Mixed berries, white chocolate pudding, and fresh whipped cream all sandwiched between a scratch vanilla cake!

Sorry! This image is a little on the blah side-- had to hurry and snap this before it got devoured.

Not a lot can wrong when you're working with fresh berries, fresh whipped cream, pudding, and a scratch vanilla cake. This is a timeless combination that people have been putting their own creative spin on for decades. Traditionally, Kara, makes this in trifle form, in a trifle dish, with cubed pound cake instead of the scratch vanilla cake I've used here (I can't wait for her to do a post on her trifle-- she's KNOWN for her trifles). I decided to take the ingredients she uses in her trifle, but make it into a layer cake. AND. Assemble it all atop one of my favorite cake stands of the moment! I've really been having a fun go with the layer cakes lately. A layer cake is so charming, don't ya think? Here's the simple play-by-play:

Make this vanilla cake, following the recipe to a T. It's the same one from the Dreamy Cake post. I'm totally hooked on it right now.

For the pudding:

1 small box JELL-O white chocolate pudding

1 cup cold half&half

1 cup cold milk

For the whipped cream:

2-3 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups whipping cream

For the berry mixture:

4-5 tablespoons sugar

2 small containers fresh blueberries, rinsed and sorted

2 small containers fresh raspberries, rinsed and sorted

16 oz fresh strawberries, rinsed and cut into small pieces.

Place all your berries into a medium sized bowl, pour in 4-5 tablespoons sugar. Mix and set aside. In another bowl pour the contents of the white chocolate pudding packet and 1 cup cold half & half and 1 cup cold milk. With a hand mixer, mix on high for two minutes. Set aside. In another bowl pour 2 cups whipping cream, 2 -3 tablespoons sugar, and the 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Whip on high until soft peaks form. Please, pretty please, don't over whip the cream. Now you've got all your components ready to assemble the cake!

When cake is completely cooled, place one of the layers on your intended serving vessel (CAKE STAND! CAKE STAND!). Using a measuring cup, scoop a heaping cup of berries onto the first layer. Smooth and distribute berry mixture all across the surface of the cake. Take the pudding and scoop a generous amount over the berries and smooth it around (use your judgement here as to how much you'd like to use). Don't worry if some slides off the side, it'll just look that much more appetizing when done. Now take your 2nd layer of cake and place it atop pudding layer. Smooth remaining pudding on top of this layer of cake. On top of the pudding, scoop and place berry mixture. Finish the cake off by smoothing fresh whipped cream onto berries. Smooth whipped cream around to your liking. Serve right then or cover and refrigerate. Will keep in your fridge for 3-4 days. Note: Feel free to add more sugar to the whipping cream or the berries. Taste things as you go to make sure the sweetness is right. Also, if you have berries left over, you can always serve them on the side. Have fun!

It took every ounce of self control not to cut into this until after dinner.

Lastly, make this for when you're having company over. When they walk in and see your layered creation, they'll think you're a domestic goddess (promise) and most importantly, they'll feel all warm and flittery inside that you took the time to make this dessert for them. Everybody wins!

images by Briana