Cherries in the Snow
Jun 23, 2025
A fresh, seasonal twist on a nostalgic family favorite. This version of Cherries in the Snow ditches artificial ingredients in favor of vibrant summer cherries, homemade angel food cake, and a rich yet airy cream cheese mousse. Perfect for the 4th of July—or any time you want to celebrate with something sweet, light, and made from scratch.
Angel Food Cake
Ingredients:
8 egg whites (240 g)
1 cup + 2 tbsp (250 g) granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped or vanilla paste
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) salt
1/2 cup (110 g) melted butter
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment (do not grease).
In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, whip the egg whites with sugar and vanilla bean seeds on medium speed until stiff peaks form.
Sift flour and salt over the meringue and fold in gently until mostly incorporated.
In a separate bowl, mix a small amount of the meringue into the melted butter to lighten it. Fold the butter mixture back into the batter until fully homogenous.
Spread evenly into the sheet pan and bake until golden and a toothpick comes out clean, about 25–30 minutes.
Cool completely before cubing.
Spiced Cherry Compote
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb (681 g) fresh cherries, pitted
1 cup (170 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (30 g) kirschwasser or other cherry brandy (or omit for alcohol-free)
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla paste
1/2 teaspoon (1 g) ground black cardamom (You can use green cardamom too but I love the earthy richness the black cardamom adds to the cherries and vanilla)
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons (22 g) cold water
Instructions:
In a heavy saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, kirschwasser, orange zest and juice, vanilla paste, cardamom, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the cherries are soft, about 10–12 minutes.
In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cold water and stir into the compote.
Bring the mixture back to a boil, stirring, until thickened slightly.
Cool completely before layering.
Cream Cheese Mousse
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (12 oz / 340 g) cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups (12 oz / 340 g) heavy cream
3/4 cup (177 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (15 g) vanilla paste
Pinch of salt
Instructions:
It may feel a little tedious, but you need to make sure you scrape the bowl often and add the cream gradually. Whenever you are mixing a more liquid item into a denser item, it needs to gradually thin out the denser item or you will be left with lumpy whipped cream. The bottom and side portions of the bowl are notorious for hiding those pieces of cream cheese that didn't get thinned out by the cream. The more liquid you add, the harder it will get to get a consistent texture.
In a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth and fluffy. Scrape the bowl and mix again just to make sure everything is mixed.
Scrape the bowl again and add about 1/3 of the cream to the cream cheese. Paddle on medium low until fully combined. Scrape the bowl again and slowly stream in another 1/3 of the cream. Paddle until incorporated and scrape again. Paddle and stream in remaining cream. Once incorporated, bump the speed up to medium and keep an eye on it. The mixture will start to get fluffy and soft like whipped cream. Once you have a softly whipped cream, you're ready to assemble.
Assembly
Cut cooled angel food cake into bite-sized cubes.
Layer in a trifle bowl (or individual glasses): start with half the cake cubes, followed by half the cherry compote, then half the cream cheese mousse. The cherry compote can just be dolloped around the cake cubes and doesn't need to cover every inch. Repeat the layer and finish with mousse and a spoonful of compote on top.
Chill for at least 2 hours before serving for best texture.
Hey there! Just a heads-up—this recipe includes some affiliate links. That means if you buy something through one of my links, I might earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). I only recommend products I truly love and use myself. Your support helps me keep creating delicious recipes and sharing them with you. Thanks so much!
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