Easy Key Lime Trifle

Make this Key Lime Trifle with pound cake, instant pudding, and fresh lime juice. You can assemble this no-bake dessert in eighteen minutes.

Key Lime Pie Trifle Ingredients

Here is everything you need to make this simple trifle.

• Prepared pound cake: You will need one 10-16-ounce pound cake cut into cubes. A bakery or frozen pound cake works well. Angel food cake can replace it for a lighter texture, or use homemade pound cake when you have some available.
• Cool Whip: One 8-ounce container is divided between the filling and the layers. Folding some into the pudding gives the filling a lighter consistency. Another frozen whipped topping works in its place. Homemade stabilized whipped cream can work too, though regular whipped cream tends to soften faster during storage.
• Graham cracker crumbs: One and one-half cups bring the graham cracker flavor that makes the dessert reminiscent of key lime pie. Buy crumbs or crush whole graham crackers. Vanilla wafer crumbs are another good choice.
• Instant cheesecake pudding mix: Two 3.4-ounce boxes form the base of the filling. Make certain you purchase instant pudding rather than cook and serve pudding. Instant vanilla pudding can be substituted, though the finished filling will have less cheesecake flavor.
• Cold milk: Three cups of cold milk activate and thicken the instant pudding. Whole or 2 percent milk gives the filling a creamy consistency. Keep the milk cold since instant pudding sets best when mixed with cold liquid.
• Fresh lime juice: One-half cup provides citrus flavor. Regular Persian limes work perfectly here, so there is no need to hunt down Key limes. Bottled Key lime juice can be used when fresh limes are unavailable.
• Lime zest: One tablespoon adds concentrated lime flavor without thinning the filling. Zest the limes before squeezing them. For a stronger citrus flavor, add another teaspoon.
• Fresh lime slices and extra zest: These make an easy garnish and signal the flavor before anyone takes the first scoop. Thin lime wedges can replace full slices if they fit your trifle bowl better.

How to make Key Lime Trifle

Make the pudding mixture, layer the ingredients, garnish, and serve. Let me show you how.

1. Mix Pudding: Whisk the 2 boxes of instant cheesecake pudding mix and 3 cups of cold milk together in a large mixing bowl until thick.
2. Flavor Filling: Stir ½ cup fresh lime juice and 1 tablespoon lime zest into the pudding mixture. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes. Fold half of the 8-ounce container of Cool Whip into the lime filling.
   
3. Layer Base: Place half of the cubed pound cake in the bottom of a trifle bowl. Spread half of the lime filling on top of the pound cake.
4. Layer Crunch: Sprinkle half of the 1 ½ cups of graham cracker crumbs over the filling. Top the crumbs with half of the remaining Cool Whip.
   
5. Repeat Layers: Repeat the layers with the remaining pound cake, lime filling, graham cracker crumbs, and Cool Whip.
6. Garnish and Serve: Garnish the top of the dessert with fresh lime slices and extra lime zest. Serve the trifle immediately or chill it in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat.
   

Top Recipe Tips for Success

1. Use Cold Milk
   You must use cold milk to activate the instant pudding properly. Room temperature milk prevents the filling from setting.
2. Squeeze Fresh Citrus
   Using fresh limes yields the best flavor for the filling. Bottled juice lacks the sharp taste of fresh limes.
3. Chill Before Serving
   Allowing the dessert to rest in the refrigerator gives the layers time to meld together.

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Key Lime Trifle

By Jenna Harrison

This Key Lime Trifle layers pound cake, creamy lime filling, graham cracker crumbs, and Cool Whip for an easy, refreshing no-bake dessert.

Prep: 18 minutes mins

Total: 18 minutes mins

Servings: 8 people

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Equipment

• large mixing bowl
• whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Citrus zester
• Trifle bowl

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 10-16 oz prepared pound cake, cubed
• ▢ 8 oz container Cool Whip
• ▢ 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ▢ (2) 3.4 oz boxes instant cheesecake pudding mix
• ▢ 3 cups cold milk
• ▢ ½ cup fresh lime juice
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon lime zest

GARNISH:

• ▢ Fresh Limes Sliced
• ▢ Lime zest

US Customary – Metric

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Instructions 

Make the Filling

• Whisk the pudding mixes and cold milk together in a large mixing bowl until thick.
  (2) 3.4 oz boxes instant cheesecake pudding mix, 3 cups cold milk
• Stir the lime juice and lime zest into the pudding mixture.
  ½ cup fresh lime juice, 1 Tablespoon lime zest
• Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
• Fold half of the Cool Whip into the lime filling.
  8 oz container Cool Whip

Assemble the Trifle

• Place half of the cubed pound cake in the bottom of a trifle bowl.
  1 10-16 oz prepared pound cake
• Spread half of the lime filling on top of the pound cake.
• Sprinkle half of the graham cracker crumbs over the filling.
  1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• Top the crumbs with half of the remaining Cool Whip.
• Repeat the layers with the remaining pound cake, lime filling, graham cracker crumbs, and Cool Whip.
• Garnish the top of the dessert with fresh lime slices and extra lime zest.
  Fresh Limes Sliced, Lime zest
• Serve the trifle immediately or chill it in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat.

Notes

Make ahead: Assemble the trifle several hours before serving and keep it covered in the refrigerator. The cake gradually absorbs some of the filling, giving the dessert a softer consistency. For the most distinct layers and crunchier crumbs, assemble it closer to serving time.

Refrigerator: Cover leftover Key Lime Trifle tightly and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. The graham cracker layer will become softer during storage, but the flavor will still be good.

Freezing: Freezing the assembled trifle is not recommended. Pudding and whipped topping can change consistency after freezing and thawing, and the cake can become overly soft.

Thawing: Since freezing is not recommended, thawing is not needed. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1.25cup, Calories: 360kcal, Carbohydrates: 67g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 56mg, Sodium: 670mg, Potassium: 257mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 42g, Vitamin A: 272IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 189mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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