No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle

Turn your classic strawberry cheesecake into a layered trifle for Mother’s Day!

Cheesecake is always a good idea, especially for Mother’s Day! You can’t go wrong with a classic, but you could still give it a little spin! Turn your cheesecake into a trifle and make mom feel extra special!

Khara Westergard shares how to layer all the ingredients to perfection. She shares how to make a baked and a no-bake version, and a little trick to make sure your layers stay separated.

Find more treats from Khara on Instagram, @balsamicbaker.

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

Crust – crush or grind Graham Crackers then mix or process all ingredients together until well combined:

Ingredients

• 2 Sleeves (9.6oz./272g) (18 full sheets) Nabisco Honey Maid Graham Crackers
• 1/3 C. (2.65 oz./75g) Granulated Sugar
• 1 stick (4oz./113g) (1/2 C.) Butter – Softened (not melted, to avoid soggy crumbs)
• 1/8 tsp. Salt (omit if using salted butter)

Gluten-free Crust – crush or grind Graham Crackers then mix or process all ingredients together until well combined:

Ingredients

• 1 package (8.4 oz./238g – box claims 7oz.) Pamela’s Honey Grahams
• 1/4 C. (2 oz./56g) Granulated Sugar
• 6 Tbsp. (3 oz./85g) Butter – Softened (not melted, to avoid soggy crumbs)
• 1/8 tsp. Salt (omit if using salted butter)

Directions

Press chosen crust from above firmly into a 9” spring form pan, or a pie pan. A straight measuring or glass cup can help to press into corners & up the sides of the pan. Chill to set as no bake. Or, Bake at 350°F 12- 15 minutes or until golden brown on edges (or bubbling all over for GF). GF will likely not be browned. Regular will have a shade of color. If shaping a tall side crust, while still hot, press sides back up into place if they’ve fallen a bit. Cool completely before filling with Cheesecake.

Optional – instead of using 1 pan, press small amounts into the bottoms of glass cups, or 3-4 dozen lined muffin pans or lined mini cupcake pans. Chill to set as no-bake. Or, Bake at 350°F 4-5 min. Until golden brown on edges, or, until bubbling all over for gluten-free (not browned).

Silky No-Bake Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 C. (10 oz./283g) Heavy Whipping Cream – Cold
• 1/2 C. (2 oz./56g) Powdered Sugar (C&H brand is best)
• 3 Blocks (24 oz./680g) Philadelphia Cream Cheese (FULL FAT) – Cold
• 1/4 C. (2 oz./56g) Granulated Sugar (can double for tart flavor pairings to 1/2 C. Or 4 oz./113g)
• 3/4 C. (6 oz./170g) Full-Fat Sour Cream – Cold
• 1 Tbsp. (14g) Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Tbsp. Mexican Vanilla (or sub other great tasting Vanilla)
• Whip Heavy Whipping Cream & Powdered Sugar together until STIFF peaks form, & set aside.

Directions

Beat Cream Cheese with electric mixer until softened. Add the rest of the ingredients 1 at a time, beating well between additions. Incorporate 1/3 of the Whipped Cream into the cream cheese mixture to loosen. Then, fold the rest of the Whipped Cream into the cream cheese mixture until well combined.

Transfer mixture into a chilled no-bake, or cooled baked Graham cracker crust. Or, transfer into a piping bag or large Ziploc baggie with the end snipped off. Pipe into glass cups layering with toppings.

Top with a fruit filling, chocolate ganache, caramel, or flavor addition of choice.

Can be served immediately or chilled for later use. If shaping in a spring form pan, freeze to set firmly. Then warm sides briefly with hot water & remove pan. Fill in gaps with extra Cheesecake mixture & smooth with a knife. Allow to thaw in fridge. To cut cleanly, warm a knife in hot water, wipe dry, & repeat between every cut. Presentation is important!

Baked Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 3 Blocks (24 oz./680g) Philadelphia Cream Cheese (FULL FAT) – Room Temperature
• 3/4 C. (6 oz./170g) Granulated Sugar
• 3/4 C. (6 oz./170g) Full-Fat Sour Cream – Room Temperature
• 1 Tbsp. (14g) Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Tbsp. Mexican Vanilla (or sub other great tasting Vanilla)
• 3 XL Eggs – Room Temperature

Directions

Beat Cream Cheese in a food processor or with electric mixer until softened & smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients 1 at a time, beating well between additions, but eggs 1 at a time on low (or pulse) until just blended (too long can cause over aeration or over soft Cheesecake). Pour into cooled prebaked Graham cracker crust. *Bake at 325°F until the center jiggles like jello, but the outer 2 or 3 inches do not. Remove from oven & release top edges from pan gently with a metal butter knife (not necessary if crust is between the cheesecake & pan).

Cool 1 hour on the counter, & 2 hours or until completely set in the fridge (maybe overnight). Release spring form pan edges when Cheesecake is very cold.

Top with a fruit filling, chocolate ganache, caramel, or flavor addition of choice, & a sweetened vanilla whipped cream.

To cut cleanly, warm a knife in hot water & wipe dry between every cut. Presentation is important!

*A water bath is not required to bake a Cheesecake. But it can aid its texture & helps prevent over baking or uneven baking. To give it a try, cover the entire outside & bottom of your spring form pan in doubled tin foil (to keep the water out). Then place it in a large roasting pan & fill with Hot water half as tall as your Cheesecake pan. Bake as directed increasing bake time by 10 – 20 min.

Strawberry Filling/Topping

Recipe courtesy of Khara Westergard

Ingredients

• 1 – 16 oz. Package of strawberries (tops off)
• 1 1/2 T. Cornstarch
• 3/4 C. & 2 Tbsp. Sugar (7 oz.)
• 2 T. Fresh Lemon Juice

Directions

Process strawberries very lightly in a blender so they are still chunky, but broken down. Or, slice them up. Processed will have a slightly thicker end result. Sliced will be a bit saucier. (Texture optional)

Combine sugar & cornstarch until cornstarch is well incorporated. Add to a sauce pan with the lemon juice & berries. Mix well before cooking. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat & cool completely. Pour into a glass 9×13 pan, cover with plastic food wrap, & put it in the freezer for quick cooling.

All batches of strawberries are different. Sugar balances & natural pectin vary. If too tart, add sugar (try 2 more Tbsp to start). If too sweet, add more FRESH lemon juice (not bottled). Once balances are pleasing, check consistency. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit of water at a time. If too runny, reduce by warming again on stove top.