Strawberry cake with jello is a delicious Southern layer cake that is easy to make. Based on a Paula Deen recipe, this strawberry cake with cake mix includes jello and strawberry puree to flavor the cake. By balancing out the sweetness with a bit of buttermilk, this cake has the perfect amount of sweetness and flavor, the cream cheese frosting adding the perfect touch of extra sweetness. Be sure to continue reading to learn how to make this classic Southern layer cake.
Paula Deen Strawberry Cake Recipe
As previously stated, my strawberry cake recipe is based on a Paula Deen recipe. The original recipe calls for doctoring a box of white cake mix by adding strawberry jello, pureed frozen strawberries, and a bit of water. The cake is then frosted with a classic cream cheese frosting. Although the original Paula Deen recipe is delicious, I wanted to improve the recipe. At first, I tried adding more strawberry puree. Even though the cake was very moist, it was too sweet when combined with the cream cheese frosting.
Since I wanted to cut down on the sweetness yet retain the flavor, I decided to replace some of the strawberry puree with buttermilk, and then add a teaspoon of strawberry extract. By replacing some of the strawberry puree with buttermilk and adding a teaspoon of strawberry extract, I was able to reduce the sweetness of the cake while still maintaining the strong strawberry flavor. In addition, by reducing the cake’s sweetness, the cream cheese frosting no longer made the strawberry cake with jello sickeningly sweet. It was now perfect.
If you are looking for an easy cake recipe, be sure to try this strawberry cake recipe. The strawberry puree and buttermilk, along with the strawberry gelatin, ensure that the cake is soft, fluffy, and moist. It is also a beautiful pink, the color of the cake and the color of the frosting contrasting nicely. Although my recipe calls for frozen strawberries, feel free to use fresh strawberries if they are in season. However, using frozen strawberries allows you to make this recipe for the holidays or at any other time of the year. Also, if you have never added a box of instant jello to a box of cake mix, you will be surprised by how the jello adds flavor and color to the cake. In fact, adding instant gelatin to cake mix is a good way to create new flavors. This technique is the basis for Southern key lime cake. At some point in the future I would like to try a chocolate strawberry version of this cake, too. By adding jello to white cake mix, the flavor possibilities are endless.
This homemade strawberry cake with jello recipe requires just a few ingredients, so even if you are a beginner cook, you can make a delicious, traditional Southern layer cake.
Strawberry Cake with Jello Recipe
Strawberry Cake with Jello
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 oz box white cake mix
- 1 3 oz box of instant strawberry jello
- 3/4 cup puree strawberries, made from a little less than 8 oz (1/2 pound) of frozen strawberries
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon strawberry extract
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
Instructions
- 1. Puree strawberries
- 2. Mix ingredients in a large boil
- 3. Beat for 2-3 minutes
- 4. Bake at 325 F for 25-35 minutes.
- 5. Once the the cake layers are cool, remove from pans and cover with cream cheese frosting
YouTube Video
Be sure to watch my video recipe:
Links
Original Paula Deen Recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/simply-delicious-strawberry-cake-recipe-2012034
