Description
Cherries in the Snow is a delightful no-bake dessert featuring layers of airy angel food cake, creamy sweetened cream cheese mixture, and luscious cherry pie filling. This refreshing treat is perfect for gatherings and offers a beautiful blend of textures and flavors with minimal prep and chill time.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Layer
- 14 ounces pre-made angel food cake
Cream Cheese Layer
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (1 block)
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 ounces frozen whipped topping, thawed (Cool Whip works great)
Topping
- 42 ounces cherry pie filling (2 cans, 21 ounces each)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake: Tear or cut the angel food cake into bite-size pieces and arrange them evenly across the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Make the Cream Layer: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and confectioner’s sugar together until smooth and creamy. Pour in the milk and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined and silky. Gently fold in the thawed whipped topping until light and fluffy, ensuring the mixture is thick but spreadable.
- Assemble the Layers: Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the angel food cake layer, making sure to cover all the pieces. Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly over the cream layer, spreading gently to avoid mixing the layers.
- Chill and Serve: Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight before serving to allow the dessert to set and prevent the cake from becoming soggy. Optionally, you can mix the angel food cake into the cream cheese mixture for immediate serving, but layering maintains the cake's texture better.
Notes
- Using pre-made angel food cake saves preparation time and adds a light texture.
- Ensure the cream cheese is softened to avoid lumps and get a smooth cream layer.
- Thaw whipped topping completely for easier folding into the cream cheese mixture.
- Refrigerating for at least 2 hours improves flavor melding and texture.
- For quicker serving, mixing cake with cream cheese layer is an option but may result in softer cake texture.
- This dessert is best served chilled and within 24 hours for optimal freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
