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This post has been sponsored by Galbani®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This strawberry dessert looks so decadent, no one will believe how quick and easy this recipe is to prepare!

Strawberry Trifle with Ricotta Cream is a creamy, elegant springtime dessert that’s perfect for Easter celebrations, Mother’s Day, or any time you have a sweet strawberry craving.

strawberry trifle with whipped cream and strawberry garnish on top in a glass trifle bowl.

Fresh strawberries and a creamy filling made with Galbani® Double Cream Ricotta are layered on top of delicate lady fingers soaked with orange liqueur to create a deliciously light and refreshing dessert.

Why you’ll love Strawberry Trifle with Ricotta Cream

  • It’s a fancy dessert that’s super simple to make
  • You can make one big dessert in a trifle bowl or make individual desserts
  • It’s made with Galbani Double Cream Ricotta with twice the cream of regular whole milk ricotta for an extra rich flavor
  • This dessert comes together in under 30 minutes
  • It’s light, fresh, and delicious!

Behind the recipe: Strawberry Trifle

The classic English trifle dates all the way back to the Renaissance, appearing in printed texts as early as 1598. The Oxford English Dictionary describes this medieval dessert as “a dish composed of cream boiled with various ingredients, a light confection of sponge-cake or the like, especially flavoured with wine or spirit, and served with custard and whipped cream.”

In my humble opinion, a trifle sounds just as delightful now as it did centuries ago!

With Spring just around the corner, I can’t think of a more fitting dessert for celebrating with family and friends, especially when it’s as light and creamy as today’s Strawberry Trifle with Ricotta Cream.

What’s the big difference in my modern-day strawberry trifle recipe? I make it with Galbani Double Cream Ricotta which has true Italian taste and creamy texture because it is made with double the cream!

Wondering where you can find Galbani Ricotta? SHOP HERE.

ingredients for making strawberry ricotta trifle.

Ingredients

  • fresh strawberries — rinsed and sliced top to bottom
  • granulated sugar — sprinkled on strawberries to macerate, or soften
  • lady fingers — delicate sponge cakes found in the bakery section; you may substitute pound cake or angel food cake cut into cubes
  • orange liqueur — for basting the lady fingers
  • Galbani® Double Cream Ricotta — made with just 4 simple ingredients (MILK, CREAM, VINEGAR, SALT)
  • confectioner’s sugar — to sweeten the cream
  • vanilla extract — for added flavor
  • heavy whipping cream — for the trifle topping
sliced strawberries in a glass bowl on a table.

STEP 1 | Prep the strawberries

Rinse the berries in a colander under cool running water. Slice off the caps, then slice the strawberries top to bottom and place in a bowl. Sprinkle granulated sugar over the berries and let sit while you prep the other ingredients, allowing the berries to slightly soften and the juices to release.

spooning ricotta cheese into a bowl for strawberry trifle.

STEP 2 | Sweeten the ricotta

With double cream, Galbani Ricotta doesn’t need extra cream cheese or whipped topping to make this filling decadent. Simply empty the Galbani Ricotta into a large bowl and add vanilla extract and confectioner’s sugar to sweeten. Stir with a spatula or whisk until fully incorporated.

brushing orange liqueur onto lady fingers for a trifle.

STEP 3 | Infuse the lady fingers

To give this dessert a little extra punch, simply baste orange liqueur on the split side of the lady fingers. If you prefer not to use alcohol, orange juice or melted strawberry jam is a good substitute for the liqueur.

layering steps for making strawberry trifle.

STEP 4 | Assemble the trifle

Now for the fun part—building this beautiful dessert! To make one big dessert to share, use a 3-quart trifle bowl (a clear glass bowl, typically on a pedestal) or other large glass bowl so you can show off the layers. To make pretty individual desserts, layer the ingredients in parfait glasses or stemless wine glasses.

  1. Place a layer of lady fingers in the bottom of the bowl. Carefully place strawberry slices against the side of the bowl to create a border as shown in the photo.
  2. Carefully spoon some of the ricotta filling on top of the lady fingers.
  3. Add a layer of strawberries on top of the filling, then repeat the layers until you fill up the bowl. The number of layers will depend on the size bowl you use.
  4. To finish it off, spoon whipped cream on top and garnish with a whole strawberry or mint sprig, if desired.
a strawberry trifle on a kitchen counter.

Frequently asked questions

Can strawberry trifle be made the night before?

Absolutely! In fact, allowing strawberry trifle to hang out in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving gives the flavors time to meld.

How long will strawberry trifle last?

Strawberry trifle will keep well for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. After that, the berries and lady fingers will begin to get a bit mushy.

How do you store a trifle?

Tightly cover the trifle bowl with plastic cling wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze strawberry trifle?

It’s not a good idea to freeze strawberry trifle because the consistency of the layers will not be the same once it is thawed.

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a strawberry trifle on a kitchen counter.

Strawberry Trifle with Ricotta Cream

Sweet strawberries and a light, creamy filling made with Galbani® Double
Cream Ricotta are layered on top of delicate lady fingers soaked with orange
liqueur to create a deliciously light dessert.
4.80 from 5 votes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Course Sweets
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 309 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups sliced fresh strawberries 2 (16-oz.) containers
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 16-oz. Galbani® Double Cream Ricotta
  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar + 1 tablespoon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 3-oz. pkgs. lady finger sponge cakes
  • cup orange liqueur or orange juice
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions
 

  • Rinse and drain the strawberries. Slice off the caps and slice the strawberries top to bottom. Place the sliced berries in a bowl and sprinkle with granulated sugar; set aside.
  • To a large bowl, add the Galbani Ricotta, 1 cup confectioner’s sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir with a spatula or whisk until fully incorporated.
  • Use a pastry brush to liberally baste the orange liqueur on the split side of the lady fingers.
  • In a 3-quart trifle bowl, add a layer of the lady fingers to the bottom of the bowl. Carefully place strawberry slices against the side of the bowl to create a border.
  • Spoon about 1/3 of the ricotta filling on top of the lady fingers, then top with 1/3 of the strawberries. Repeat the layers to fill the bowl, ending with strawberries.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.
  • When ready to serve, spoon whipped cream on top and garnish with a whole strawberry or mint sprig, if desired.

Fresh Whipped Cream

  • Place the heavy whipping cream in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer just until you begin to see peaks starting to form.
  • Add 1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and continue beating until stiff peaks form.

Notes

  • The number of layers in your trifle will depend on the size bowl you use.
  • Make individual desserts by layering the ingredients in parfait glasses or stemless wine glasses.
  • You may substitute orange juice or melted strawberry jam for the orange liqueur.
  • Cubed pound cake or angle food cake may be used in place of lady fingers.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 309kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 4gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 50mgFiber: 2gSugar: 31g

Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Keyword dessert, Galbani, ricotta cheese, sponge cake, strawberries
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was.
Sheila Thigpen, blogger

About Sheila Thigpen

Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer

Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.

4 Comments

  1. I want to use a large container of Galbani Whole Milk ricotta I have before it expires. Can I substitute it for the double cream? If so, do I need to add Whipped Cream or cream cheese?

  2. This has me craving fresh strawberries! They will be in season here in June, and I’m definitely going to make this recipe.

  3. Oh my word, sure wish that they sold Galbani out here, I would be all over that! This trifle looks like springtime in a bowl! I love it!

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