These Vegan July 4th Berry Trifle Cups are my go-to when I need something fast. You don’t want to turn on the oven when it’s hot out, and these cups fix that problem. You just need fresh strawberries, blueberries, a loaf of vegan vanilla pound cake, dairy-free whipped topping, and a bit of maple syrup. The recipe is incredibly forgiving. It is basically just chopping up fruit and layering everything in a glass. You slice the cake into cubes, mix the berries with syrup to get them juicy, and start building. Put some cake at the bottom, spoon in strawberries and whip, then add more cake, blueberries, and more whip. That is it. It takes maybe ten to fifteen minutes. The red, white, and blue layers look great, and it is light enough for a hot day. Making Vegan July 4th Berry Trifle Cups is very simple. It’s best to buy a vegan cake from the store to save your time. Dairy-free whipped cream is readily available. Maple syrup helps the berries release their juices.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- It is very easy – There is zero baking involved. You just chop, layer, and serve.
- Good for summer days – You don’t have to turn your oven on and heat up the house.
- Great for crowds – You can easily buy extra fruit and cake to make a big batch for a party.
- Kid-friendly – Kids love the bright colors and sweet berries. They can even help you build the cups.
- Easy to transport – You can prep the fruit and cake ahead of time and just build them when you get to the picnic.
Ingredients
Yield: 4 Servings
- Vegan vanilla pound cake – 1 loaf (Store-bought or Homemade, cubed)
- Fresh Strawberries – 2 cups (Chopped)
- Fresh Blueberries – 1.5 cups
- Dairy-free whipped topping – 1 tub (8 ounces, thawed)
- Maple Syrup – 2 tablespoons
Suggestions & Alternatives:
- Healthy: Swap out the pound cake for baked oats or a layer of granola to cut back on the sugar. You can also skip the maple syrup entirely if your fresh berries are already very sweet.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Wash your strawberries and blueberries and pat them dry. Chop the strawberries into small pieces. Toss the strawberries in one bowl with a tablespoon of maple syrup. Put the blueberries in another bowl with the rest of the syrup. Let them sit for about 10 minutes.
Step 2: Cut your vegan pound cake into small cubes. Try to make them small enough to fit nicely in your cups.
Step 3: Get four clear cups. Drop a handful of cake cubes into the bottom of each cup to make your base layer.
Step 4: Spoon the strawberries over the cake. Drizzle a little of the extra strawberry juice from the bowl right over the cake cubes.
Step 5: Spread a layer of dairy-free whipped cream over the strawberries. Spread it lightly with a spoon (My tip is to refrigerate the whipped cream overnight before serving so it’s soft enough to spread easily)
Step 6: Add another layer of cake cubes. Spoon the blueberries over this second layer of cake, pouring in any leftover juice from the bowl.
Step 7: Top each cup with a final scoop of whipped topping. Add a leftover strawberry or a few blueberries on top for garnish. Keep them in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
Serving Ideas and Best Times to Enjoy This Dish
These Vegan Berry Trifle Cups are an obvious choice for the 4th of July or Memorial Day because of the red, white, and blue colors. But I make them all summer long. Any time I get invited to a backyard barbecue or a pool party, this is what I bring. People love having their own individual dessert, and it saves the host from having to cut and serve a large cake while trying to entertain a crowd.
When it comes to meals, these pair with just about any classic summer food. If you are serving a big spread of veggie burgers, grilled corn on the cob, baked beans, and pasta salad, you usually want something light afterward. A heavy, rich chocolate dessert is just too much on a hot afternoon. These berry cups are refreshing, so they are satisfying without making you feel weighed down. They also go really well with lighter dinners, like a big green summer salad or some grilled tofu skewers.
If you are planning to take these on a picnic or a trip to the beach, you have a couple of options for traveling. I recommend prepping the ingredients at home and assembling the cups when you get there. You can chop the strawberries, wash the blueberries, and cut the cake before you leave the house. Put everything in separate containers in your cooler. When you are ready for dessert, just line up your cups and build them on the picnic table. It takes two minutes, and it keeps the cake from getting soggy from the berry juice while you drive.
If you do want to make them completely ahead of time at home, try to build them only an hour or two before you eat. You want the cake to soak up a little bit of the fruit juice, but you do not want the cake cubes to break down and turn mushy.
You can also easily adapt these for different events. If it is not a patriotic holiday and you do not care about the red, white, and blue color theme, you can mix up the fruit. Fresh raspberries and blackberries work perfectly in place of the strawberries and blueberries. Chopped peaches and mangoes are also amazing mixed with the vanilla cake and cream.
Serving this dessert for a weekend brunch is another great option. Since its main ingredients are fresh fruit and cake, it’s perfect for a late breakfast. Pair it with a generous pile of pancakes, some toasted avocado bread, and your morning coffee. You can even swap the cake for a handful of your favorite granola if you’d like this dessert to resemble a traditional breakfast parfait.
I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe! So come back and share your feedback in the comments to let me know if your barbecue guests enjoyed it, or if you substituted any other fruit. Your comments are appreciated.
Vegan July 4th Berry Trifle Cups
Here you'll find the ingredients and easy steps to prepare this no-bake dessert, perfect for hot days. Layer fresh strawberries, blueberries, vegan vanilla cake, and dairy-free whipped cream for a delicious treat.
Ingredients
- 1 Loaf vegan vanilla pound cake, cubed
- 2 cups fresh Strawberries, chopped
- 1.5 cups fresh Blueberries
- 1 tub (8 ounces) Dairy-free whipped topping, thawed
- 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
Instructions
- Wash the strawberries and blueberries, then pat them dry. Chop the strawberries into small pieces.
- Add the strawberries to one bowl with 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Add the blueberries to another bowl with the remaining maple syrup. Stir both gently and let them sit for about 10 minutes.
- Cut the vegan pound cake into small cubes so they fit easily into the cups.
- Place a layer of cake cubes in the bottom of each of the four clear cups.
- Spoon the strawberries over the cake. Add a little of the strawberry juice from the bowl over the top.
- Add a layer of dairy-free whipped topping over the strawberries and smooth it gently with a spoon. If your whipped topping is frozen, move it to the fridge the night before so it is easier to scoop.
- Add another layer of cake cubes, then spoon the blueberries over the cake. Pour in any extra blueberry juice from the bowl.
- Finish each cup with a scoop of whipped topping. Add a strawberry piece or a few blueberries on top for garnish.
- Keep the cups in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
Notes
Modifications –Substitute baked oatmeal or vanilla chia pudding for the sponge cake to reduce the sugar content. Omit the maple syrup if your berries are naturally very sweet.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 173Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 61mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 5gSugar: 26gProtein: 2g
Just a heads up — The calorie count and nutritional info here are just estimates! The actual numbers might vary a bit depending on the brands and ingredients you use.