then while the mixer is still running pour in sugar. Continue mixing until stiff peaks form then set aside.
Assemble the trifle. Layer cubed pound cake on the bottom of your baking dish, top with sliced strawberries and raspberries, lemon curd and more pound cake. Repeat with another layer of cake and fruit then top with meringue topping(if using) torch the top then serve.
Tips and Tricks
Don’t have a stand mixer? You can make everything using a few large bowls and an electric hand mixer.
Press the lemon curd through a sieve to ensure that it is silky smooth! There’s always a chance that the mixture will curdle as it cooks so this is a highly recommended step!
How to Make Ahead: Make the pound cake the day before and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Make the lemon curd the day before and have it in the fridge. On the day of, you can assemble it by slicing up the strawberries, the pound cake and whipping the heavy cream and folding it into the lemon curd. Layer everything, put on the meringue top (if using) and torch it.
To Cook the Meringue: I know that raw egg whites are not for everyone. There is an easy solution! Place the egg whites and sugar in a heat-proof bowl (stainless steel or glass). Nestle the bowl over a saucepan filled with a few inches of simmering water. Cook the egg white mixture until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reads 160 F on an instant read thermometer. Then transfer it to a stand-up mixer or use an electric mixer and beat the egg white mixture until stiff and glossy peaks form.
Recipe FAQs
What is a trifle? A trifle is an English no-bake dessert made with layers of cubed pound cake, custard or pudding, whipped cream and fresh fruit. Are there any recipe short cuts? Yes, you can streamline this recipe by using store-bought pound cake and lemon curd. I provided recipes for both but feel free to use store-bought or make them the day before! Is it better to make a trifle the day before or day of? The day of! As the trifle sits it will eventually get soggy so it’s best to prepare it close to when you are going to serve it.
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Pound Cake or Use Store-Bought: Meringue Topping (optional)
To Make the Pound Cake: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. I also like to line the bottom with parchment, leaving some strips up the sides for easy removal. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside. To the bowl of a stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment (you can also do this in a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer), add the softened butter, sugar and vanilla extract; beat for about 3 minutes, until pale in color. Mix in the eggs one at a time, being sure each egg is incorporated before adding another. Turn mixer to high and beat for about 1 minute, until light and fluffy. Fold flour mixture into butter mixture, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Pour the pound cake batter into the prepared loaf pan and transfer to the oven to bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then invert onto a cooling rack. To Make the Curd: In the stainless steel bowl (note: you’ll use this bowl as a makeshift double boiler later) of your stand up mixer, add the softened butter, sugar and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks, beat the mixture together, and then add the eggs, beating again until they’re well incorporated. Stir in the salt, and then in a few batches, add the lemon juice. The mixture will look curdled and you might scratch your head and wonder if it’s right, it will be! Fill a medium size saucepan with a few inches of water. Bring the water to a simmer and place your stainless steel bowl of curd mixture on top. Stir constantly, and heat the curd slowly enough that the sugar has time to dissolve and the whole mess becomes cohesive; this step usually takes about 10 minutes. Pull the curd from the head when it is just thick enough to coat your spoon and until a thermometer reads 166 F. The curd will thicken as it cools.I ran the curd through a sieve into a chilled bowl just to ensure it was silky smooth. I highly recommend this step! Transfer the curd to a container a keep in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to a week. When you’re ready to use the curd, add the heavy cream to a bowl. Whisk aggressively until medium peaks form, about 5 minutes. You can also use an electric hand mixer or stand-up mixer. Gently fold the whipped cream into the lemon curd until completely cohesive. Set aside. To Make the Meringue: This topping is absolutely optional and the entire trifle will taste delicious without it, but if you want extra credit, make it! Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand-up mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat on high until foamy, about 2 minutes. While the mixer is running, pour in the sugar and beat for an additional 3 minutes, until stiff peaks form. To Assemble the Trifle: Cube up the pound cake into 2×2-inch square pieces. Obviously this size can vary and you can totally eyeball it. I think this size for easy eating. Add a few handfuls of the pound cake cubes to the bottom of your Pyrex 8”x 8”x 2.7″ Deep Baking Dish. Add a few handfuls of sliced strawberries and raspberries. I also placed some very large sliced strawberries up against the sides of the dish for visual purposes only. Add the curd on top of the fruit and pound cake, smoothing it into an even layer. Repeat the layering process once more, adding pound cake and fresh fruit. Add the whipped meringue to the top, smooth it out, creating swirls for effect. And then torch the top, making a nice toasted meringue. Serve to a crowd.
Tips and Tricks
Don’t have a stand mixer? You can make everything using a few large bowls and an electric hand mixer.
Press the lemon curd through a sieve to ensure that it is silky smooth! There’s always a chance that the mixture will curdle as it cooks so this is a highly recommended step!
How to Make Ahead: Make the pound cake the day before and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Make the lemon curd the day before and have it in the fridge. On the day of, you can assemble it by slicing up the strawberries, the pound cake and whipping the heavy cream and folding it into the lemon curd. Layer everything, put on the meringue top (if using) and torch it.
To Cook the Meringue: I know that raw egg whites are not for everyone. There is an easy solution! Place the egg whites and sugar in a heat-proof bowl (stainless steel or glass). Nestle the bowl over a saucepan filled with a few inches of simmering water. Cook the egg white mixture until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture reads 160 F on an instant read thermometer. Then transfer it to a stand-up mixer or use an electric mixer and beat the egg white mixture until stiff and glossy peaks form.
Serving: 12g | Calories: 522kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 1052IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mgNutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
