Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

1 lb fresh strawberries (1 carton)
10 vanilla cupcakes
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 small tub whipped cream
1/2 bag frozen strawberries
2 TBSP sugar

Cream cheese mixture:
Allow cream cheese to warm to room temperature. Mix with mixer until smooth, then add 1/4 cup sugar. Whip until smooth. Fold in whipped cream and do not overbeat.

Strawberry syrup:
Defrost 1/2 bag of frozen strawberries (can be done with fresh, if you have them) and mash. Add 2 TBSP sugar and stir until combined. Mixture should be thin with chunks.

Break cupcakes into bite-sized pieces, and slice fresh strawberries.

Now assemble!

Start with half of cupcake pieces. Place in bottom of glass bowl. Cover with half of fresh strawberries. Pour half of syrup over strawberries. Add half of cream cheese mixture to top of strawberries. Repeat, saving a few strawberries for the top.

Chill for 2-3 hours. Serves 6+.

Comments from the cook: I made this last night to share with friends, and it was a hit! The cupcakes were left over from another activity (made with applesauce instead of oil), and were starting to lose a bit of their freshness...but even cake headed downhill will make a good trifle! My mom uses bakery-style muffins - usually the cream cheese crumbly or poppy seed ones - broken up in her trifle recipe, and some people even prefer to use pound cake.

I used low fat cream cheese and whipped cream, and the results were still fantastic. This dessert is good the first day, and even better the next!

A CookieSheets&CakePans original!