Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake

For our first recipe, I wanted it to be special. I narrowed it down between a classic strawberry cake recipe and a chocolate cream cheese cake. The strawberry cake won by a landslide, and the five-year-old in me was excited.

This recipe was featured in The Oklahoman in the Melba’s Swap Shop column, but I’m not sure when it was originally printed. On this clipping, The Oklahoman printed several suggestions from readers across the state. I decided to stick with the original recipe this time around.

I had most of the ingredients in my pantry, but I picked up a box of white cake and five 3-ounce boxes of strawberry gelatin. I decided to make a sheet cake because I was short on time, and the recipe was easy to follow. Sometimes a simple, classic recipe like this one is just the ticket when you are in a rush.

What I loved most about this recipe is it shatters the notion that everything must be made from scratch for it to be delicious. Our parents/grandparents often took box cakes, modified it and made it tasty.

Here is the original recipe:
Dear Melba:
No doubt, this is the strawberry cake recipe Mary B., of Illinois, wants. It’s colorful, rich and delicious.

Strawberry Cake
1 box white cake mix
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. water
4 eggs
1/2 c. thawed strawberries
1 (13 ox.) pkg. strawberry gelatin (dry)

Mix all ingredients except eggs. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Bake in three greased and floured cake pans or one oblong pan for 30 min. at 350 deg.

Icing
1/2 c. strawberries, thawed
1 cube butter
1 lb. powdered sugar

Beat thoroughly and ice cake while it’s hot.

The final verdict: The strawberry cake was pretty and rich, and made me think of warm summer days. It’s a perfect recipe when you want to make a homemade dessert but don’t have a lot of time.

Your Friend,

Laci