“The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”
~Julia Child~

While I am working on cleaning up my diet, there are a few occasions that make me pause and just throw caution to the wind.  Like when it’s a loved one’s birthday.

I found myself in the position of needing to make a birthday cake, and when I asked the recipient what kind he wanted, I was told to make a strawberry cake.  The birthday boy loves this cake so much, however, he wants it reserved only for special occasions.  I grant you permission to make it any time.  Just be sure to invite me over for a piece.

Life is short, eat dessert first.

I am not sure where this recipe for Easy Strawberry Cake originated.  It has been in my family for quite some time.  I guess it doesn’t really matter where I got it because it is so delicious and it is easy to make.

I know that it is not as impressive as a beautifully decorated layered cake, but therein is part of the reason that it is so easy.  Just bake the cake in a 9×13 pan, allow it to cool, and then frost it with the luscious strawberry cream cheese icing.  Yum!  Remember, in the long run, it is the taste that wins out.

If presentation is a concern, you could drizzle a little chocolate sauce on the bottom of a plate, place a piece of cake on top, and have a few strawberries on the plate for garnish  – voilà!

Enough talking – – time for me to share the recipe with you:

Easy Strawberry Cake

Yield: 16 slices

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 33 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 38 minutes

Print

Ingredients

• 1 box white cake mix
• 2/3 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 3 oz. package strawberry gelatin
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 10 oz. package frozen strawberries, divided

Icing

• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese
• 4 Tbsp. butter, softened
• 1 box, 16 oz. powdered sugar
• 2 ounces reserved strawberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix cake mix, oil, eggs, gelatin and water well. Reserve 2 Tbsp. strawberries for the icing. Add remaining strawberries to the cake mixture. Pour into a 9x13 pan that has been prepared. (Lightly grease the pan with shortening and dust with flour.)
3. Bake for approximately 33 minutes or until done. Allow to cool completely
4. For the icing combine cream cheese, butter, reserved strawberries, and powdered sugar. Blend well. Spread on cooled cake. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Store cake in refrigerator.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 slice
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 313 Total Fat: 19g Saturated Fat: 6g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 12g Cholesterol: 69mg Sodium: 102mg Carbohydrates: 34g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 31g Protein: 3g

Nutrition information is an approximation.

What kind of cake do you like for your birthday?