This No Bake Coconut Lemon Trifle recipe is made with layers of buttery pound cake (you can use homemade pound cake or store bought pound cake), coconut lemon pudding, and homemade lemon whipped cream. It’s an easy no bake dessert recipe that’s perfect for the summer season! Plus a video!
This easy lemon trifle recipe is easily one of my favorite summer dessert recipes!
Of course, because I am obsessed with all things coconut, I had to make this lemon trifle with pound cake a coconut lemon trifle. I mean look at it. Do you blame me??
One of the more embarrassing moments of my life includes studying for finals and managing to single-handedly taking down an entire Sara Lee pound cake.
In my defense, it was the smaller of the two sizes they sell, and I had a really tough Shakespeare final the next day.
And then, you know, once you eat half of it, it’s too embarrassing to stop so you might as well just polish it off and pretend it never happened. 😂
(Or share the experience on the internet. Whatevs.)
So, of course, while I love a good homemade pound cake (like this Chocolate Espresso Pound Cake), I absolutely love those store bought pound cakes that are rich, buttery, and ridiculously easy to eat use in desserts, like this No Bake Coconut Lemon Trifle dessert.
I don’t know about you, but I have a real thing for cute food. I’m sure I’m a broken record by now, but there’s nothing better than cute food served in cute ways.
I’m a big fan of personal-sized desserts (hence these S’mores Trifles and these Mason Jar Strawberry Shortcakes), especially if they can fit in cute little mason jars with lids.
Basically, that means I can bring any dessert I want to any type of function and the dessert travels well, is easy to serve, and totally cute (obvi the most important reason).
I’m not necessarily someone who picnics a lot, but the thing is, I could be. I love picnicking or outdoor barbecues. And I love the idea of being able to bring a fun dessert to a picnic that’s a bit more unexpected, you know?
You feel me?
Plus, when it comes to trifles, I don’t exactly have a trifle dish.
I have one of those cake stands with a lid that can be turned into a trifle bowl if flipped upside-down, but it’s a little awkward and it definitely doesn’t travel well. In theory, this cake stand is awesome, and in all truth, if you’re serving a trifle at home, this would work fine. But in terms of bringing said trifle anywhere?
No way, no how, see ya. (100 points to anyone who can name that movie quote, and, of course, my friendship for life.)
All right, enough rambling, let’s talk about this easy trifle recipe.
All right, so what makes this trifle dessert so ridiculously easy?
Well, remember Sandra Lee from the Food Network? The wonderful tracksuit-wearing-kitchen-matching-Aunt-Sandie-needs-a-cocktail-semi-homemade Food Network host?
She was the queen of semi-homemade desserts and meals and I loved how she could make something beautiful and delicious while also taking a few shortcuts that make cooking and baking a little more accessible, especially to anyone who was in a time crunch.
For these No Bake Coconut Lemon Trifles, I opted for some semi-homemade tricks that make these lemon trifle desserts ridiculously easy without sacrificing any of the flavor.
How To Make Coconut Lemon Trifle with Pound Cake:
- I went with store bought pound cake (the Sara Lee kind you can find in the frozen section of your grocery store); however, if you have a homemade pound cake recipe you L-O-V-E and feel like putting a bit more effort into this dessert, feel free to make and use homemade pound cake.
- The coconut lemon cream filling begins with instant vanilla pudding mix (do not get the instant lemon pudding mix) that has coconut, lemon juice, and lemon zest added to it to take it to the next level. Homemade lemon whipped cream is folded into the pudding as well, which makes the lemon filling incredibly rich and creamy.
- Homemade Lemon Whipped Cream takes only 4 ingredients: heavy whipping cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, and powdered sugar.
When life gives you lemons, make lemon trifles. (Cheesy, I know…)
- 1 10oz Sara Lee Pound Cake, cut into bite-sized pieces
- or homemade, if you prefer
- 1 3.4oz box instant vanilla pudding
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded coconut, sweetened
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice, fresh
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 4 Tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 cup toasted coconut
- lemon wedges
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Whisk instant pudding and milk together until it has thickened (it will be very thick). Add in coconut, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Set aside.
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With a hand mixer or standing mixer, whisk heavy whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Add in sugar, lemon juice, and zest. Continue to mix until it has reached your desired consistency.
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Fold half of the lemon whipped cream into the pudding mixture, folding until the whipped cream is completely combined with the pudding.
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In small mason jars or glasses, layer each with pound cake, coconut lemon pudding, and whipped cream. Repeat until the glass is full (ending with whipped cream on top).
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Top with toasted coconut, lemon wedges, or any extra pound cake pieces, if desired.
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Refrigerate until ready to eat.
Here are some other lemon recipes you might love:
Lemon Blueberry Crumb Cake Muffins
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