Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake Trifle
These mini pineapple upside-down cheesecake trifles are one of my favorite things to serve in the spring and summer! They are filled with layers of cream cheese filling, pineapple, angel food cake, and topped with toasted coconut. This is the perfect dessert to serve for every occasion. it is definitely one of my favorite no-bake desserts.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake Trifle
If you are looking for an easy dessert that looks absolutely stunning, then look no further than this pineapple upside-down cheesecake trifle. You can’t help but fall in love with the creamy layers of cheesecake filling, the caramelized pineapple, and the light and airy angel food cake all topped with a dollop of cool whip and toasted coconut. This dessert will make you think you are on the beach soaking up the sun!
It is the perfect dessert to serve at baby showers, BBQs, or when you just feel like making something incredibly delicious to enjoy.
For more summer desserts you will want to grab our lemon bar recipe and our lemon blueberry pound cake.
How to Make Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake Trifles
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk pudding mix with 1 cup of milk for 2 minutes. Chill 5 minutes.
- In a separate large bowl, beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add pudding to the cream cheese mixture and beat to combine.
- . Using a silicone spatula, gently fold in 1 tub of cool whip and ¾ cup of the toasted coconut, keeping as much air as possible in the mixture. Cover and refrigerate.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add brown sugar and bring to a boil. Add drained pineapple, stirring gently. Mix cornstarch with reserved pineapple juice and add to simmering sugar mixture. Bring back to a boil and cook until the mixture thickens. This mixture will continue to thicken as it cools. Pour into a bowl and let cool for at least 10 minutes. Place in the fridge or freezer to speed up cooling, if needed.
- In a clear, deep sided dish; layer cake cubes, pineapple mixture, and cream cheese mixture, repeating layers to the top of the dish. Garnish the top with pineapple, toasted coconut, and maraschino cherries. This dessert can be eaten right away but will benefit from at least an hour of chill time.
Tips Tricks and FAQs
- While I prefer making these in individual mason jars you can make it in a large trifle dish. If you opt to make it this way, you will want to cut your pieces of cake into 1-inch squares. It is possible that you will need 1 ½ to two cakes for a large trifle dish.
- Add toasted coconut to the top for a nice crunchy texture. If you prefer you can omit the coconut.
- Add the leftover cool whip to the top. I love to pipe it onto the top.
- You can use fresh pineapple instead of canned if you prefer. If you choose to do this, you will need to use 3 Tablespoons of water to mix with cornstarch to make a slurry to help thicken the sauce.
- Get creative with the containers you serve it in! You can use mason jars, short drinking glasses, clear bowls, or even martini glasses.
Storage
You will want to store your leftover pineapple upside-down cheesecake trifle in the fridge, covered. This will last up to 3 days.
Thanks to the boxed pudding mix will help hold the shape of the whipped cream mixture but over time the cake will begin to get soggy and the dessert will start to be liquidy.
Yes, you can make the pineapple mixture and the cream mixture up to 1 day in advance. I do not recommend assembling your whole trifle until right before serving.
Yes! You can toast sweetened coconut in the microwave. Place it in a microwaveable safe baking dish for 3 minutes. You will want to stir it every 30 seconds.
Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake Trifle
These mini pineapple upside-down cheesecake trifles are one of my favorite things to serve in the spring and summer! They are filled with layers of cream cheese filling, pineapple, angel food cake, and topped with toasted coconut. This is the perfect dessert to serve for every occasion.
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese (1 block), softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3.3 oz package white chocolate instant pudding
- 1 cup milk
- 8oz tub cool whip
- 1 cup sweetened toasted coconut flakes, divided
- 2- 20 oz can pineapple tidbits in juice, drained
- 3 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 angel food cake, cut into ¼” cubes
- Maraschino cherries for garnish
- Pineapple rings, tidbits, or fresh sliced pineapple for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk pudding mix with 1 cup of milk for 2 minutes. Chill 5 minutes.
- In a separate large bowl, beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add pudding to the cream cheese mixture and beat to combine. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold in 1 tub of cool whip and ¾ cup of the toasted coconut, keeping as much air as possible in the mixture. Cover and refrigerate.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add brown sugar and bring to a boil. Add drained pineapple, stirring gently. Mix cornstarch with reserved pineapple juice and add to simmering sugar mixture. Bring back to a boil and cook until the mixture thickens. This mixture will continue to thicken as it cools. Pour into a bowl and let cool for at least 10 minutes. Place in the fridge or freezer to speed up cooling, if needed.
- In a clear, deep sided dish; layer cake cubes, pineapple mixture, and cream cheese mixture, repeating layers to the top of the dish. Garnish the top with pineapple, toasted coconut, and maraschino cherries. This dessert can be eaten right away but will benefit from at least an hour of chill time.
Notes
Depending on your size jar, you should have enough to make 8-10 jars
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 644Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 23gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 323mgCarbohydrates: 85gFiber: 4gSugar: 69gProtein: 6g
I’m Melissa, the imaginative force behind Sparkles to Sprinkles, where creativity comes to life, and sprinkles of joy are scattered generously. Melissa is a proud Jersey girl who found love with a New York boy. As a mom to four wonderful boys and a few fur babies, her journey into the world of blogging began after making the life-changing decision to stay home and raise her children. Previously a dedicated workaholic, Melissa’s blog became her creative outlet and passion project. Inspired by her mother-in-law, a masterful cook renowned for her delicious home-cooked meals and legendary holiday feasts (think mouthwatering sausage stuffing), Melissa honed her culinary skills through a combination of family recipes and countless cooking classes. She often attended these classes with her son Michael, who shared her enthusiasm for cooking from a young age. Melissa’s love for learning extends beyond familiar cuisines, as she enjoys exploring international recipes in hands-on cooking classes. Her blog features a diverse array of recipes, showcasing her expertise with various kitchen appliances such as the Instant Pot, air fryer, Slow Cooker, Ninja Foodi, Instant Vortex Plus, and more. Join Melissa on her culinary adventures as she shares tried-and-true family favorites alongside exciting new discoveries!
