Strawberry Shortcake Trifle

Happy Easter! Truth be told: I'm not at all religious, nor is my family, so Easter for us is just a huge family dinner. Any excuse to enjoy a nice meal and dessert is fine by us!

As far back as I can remember, trifle has always been a staple dessert in our family. My mom is from England and my Nana would always make up different variations (including lots of Brandy). It was always so damn good and rich with flavor.

One year I was looking for something to make my dad for his birthday, and he absolutely loves strawberry shortcake. This is what I came across. Enjoy!

For best results, make this the day of the event or else it gets soggy.

You'll need:

2  (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 2 cups powdered sugar 1  (8 ounce) container sour cream 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1 cup Cool Whip, thawed in the fridge 4 tablespoons sugar 1 angel food cake, torn into bite-size pieces 2 quarts fresh strawberries, thinly sliced

- In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar until fluffy; add sour cream, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and the almond extract; set aside. - Fold the cool whip into the cream cheese mixture. - Gently stir in cake pieces; set aside.

- Combine strawberries and sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved. - Layer in a large glass bowl, starting with 1/4 of the strawberries, then adding 1/3 of the cake mixture. - Continue layering; finish with strawberries on top. - Cover and chill for several hours.