Most of us living in the US have eaten strawberry shortcake. It’s a classic summertime dessert. As much as I love strawberries, blueberries are at the top of my list of favorite fruits. So, one day, I thought “why not a blueberry shortcake?” Have you ever thought about blueberry shortcake? Well, here it is! I’m really excited to share my fun take on a strawberry shortcake.
Blueberry Shortcake Summary
The blueberry shortcake recipe I’m sharing is a variation of my favorite strawberry shortcake trifle. It consists of layers of angel food cake, a sweet blueberry glaze, and a creamy, sweet cream cheese custard layer. The blue is fun, and your kids will get a kick out of the blue gelatin mixed with the berries.
Blueberry Shortcake Trifle Ingredients
For the ingredients, you’ll need an angel food cake (store-bought or homemade; I use homemade). The blueberry glaze consists of granulated sugar, salt, cornstarch, Berry Blue gelatin, water, vanilla, and blueberries (fresh or thawed from frozen). For the custard, you’ll need cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and whipped topping.
Make the Blueberry Glaze
Begin by making the blueberry glaze. In a large saucepan, whisk together 200 grams (1 cup) of granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon of salt, 48 grams (¼ cup + 3 tablespoons) of cornstarch, and 80 grams (¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) of Berry Blue gelatin (Jell-O). Whisk in 16 ounces (2 cups) of water (tap is fine). Heat saucepan on medium-high heat. Whisk frequently until the mixture thickens taking about 10 minutes.
TIP: As the mixture heats and begins to boil, the white cornstarch will blend in with the gelatin color and appear to become clear. Then, the mixture will thicken after a couple of more minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Set the mixture aside at room temperature to allow the mixture to cool for about an hour.
TIP: The mixture will cool a little faster if poured into a room temperature bowl.
Make the Cream Cheese Custard
In the meantime, make the cream cheese custard. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to whip 8 ounces (1 package) of cream cheese until smooth. Whip or stir in 14 ounces (1 can) of sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated) until well combined. Use a spatula to fold in 12 ounces of thawed (from frozen) whipped topping until the mixture is smooth. I prefer SO Coco Whip, but Cool Whip brand or any other brand is fine. Set the mixture aside.
TIPS: Be sure to use SWEETENED CONDENSED milk as it is thick and has plenty of sugar. Avoid stirring the whipped topping as stirring will deflate the “whipped” texture.
Cut the Cake & Stir Blueberries into the Glaze
If you haven’t already, cut the cake into bite-size pieces and set it aside.
Once the blue glaze has cooled, stir in 4 cups (2 pints) of blueberries reserving a few to place on top for the final touch. I actually prefer thawed blueberries from frozen in this dish because they bleed blue since they are wet; they help to darken the blue gelatin to a darker blue color. However, fresh blueberries will be fine.
Assemble the Blueberry Shortcake
Time to layer and assemble the dessert. To a large serving dish or multiple small individual dishes, add a layer of cake just to cover the bottom of the dish (simply eyeball a third of the cake). Top with an even layer of cooled, blueberry glaze to cover the cake (eyeball a third of the glaze). Over the glaze, add a layer of custard to cover (eyeball a third of the custard). Continue with another layer of cake, glaze, and custard. Repeat a third time if using a large trifle bowl. Be sure to finish off with the custard.
TIPS: Spoon each layer to the edge of the bowl so each is visible from the outside. For small bowls, you only need 2 layers of each finishing off with custard.
Add the final touches. Decorate the top custard layer with reserved whole blueberries. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 2 hours to set. Serve and enjoy!
Finished Blueberry Shortcake Close-ups
Let’s take a look! Notice the total of 9 layers with 3 layers each of cake, glaze, and cream. When scooped out in a serving dish, each element is still visible. After the shortcake sits, the cake begins to absorb some of blueberry glaze juices and cream.
Storing Blueberry Shortcake
Store the dessert covered in the fridge for up to a week. The longer the shortcake sits, the more the juices are expelled and soak into the cake.
Blueberry Shortcake Final Thoughts
Blueberry shortcake is a pretty dessert and a great way to use up those beautiful blueberries that are in season. I love this fun take on a traditional strawberry shortcake as the blue is festive and kiddos tend to like blue Jell-O, so I am led to believe 😉. You could use a basic white cake in this recipe in place of angel food cake; that makes an even more indulgent dessert. You can make this dessert any time of year using fresh or frozen blueberries. If you’re looking for a different take on a traditional strawberry shortcake, give this one a try; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Your kids will love the blue!
Baker’s Perspective
This is another easy shortcake recipe. The 15 minutes it takes to cook the gelatin is the most time-consuming step in making this recipe. It’s a fun layered dessert you can involve your kiddos. I imagine letting them make their own individual trifle could be quite appealing… a blueberry shortcake bar, maybe? The custard layer truly is a can of this and “box” of that. I love using my own homemade angel food cake, but any cake you like will work just fine in this recipe. This is a go-to summer dessert for social gatherings and cook-outs.
Taster’s Perspective
The fluffy angel food cake is defined and holds up well with the sweet blueberry glaze and creamy custard. The flavors are well balanced. I love the cream cheese custard, but the cream cheese itself is not strong when mixed with the other creams. We noticed that when the shortcake sits in the fridge for several days, the blueberries actually begin to dry out (surprisingly, since there’s so much moisture). A somewhat dried blueberry is not a turn off, I sort of enjoyed the bit of extra texture. Keep this in mind when making it for a group and serve it within a day or so. Interestingly enough, the dryness does not occur with strawberries. Overall, we enjoyed this fun version; it’s a nice change from the usual strawberry shortcake.
Check out my YouTube video on each step in making this Blueberry Shortcake Trifle. “Blueberry Shortcake: Layers of Angel Food Cake, Blueberry Glaze, & Sweet Cream Cheese Custard”
Easy Blueberry Shortcake Trifle
Ingredients
Blueberry Glaze:
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp (1.5 g) salt
- 48 g (¼ cup + 3 tbsp) cornstarch
- 80 g (¼ cup + 2 tbsp) Berry Blue gelatin (Jell-O)
- 16 oz (2 cups) water or blueberry juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
- 4 cups (2 pints) blueberries (thawed if from frozen) reserve a few to decorate the top
Custard:
- 8 oz (1 pkg) cream cheese softened
- 14 oz (1 can) sweetened condensed milk
- 12 oz whipped topping thawed (like Cool Whip or SO Coco Whip)
Cake Base:
- 1 angel food cake store-bought, boxed, or homemade (or white/ yellow cake or pound cake). cut into bite-size pieces
Instructions
Make the Blueberry Glaze:
- In a large saucepan, whisk together sugar, salt, cornstarch, and gelatin. Whisk in water (or blueberry juice).
- Heat saucepan on medium- high heat. Whisk frequently until the mixture thickens taking about 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla. Set aside at room temperature to allow the mixture to cool (about an hour). Then, stir in blueberries.TIP: As the mixture heats and begins to boil, the white cornstarch will blend in with the gelatin color and appear to become clear. Then, the mixture will thicken after a couple of more minutes.
Make the Cream Cheese Custard:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to whip the cream cheese until smooth. Whip or stir in sweetened condensed milk until well combined. Use a spatula to fold in thawed (from frozen) whipped topping until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.TIP: Avoid stirring the whipped topping as stirring will deflate the "whipped" texture.
Layer the Shortcake Ingredients:
- Cut the cake into bite size pieces and set aside.
- To a large serving trifle dish or multiple small individual dishes, add a layer of cake just to cover the bottom of the dish. Top with a thick layer of cooled blueberry glaze to cover the cake. Over the glaze, add a layer of custard to cover. Continue with another layer of cake, glaze, and custard. If using a large bowl, repeat a third time with remaining cake, glaze, and custard. Be sure to finish off with the custard. TIPS: Spoon each layer to the edge of the bowl so each is visible from the outside. For small bowls, you only need 2 layers of each finishing off with custard.
- Decorate the top custard layer with whole blueberries. Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set. Serve and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Interested in some other sweet treat recipes? Check these out.
Banana Pudding: No Cook & Egg Free
Argentine Alfajores Sandwich Cookies
Simple Scottish Shortbread Cookies
Gluten-Free & Vegan Scottish Shortbread Cookies
Latin American Tres Leches Cake
Australian & New Zealand Pavlova
New Zealand Kiwi Quick Bread (Regular & Gluten Free)
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