Red, White, and Blue Jello Berry Trifle

The boys are so excited for our town's 4th of July parade. Last year was the first time we attended. They loved seeing kids from the community coming down the parade route with bikes and wagons all decked out in red, white, and blue. They've been waiting all year long to join in on the festivities, so I've been stocking up on decorations at the dollar store.

I've also been planning a little Independence Day fun of my own. I made a Red, White, and Blue Jello Berry Trifle for my cute patriotic cake toppers. Think jello poke cake with a bunch of fresh berries. Every year I struggle with whether to make red, white, and blue Jello parfaits, a Jello poke cake, or strawberry shortcake. This year I combined all three into one big fabulous dessert.





There's nothing like a bunch of beautiful fresh summer berries paired with some extremely processed foods, right? Ha! Just kidding. Let's keep it real though.



I've been trying to keep things more natural and fresh, but when I thought up this dessert I had to go back to the beloved 4th of July ingredients I grew up with - Jello and Cool Whip. So sue me. No, don't sue me. Please don't. Really. Don't.

I started by preparing my jello and cake mix according to the package directions. Any white or vanilla cake mix will do.



When my cake was cool and my Jello was set, I macerated my berries with a little bit of sugar and started putting my trifle together.

I was a little heavy handed with the layers in the beginning of my process and ran out of space on top, so I suggest keeping each layer about half an inch thick.


A layer of cubed cake goes down first. Then a layer of macerated blackberries and blueberries. I topped that with some blue Jello and then a layer of good ol' Cool Whip.

You can see how I ran out of room up top.

More cake goes down, followed by my red berry mixture and then the red Jello.



The trifle gets finished with a final layer of Cool Whip on top.

My cute celebratory cake toppers are the perfect finishing touch atop this gorgeously patriotic trifle. This dessert is cool, fresh, fun, and perfect for a hot summer day of celebrating our beloved country.

Red, White, and Blue Jello Berry Trifle

INGREDIENTS
1 box vanilla or white cake mix + ingredients to prepare according to package directions
1 6 oz box blue Jello
1 6 oz box red Jello (I used raspberry)
2 8 oz tubs Cool Whip, thawed in the fridge
1 pint blueberries, washed and halved
1 pint blackberries, washed and halved
1 pint raspberries, washed and halved
1 1/2 cups strawberries, washed and chopped
2 Tbsp sugar, divided

DIRECTIONS
1. Prepare your cake and Jello mixes according to package directions.
2. When Jello is set and cake is cool, macerate the berries. In a medium bowl, combine blueberries and blackberries with 1 Tbsp sugar and stir together.
3. In another bowl, combine raspberries and strawberries with the other Tbsp of sugar and stir together. Let berries sit 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, cut your cake into 1/2 inch cubes. Also, cube your jello.
5. Assemble your trifle by laying down a 1/2 inch layer of cake at the bottom. 
6. Top with all of the blueberry mixture including any juices.
7. Spoon a 1/2 inch layer of blue Jello on top of the berries, followed by a 1/2 inch layer of Cool Whip.
8. Add another 1/2 inch layer of cake.
8. Add all of the raspberry mixture on top of that including any juices.
9. Add a 1/2 inch layer of red jello, followed by another 1/2 inch layer of Cool Whip.

* You will have leftover cake, Jello, and Cool Whip.