Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

Welcome to Ms. Nicolette's Pantry! So happy to have you here and in the kitchen with your kiddo adding something new to your lifestyle.

I have hand-picked recipes and activities that are easy for you to create at home with the help of your children. Based on their age you can decide which tasks they can help with, and which ones they should let an adult do. Make this a learning experience for you both - let your child explore the baking/cooking process and explain each item, ingredient, and step to them, and watch how your child interacts!

This month I have chosen a trifle with homemade pound cake, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream! If you so choose, you can also buy a pound cake pre-made from the store to make this recipe even easier to do!

Tools Needed:

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Liquid measuring cup

• Large bowl

• Medium bowl

• Spatula

• Whisk

• 9" x 5" loaf pan

• Stand mixer or hand-held mixer

• Trifle dish or similar

Ingredients Needed:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1 container of Cool-Whip or other stabilized whipped cream

• Fresh strawberries, diced into bite-sized pieces

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9" x 5" loaf pan with cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Tip: this is a good step for little ones to do!

3. In stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, or with hand-held mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high for 3 minutes, until pale and creamy.

4. Turn the mixer to medium-low and add one egg at a time until combined. Add the vanilla extract. Tip: crack eggs in a separate container to avoid any eggshells!

5. Turn the mixer to low. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Mix in 1/2 the milk. Repeat, alternating the remaining flour and milk until just combined and the batter is smooth, being careful not to overmix.

6. Bake 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, loosely tent with foil to prevent over-browning. Bake 10 to 12 minutes more, or until the cake is domed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

7. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before turning out onto the rack to cool completely.

8. Slice cake into 1 inch slices and then cube. Tip: purchase a child-safe knife from Amazon to kiddos can hep with this part!

9. Add half of the cake cubes to the bottom of the trifle dish. Layer half the chopped strawberries to the top of the cake cubes. Spread half of the whipped cream over the fruit. Repeat another layer with remaining ingredients.

10. Enjoy!

Notes:

• Do not use frozen strawberries for this recipe - they will be too soggy in the finished dish.

• Macerate the strawberries if desired- toss them with a little sugar and let them sit for 20-30 minutes to make them extra sweet and juicy.

• Chill until serving - especially during this Texas heat! Store your trifle in the fridge until serving to keep your sweet treat fresh.

• If needed or desired, you can use any other berry for this recipe! Blackberries, blueberries, or raspberries will work just fine in place of the strawberries.

• Make sure kiddos are washing hands after handling raw ingredients such as flour or eggs.

• HAVE FUN!