Happy Fourth of July! I hope you are celebrating America’s 244th birthday with some good food and a little fun (at a safe social distance!). In case you need a last minute Fourth dessert that is equal parts festive and delicious, allow me to introduce you to my trifle! Here’s my little secret, I use an angel food cake because if you inverted the cake, it is the same shape (albeit a little wider) than my trifle dish. It is like American and freedom, some things are just made to go together. The dish is then filled with layers of delicious cake, gorgeous berries, and a whipped cream that brings the whole thing together. All in a matter of minutes. You could even put some candles in it and sing “Happy Birthday” to America. Happy Birthday, America! You look good, girl!

Ingredients:

• One premade or store bought angel food cake

• 3 cups blueberries

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 1 tablespoon chopped mint

• 3 cups sliced strawberries

• 3 cups heavy cream

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Note: You can make this very adults only by soaking each layer of cake with 3 oz of rum after adding it to the dish. You could even soak the fruit in it too!

Method:

1. In a large bowl mix together blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and zest, and mint. Leave to sit for 10-15 minutes.

2. In another large bowl, beat together cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form. Set in the fridge to chill.

3. Using a bread knife, cut off the top 1 inch of cake, where the cake is the most narrow. Slice the top piece that is now separate, into two separate pieces. Place pieces in the bottom of your preferred trifle dish and fill in the hole in the middle with a piece of cake. Press cake into the dish to make even. If you need a helpful how to, check out the pictures below to a step by step photo guide!

4. Top cake with half of blueberry mixture, pressing up the sides of the bowl.

5. Make a strawberry perimeter around the sides of the bowl. Fill in the middle with half strawberries—saving the longer slices for the next layer of strawberries.

6. Top strawberries with half of the whipped cream.

7. Cut another layer of cake and fill in the hole with extra cake. Press into the dish to help compact.

8. Top with last half of blueberries and make another strawberry wall and fill in with the last of the strawberries.

9. Top with remaining whipped cream and use the back of the spoon to create peaks.

10. Refrigerate until serving and enjoy!

Trifle assembly in photos: