This individual no bake Mini Strawberry Shortcake recipe makes a wonderful summertime dessert! Ready in less than 10 minutes, throw these tasty mini trifles together for your next backyard party or outdoor barbecue.

Looking for more easy, no bake dessert recipes? Try my Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars, No Bake Mascarpone Fruit Tarts or my Easy No Bake S’mores Bars!

Mini strawberry shortcake assembled in a clear glass.

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    Mini Strawberry Shortcake

    Sometimes, I really want something sweet but just don’t feel like turning on the oven, especially in the heat of summer! If that sounds familiar, then this no bake shortcake dessert recipe is for you!

    Using store bought pound cake or angel food cake will make this dessert super easy to throw together. If you are up for it, make a homemade pound cake for an absolutely delicious mini strawberry shortcake! Plus they are in individual mini trifles which means you don’t have to share, but they are light enough that everyone will have room for dessert!

    If you love this recipe then you will love my Mini Strawberry Upside Down Cakes!

    ingredients needed

    To make strawberry shortcake mini cups, you just need a few simple ingredients! Here’s what you’ll need:

    • Heavy Whipping Cream: What makes these individual strawberry shortcake trifles extra special is the homemade whipped cream that is perfectly creamy and decadent!
    • Cream Cheese: Room temperature cream cheese is whipped up with the heavy whipping cream to make it thicker! It will also add a creamy, tangy flavor!
    • Powdered Sugar: Just a few tablespoons of sugar is all that’s needed to make your cream layer. Don’t overdo the sugar, as the strawberries add a natural sweetness to the trifle.
    • Strawberries: I prefer to use fresh strawberries for these mini strawberry shortcake trifles, as it’s best served immediately. If you need to use frozen strawberries, I recommend allowing them to fully thaw first.
    • Pound Cake: You can make your own pound cake recipe ahead of time or purchase a store-bought cake to save some time!
    cubed pound cake on white cutting board

    How to make Mini Strawberry Shortcake

    • Make cream cheese filling: Add cream cheese to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whip until the cream cheese is smooth. Add in heavy cream and whip on high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks. Turn the mixer off, add in the powdered sugar, then mix for another 30 seconds. Set aside until you are ready to assemble.
    whipped cream in stand mixer with the whisk attachment
    • Add pound cake: After that, start assembling the individual trifles by adding pound cake into the bottom of the glasses. (I divide it between 4-6 jars depending on size). You can always add this to a large bowl to serve a crowd.
    layering pound cake and whipped cream into jars
    • Assemble Trifle: Next layer on whipped cream and strawberries evenly to each jar. Repeat.
    assembling Mini Strawberry Shortcake
    • Serve and enjoy: Now serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve.

    Tips for Success

    • Make it boozy: Traditionally, trifles have been served with sherry, but that generally yields more of an orange flavor. If you’re looking to add a little bit of alcohol to your strawberry shortcake trifles, you can experiment with port, rum or brandy.
    • Taking these to a party? Assemble the mini shortcakes in clear plastic cups for easy disposal! Feel free to scale up the recipe according to how many people you are serving.
    • Store your leftovers: End up with a few leftover trifles? You can store them, loosely covered, in the refrigerator. I would recommend eating your leftover trifles within 3 days, as the layers will meld together and the pound cake will become soggy.
    • Use store-bought whipped cream: The homemade whipped cream cheese base is super delicious and easy to make at home, but if you are in a pinch for time then you can use store-bought whipped cream!

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do I have to use pound cake in this recipe?

    Pound cake is a delicious base for any strawberry shortcake, but you can use a simple white or yellow cake, sponge cake, angel food cake, or even crumbled sugar cookies or shortbread cookies!

    Can mini strawberry shortcakes be made ahead of time?

    Mini strawberry shortcakes are best served immediately, since you don’t want the pound cake base to become soggy. You can prepare these a few hours ahead of time, but I don’t recommend any more than that! If you’re looking to save some time and work ahead, you can prepare your pound cake ahead of time and freeze it until it’s time to assemble the trifle, or buy a pound cake from the store!

    Why type of cups should I use?

    Since these mini trifles are adorable, you will want some sort of clear container to see all of those layers! You can use small glasses, jars, or clear plastic cups!

    Mini Strawberry Shortcake in a clear class with layers of cake, cream and strawberries.

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    Mini Strawberry Shortcake

    5 from 1 vote
    Rate Print
    Ready in less than 10 minutes, throw these individual strawberry shortcake trifles together for your next backyard party or outdoor barbecue.
    Servings: 4 -6
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes

    Ingredients 

    • 2 cups strawberries, sliced
    • 4 cups pound cake, cubed

    Cream Cheese Filling

    Instructions 

    Cream Cheese Filling

    • Add cream cheese to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Whip until the cream cheese is smooth.
      Add in heavy cream and whip on high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks.
      Turn the mixer off add in the powdered sugar then mix for another 30 seconds. Set aside until you are ready to assemble.

    Assemble

    • To assemble the trifle start by adding pound cake into the bottom of the glasses. (I divide it between 4-6 jars depending on size). You can always add this to a large bowl to serve a crowd.
    • Next layer on cream cheese filling and strawberries evenly to each jar. Repeat.
      Serve immediately or store in the fridge until ready to serve.

    Notes

    • Don’t make too far in advance: These strawberry shortcake trifles are best served immediately, since you don’t want the pound cake base to become soggy. If you’re looking to save some time and work ahead, you can prepare your pound cake ahead of time then freeze until it’s time to assemble the trifle.
    • Make it boozy: Traditionally, some trifles have been served with sherry, but that generally yields more of an orange flavor. If you’re looking to add a little bit of alcohol to your strawberry shortcake trifles, you can experiment with port, rum or brandy.
    • Store your leftovers: End up with some leftover trifles? You can store them, loosely covered, in the refrigerator. I would recommend eating your leftover trifles within 3 days, as the layers will meld together and the pound cake will become soggy.

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 1155kcalCarbohydrates: 163gProtein: 16gFat: 50gSaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 403mgSodium: 1314mgPotassium: 436mgFiber: 3gSugar: 100gVitamin A: 2112IUVitamin C: 43mgCalcium: 254mgIron: 7mg

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