Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake (a.k.a Strawberry Trifle)

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Featuring layers of moist angel food cake, whipped cream, and strawberries, this Southern strawberry punch bowl cake (or strawberry trifle) is a perfectly fresh and sweet dessert to enjoy this summertime.

Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake

You may recognize this as a strawberry trifle but in my neck of the woods, we call it a strawberry punch bowl cake. And most folks I personally know keep a pretty glass bowl on standby just to be able to show off one of these delicious creations.

This Southern strawberry punch bowl cake is my husband’s absolute favorite. He wants this every year on his birthday, which is no small feat considering he was born in February. Easily made into a low-fat or lite dessert, it can actually be very diet-friendly when compared to your typical dessert. I love to make it in the summertime, but it can easily be made in the winter provided strawberries are available in your grocery store, to help stave off your cold-weather blues.

With layers of moist angel cake pieces, whipped cream, vanilla pudding, and fresh strawberries, I know this sweet dessert is going to be a hit when you make it for friends and family. If you’re looking for similar recipes to make this summer, check out my creamy dreamy trifle and my patriotic punch bowl cake.

Ingredients for Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake

Recipe Ingredients

  • Angel food cake mix 
  • Whipped topping
  • Milk
  • Instant vanilla pudding
  • Strawberries

Helpful Kitchen Tools

How To Make A Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake aka Strawberry Trifle

Preparing the Angel Food Cake.
Prepare and bake cake according to package directions.
Cut all of the brown off of your cake. This is purely for cosmetic purposes.
The brown part is perfect to give to antsy children as they watch you.
Or to feed the cook. You know we gotta keep our strength up…
Tearing the Angel Food Cake for Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake
Tear your angel food cake into small bite-sized pieces.
Bite-sizd pieces of angel food cake.
Like this.
Washing strawberries in sink.
Wash your strawberries. I just rinse them in a bowl of water.
Slice strawberries
Slice them all up.
Add milk to mixing bowl.
In your mixing bowl, pour your milk.
Add instant pudding to mixing bowl.
Then add the dry instant pudding.
Mix pudding.
Mix until well blended and starting to thicken.
You can use a whisk or electric mixer for this. Go with your mood.
Mixing whipped cream layer.
Add whipped cream.
Whipped topping in mixing bowl.
Mix again until well blended and looking like this.
 Dip your finger in it and taste it and make a note to make double next time so you can have a bowl of just this stuff.
By the way, this makes a great lite topping for cakes if you ever need one. You can use light whipped topping and sugar-free pudding and 2 percent milk – MUCH less guilt than icing!
Assembling trifle - angel food cake pieces as bottom layer.
Place a third of your cake bites in a simple glass bowl or a trifle bowl.
Assembling trifle - whipped cream layer.
Top with a third of your whipped topping mixture.
Assembling trifle.
Then add 1/2 of your sliced strawberries.
Repeat with a layer of cake, a layer of topping, a layer of strawberries, a layer of cake, a layer of topping, and a finishing strawberry to go on top!
A Beautiful Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake
Voila!
Isn’t that beautiful?
YUM! Bowl of Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake.

Yum yum YUM!

Storage

Store punch bowl cake leftovers tightly covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Recipe Notes

  • Decorate the top of your strawberry punch bowl cake with 3/4 cup of shredded coconut and 1/4 cup chopped pecans.
  • Instead of the angel food cake mix, you can use your favorite pound cake recipe or yellow cake mix.
  • If you want to add more fruit to your punch bowl cake, add one sliced banana and half a can of crushed pineapple on top of every layer of your fresh strawberries.

Recipe FAQs

Can I make this strawberry trifle ahead of time?

Absolutely! This strawberry punch bowl cake actually tastes even better when it’s been refrigerated overnight, as the pudding/Cool Whip mixture has time to really soak into the angel food cake pieces. So yes, you can assemble your trifle up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate, covered, until you’re ready to serve.

How do I make my strawberry punch bowl cake diet-friendly?

To make this punch bowl cake recipe diet-friendly, use sugar-free pudding, fat-free or light Cool Whip, and skim milk. The cake is already low in fat and well, fresh strawberries are good for you!

Fresh Strawberry Pie

Mama’s Classic Strawberry Cobbler Recipe

Fresh Strawberry Muffins

Cream Cheese Strawberry Cobbler

That Strawberry Cake 🙂

Strawberry Ice Cream Pie

Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake

Featuring layers of moist angel food cake, whipped cream, and strawberries, this Southern strawberry punch bowl cake (or strawberry trifle) is a perfectly fresh and sweet dessert to enjoy this summertime.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake
Servings: 4
Calories: 376kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 angel food cake
  • 3.5-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix this is the small box and I always use sugar-free
  • 2 cups milk can use skim
  • 8-ounce carton whipped topping can use light or fat-free
  • 1 pint fresh strawberries washed and hulled

Instructions

  • Using a knife, trim the brown from the baked cake, then tear the cake into small bite-sized pieces.
    1 angel food cake
  • Prepare the pudding as directed, using an electric mixer. Add in Cool Whip and mix until well blended and smooth.
    3.5-ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix, 2 cups milk, 8-ounce carton whipped topping
  • Place 1/3 cake pieces in a large bowl. Top with 1/3 pudding mixture and 1/2 strawberries. Repeat and top with the remaining pudding mixture. Garnish with a fresh strawberry. Refrigerate until ready to enjoy!
    1 pint fresh strawberries

Nutrition

Calories: 376kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

I used to think I was indecisive but now I’m not so sure. 

~anon

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100 Comments

  1. Hi there. This sounds really good.:) I will have to try this. It sounds pretty easy to make.:) Hope you are having a blast.:)
    Sharon:)

  2. Christy that is beautiful. I have a brand new punch bowl as a gift from a friend. Actually its a cake stand that reverses into a punch bowl. I think i want this for my birthday as well. But knowing me i cant wait that long so i will be making this really soon. I love cool whip and pudding mixed together its just heaven in a bowl. I wish i had known about this recipe earlier, we have family coming in town today and this would of been perfect. I hope you are having a great time.

  3. Very simple and yummy!
    Have a great time at Disney..or as my husband and I call it at home “The Mouse”…we speak of Disney in code so my kids dont know that we are talking about it! LOL

  4. I just love this recipe…. I havent done this one in years… might have to go out and get me some strawberries just for today!! Hope your having a great time and wave to Mickey for me!!!!!

  5. That looks wonderful! I made the Apple skillet Cake today and used tart green apples since thats what I had at the house.
    Wasn’t about to go out in case Hurricane Ike got me. I wasn’t worried about Ike so much as spin off tornadoes that like to crop up… Hurricane babies, if you will.

    I will make a smaller version of the punch bowl cake for the dadster. by the way.. since these emails go to your phone.. i sure hope you have it turned off.. if not.. I’m sorry.

  6. Christy—
    I think I lost my previous comment. Darn it, I think I said it so well

    I (we) got our cookbook today. Yes!!! My husband got a kick out of the autograph. Thank you for that! He spent about 1 1/2 hours on the couch going through it
    page-by-page.
    Regards to your mother. Some of my fondest memories of my own mother, are the two of us cooking. We used to SING—-really LOUD…..old Judy Garland songs and Mahalia Jackson.
    Now there is something to scrapbook about!!

    Oh yeah……GO UPSIDE DOWN at least once for me! Enjoy your vacation.

    1. I am brand new to you, but am going to make this on Sunday for a family birthday party. I grew up in southwestern Florida, but live now in New Jersey. I have not heard someone say punch bowl cake in years, it brought tears to my eyes. Thank you.

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