Red, White, and Blue Trifle

Red, White, and Blue Trifle (courtesy Sandra Lee - Food Network)

Ingredients

1 box red velvet cake mix, about 18 ounces (if you can't find red velvet cake use 1 box chocolate cake plus a bottle of red food coloring)
1 (16-ounce) tub whipped topping
2 pints blueberries
1 pint strawberries, tops removed

Directions

Bake the red velvet cake mix according to package directions and allow to cool.

Using a serrated knife cut the red velvet cake into 1 inch square pieces and line the bottom of the trifle bowl with half of the cake squares.

Using a spatula, spread about a 2-inch layer of whipped topping on top of the cake squares.

Layer about 1 1/2 pints of the blueberries on top of whipped topping.

Layer the remaining cake pieces on top of the blueberries forming a second layer of cake.

Using a spatula, spread remaining whipped topping over the cakes pieces.

Decorate the perimeter with the strawberries; placing the strawberries cut side down. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries on top of the trifle inside the strawberry perimeter.

I like making fun holiday desserts, and although I like the Flag Dessert Pizza that I usually make (I'll have to post that recipe sometime...), I wanted to try something new this year. So I did some internet surfing and found this recipe. And I bought a trifle dish so I could make it, which is exciting because now I can make that many-layer jello for Thanksgiving, and I have the right dish for it! Plus imagine all the trifle dessert possibilities.... :) Here are a few pics of the process:

The red velvet cake cut into cubes.

All the ingredients, and basically you just throw it together.

With the final product. I love trifle desserts because the presentation is so awesome. This was easy to make, but the down side is that I wasn't too big on the taste. I don't like blueberries a whole lot, and this thing is loaded with blueberries. Plus the cake wasn't really sweet enough. I think if I make it again I'd do white cake and color it blue, then use strawberries for the red and whipped cream for the white. Plus somehow I might want to add more sugar... But speaking of next year, here are some links to a few ideas I've already found:

http://melissaau.blogspot.com/2009/07/this-has-got-to-be-coolest-4th-of-july.html

http://heyheygoodlookin.blogspot.com/2009/07/star-spangled-fruit-tart.html

This second one is a lot like the Flag Dessert Pizza that I usually make. Love those holiday desserts!