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Easy Lemon Mousse Trifle Recipe

Easy Lemon Mousse Trifle Recipe

A no-bake lemon dessert layered with pound cake, lemon mousse, lemon curd, whipped topping, and optional berries. It serves about 10–12 people and is best chilled overnight.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake and Layers
  • 1 cake, about 10.75 ounces Prepared pound cake, cut into 1-inch cubes
Lemon Mousse
  • 1 package, 3.4 ounces Instant lemon pudding mix
  • 2 cups Cold whole milk
  • 8 ounces Cream cheese, softened
  • 1/3 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
Lemon Layers
  • 1 cup Lemon curd, homemade or purchased
Topping and Garnish
  • 1 container, 8 ounces Whipped topping, thawed
  • 2 cups, optional Fresh raspberries or blueberries
  • as needed for garnish Additional lemon zest or thin lemon slices

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Cut the prepared pound cake into 1-inch cubes and set them aside. Beat the instant lemon pudding mix with the cold whole milk for about 2 minutes, until thickened, then let it stand for 3–5 minutes.
  2. In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice until smooth. Beat or fold in about 1/2 cup of the lemon curd.
  3. Fold the thickened pudding into the cream-cheese mixture. Gently fold in about half of the thawed whipped topping to create a light lemon mousse.
  4. Place one-third of the cake cubes in the bottom of a trifle bowl or deep glass serving bowl. Add one-third of the mousse, followed by a few spoonfuls of the remaining lemon curd and some berries.
  5. Repeat the cake, mousse, lemon curd, and berry layers twice. Finish with mousse and the remaining whipped topping, then garnish with lemon zest, berries, or small pieces of cake.
  6. Cover the assembled trifle and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. For the softest cake and firmest mousse, chill it overnight.

Notes

Use fully dry berries so excess moisture does not make the lower cake layer watery. For a simpler variation, omit the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest; mix the pudding with the milk, then fold in the whipped topping and 1/2–1 cup lemon curd.