Strawberry Cake

(This recipe was originally posted in conjunction with the Meijer Ad Week of 2/12/12 - 2/18/12)

 

 

I love to make dessert, and this moist strawberry cake always gets rave reviews.  I've even had guests ask for seconds of this!

Ingredients:

1 package strawberry or yellow cake mix (double layer size)
1/2 of a 3 oz package of strawberry jello
Frosting:
1 - 3 oz package of strawberry jello
8 oz container Cool Whip, thawed
1 cup of cut and mashed fresh strawberries

Directions:

Cake:  Bake cake according to directions on package, using water, eggs, and oil as specified.  Cool.  Poke lots of holes in the top with a fork.  Dissolve the half package of jello in 1/2 cup VERY hot water.  Add 1/2 cup cold water to the mixture and stir.  Pour slowly over top of cake. 
Frosting:  Mix whole 3 oz package of jello with 1/2 cup boiling water and strawberries.  Let gel in refrigerator (or if you're in a hurry, freezer!), then beat with Cool Whip.  Frost cake with mixture. 
Store frosted cake in refrigerator.

Options and Tips

• Start working on the frosting while the cake is baking.  Or you can even make the frosting a day ahead and just keep it in the refrigerator.
• The jello/strawberry part of the frosting is very concentrated, so it takes quite a bit of stirring to get the jello dissolved.  While I'm waiting for it to gel, I keep pulling it out of the fridge and stirring it (about every 15 minutes or so) because otherwise I get a nasty leathery piece on the bottom of the bowl (because the jello has settled).
• Don't throw away that leftover half package of jello!  Save it for the next time you make this cake...because I guarantee you won't make it just once :)

Mindy Bleyenberg shared this recipe with me many years ago.  She might not even remember giving me this recipe (or the reason she made the cake for me!), but I have made it MANY times since then!