Trifle

If you have a trifle dish, this is really fun and attractive, but a clear bowl will work as well - make sure it's deep. For this particular trifle I used white cake mix, white chocolate pudding, and fresh strawberries, blueberries & raspberries.

1 cake mix - flavor of choice
1 large pudding mix - flavor of choice
1-2 tsp almond extract (optional)
3-4 cups mixed berries of choice - fresh is best but canned or well-drained frozen will work
Sugar
16 oz carton whipping cream or Cool Whip
1 T powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

If using fresh fruit: clean, prepare and cut berries as needed. Add a sprinkling of sugar and allow fruit to macerate in refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the cake.

Mix cake according to instructions. Bake on a large cookie sheet. Cool completely.

Mix pudding according to instructions. Add 1-2 tsp of almond extract, if desired.

For whipping cream: whip with mixer until soft peak stage. Add about 1 T powdered sugar (to taste) and 1 tsp vanilla. Continue whipping until it has reached whipped cream stage - be careful not to turn it into butter.

Once everything is prepared, you are ready to assemble.

First layer: cake about 1 1/2 inches high.
Second layer: fruit - just to cover cake and so you can see the fruit layer.
Third layer: pudding - same as fruit.
Fourth layer: whipped cream - same as fruit and pudding.
Repeat once.
Top final layer of whipped cream with some fruit if desired.

For me, it's all about presentation so I base how thick the layers on how it looks through the dish. This is a delicious dessert and can be changed up based on what you like. You can also use jam instead of fruit. It's up to you! Just have fun with it!