Description
This Easy Lemon Trifle is a bright, creamy, and impressive dessert made with layers of lemon cake cubes and a unique lemon jello-cream mixture, all topped with whipped topping. It’s simple to assemble and perfect for potlucks or gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Lemon Cake Base:
- 1 box lemon cake mix (plus ingredients required on the box, typically oil, water, eggs)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 large lemon)
For the Lemon Jello Cream:
- 1 (3-ounce) package lemon Jello gelatin
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 cup powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
- 8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed (from a 12-ounce container, reserve remaining 4 oz for topping)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1 large lemon)
For Topping & Assembly:
- Remaining 4 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
- Optional Garnish: Lemon peel twists or thin lemon slices
Instructions
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Bake and Prepare Cake:
- Preheat oven and prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan according to the lemon cake mix package directions.
- Add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest to the cake batter and mix well.
- Bake the cake according to package directions.
- Let the cake cool completely. Once cool, cut the cake into small cubes (about 1-inch). Set aside.
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Prepare Lemon Jello Mixture:
- In a large mixing bowl, add the lemon Jello gelatin powder and powdered sugar.
- Carefully pour the 2 cups of boiling water over the Jello and sugar. Whisk until the Jello and sugar are completely dissolved.
- Refrigerate the mixture for about 1 hour, or until it is syrupy and slightly thickened, but not fully set.
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Make Lemon Jello Cream:
- Once the Jello mixture is syrupy, add the cold heavy whipping cream.
- Beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until the cream is incorporated and the mixture slightly mounds (it won’t form stiff peaks like regular whipped cream).
- Gently fold in 8 ounces of the thawed Cool Whip and the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon zest until just combined.
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Assemble the Trifle:
- Place a layer of lemon cake cubes in the bottom of a large trifle dish or glass bowl (or individual serving glasses).
- Top the cake cubes with a layer of the lemon Jello cream mixture.
- Repeat the layers, alternating cake cubes and lemon cream mixture, until you reach the top of the dish. The number of layers will depend on the size of your dish.
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Top with Cool Whip: Spread the remaining 4 ounces of thawed Cool Whip over the top layer of the trifle.
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Garnish (Optional): Garnish the top with lemon peel twists or thin lemon slices, if desired.
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Chill: Cover the trifle loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours (or until fully chilled and slightly set) before serving.
Notes
- Lemon Zest: Using fresh lemon zest in both the cake and the cream adds bright lemon flavor.
- Jello Mixture: Chilling the Jello mixture until it’s syrupy is important. If it’s too thin, it will soak into the cake; if it’s too set, it won’t blend well with the cream.
- Heavy Cream: Use cold heavy whipping cream for the best results when mixing it into the Jello.
- Cool Whip: Ensure the Cool Whip is fully thawed before folding it in. You can substitute stabilized homemade whipped cream if preferred.
- Assembly: Layering in a clear glass trifle dish shows off the beautiful layers.
- Storage: Store leftover trifle covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The cake will soften over time.