1. About 30 minutes before assembling, prep fruit and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle sugar over the fruit and toss to coat (amount will depend on sweetness of your fruit. Add more sugar for tart fruit, less for sweet fruit.) Let fruit macerate, stirring every so often to help release the natural juices.
2. Once the fruit has created a good amount of “sauce,” it’s time to assemble the trifle.
3. For the trifle in the photos, I just alternated a couple of large spoonfuls of each around the trifle dish–cake, fruit, whipped cream–until I reached the top. However, most people choose to layer, but you can choose whichever option you’d like. Instructions for layering below.
4. In a trifle bowl or large glass bowl, place about 1/2 of the cake cubes at the bottom of the dish.
5. Top the cake cubes with about 1/2 of the fruit. You’ll want to use a large non-slotted spoon to capture as much as the sauce along with the fruit to pour over the cake. The cake will soak in the juices and capture more of the flavor.
6. Top the fruit with 1/2 the whipped cream, continuing to repeat the process one more time. You may not need to use all of the cake.
7. Decorate the top with reserved fruit. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
8. Trifle is best when made several hours ahead of time to give the cake time to soften and allow the flavors to meld. Serves about 8-10.

Pound Cake:

1. If making homemade, the cake needs to be made several hours ahead of time, up to a day or two prior to assembling the trifle. It must cool thoroughly before using!
2. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan or line with parchment paper.
3. In a small bowl, combine milk of choice with vinegar and set aside to sour.
4. In a medium bowl, blend together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
5. In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter together with sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract. With the mixer on low, add some of the flour mixture alternately with some of the milk, beating until incorporated. Continue alternating flour and milk until everything is mixed together and the batter is smooth.
6. Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or just until center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly dry. Time may vary depending on your pan and true oven temperature.
7. Allow cake to cool thoroughly before slicing and layering in trifle. A hot cake will melt the whipped cream.