Angel Pineapple Lush Parfaits
My mom has been making this 4-ingredient, no-bake dessert for about 30 years.
It never gets old, it tastes like summer, it’s ridiculously easy, you don’t need a mixer, and you don’t have to turn your oven on. Big scores.
It’s the kind of dessert that you can keep eating and eating because it’s fluffy, light, airy, and refreshing. Which is both a good thing and a bad thing.
Rather than make it the traditional way which involves slicing an angel food cake into thirds, and layering with the lush-scious filling, I chopped the cake into pieces and assembled the dessert in parfait glasses. Or use a large trifle bowl.
Simply stir together a box of instant vanilla pudding with a large can of crushed pineapple, stir in whipped topping, add the cake pieces, add to glasses, and top with fresh berries. If you don’t use pudding mix or whipped topping, I can’t comment on how to make this dessert.
It’s for those of us who love our (no)baking shortcuts.

Angel Pineapple Lush Parfaits
This is a 4-ingredient, no-bake dessert that’s ridiculously easy, you don’t need a mixer, and you don’t have to turn your oven on. It’s fluffy, light, airy, and refreshing. Use parfait glasses or a large trifle bowl depending on what you have.
Ingredients:
- one 20-ounce can crushed pineapple with juice, undrained
- one 3.4-ounce package vanilla instant pudding (I haven’t tried with sugar-free)
- one cup thawed whipped topping (I used fat-free Cool Whip)
- one 13-ounce angel food cake (from the grocery store bakery or make your own), diced into 1-inch cubes
- fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc. for garnishing; optional
Directions:
- To a large bowl, add the pineapple with juice, pudding mix, and stir to combine until smooth.
- Fold in the whipped topping.
- Add the cake cubes and stir to incorporate and coat evenly.
- Evenly divide mixture among parfait glasses or a large trifle bowl, refrigerate for about 1 hour, optionally garnish with fruit, and serve. Lush will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 3 days, noting it becomes softer as time passes.
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This is new to me but it sounds like it’s been around for a while (a midwest classic?). Easy indeed but it sounds delicious too!
Total midwest special! Reminds me of every church function, potluck, picnic, graduation party, etc. that was held in the summer!
Whhhaaat! These are awesome! I love that they are in parfait form!
This is so MN/WI. It’s like my childhood in a parfait glass :)
Crushed pineapple + pudding – that’s a game changer for sure!!! Love easy desserts like these!
I have a feeling you would love this dessert! And it’s no-bake!
Came over from Instagram to see the ingredients, and wow, so easy! Love pineapple.
Thanks for clicking over! Have a great day!
This sounds really delicious. Ever consider an adult version of this by soaking the angel food cake in rum? Maybe coconut flavored rum, even? I know I am going to try. I enjoy your blog.
Sounds delish! I would drain off most of the pineapple juice and replace with the same amount of rum. If you soak the cake I fear it will just disintegrate.