A Recipe To Stay In For: Easy strawberry shortcake flag cake

Quick, easy and tasty! The three words a chef loves to hear. Try this week’s recipe to stay in for the next time you need a cake, a treat or a celebration. This has been a family favorite in my house for years and honoring veterans everywhere, you can garnish the top of this cake with strawberries and blueberries in the shape of a flag. The entire recipe takes about 20-25 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.

What you will need:

• 1 box of vanilla cake mix (Betty Crocker recommended)
• 1 package of instant Strawberry Jell-O
• 1-2 containers of CoolWhip
• 1 pound of fresh strawberries (be sure to wash them)
• 1 pound of blueberries (optional)

Begin by following the directions on the back of the vanilla cake mix box and combine all the ingredients. Cook the cake until it’s firm, according to your oven’s compatible time with the directions. Once the cake is cooked, let it cool for about five minutes.

Prepare the strawberry Jell-O mixture by heating the water to a boil and adding the Jell-O packet while stirring constantly. Once the entire mixture has dissolved into the water, let the mixture cool in the refrigerator for no more than two minutes. DO NOT LET THE JELL-O HARDEN.

After the cake mix has cooled down for five minutes, stab the top of the cake all over thoroughly with a fork, chopping up the top layer well. Pour the strawberry Jell-O mixture over the top of the cake, making sure to cover the entire cake. Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator.

After the cake has cooled, add the CoolWhip to the top half of the cake, covering it completely. (Note: You may need two containers of CoolWhip, depending on the size of dish/cake you have)

Garnish the top of the cake with fresh cut strawberries (and blueberries, if desired) in any design you wish. Cool the cake until you are ready to serve.

In honor of Veterans Day (or any other patriotic holiday) surprise one of our nations heroes with a flag cake they are sure to enjoy. To all our veterans out there – thank you.

Food For Thought is a NEast restaurant review column written by Donna Ward that runs every other Thursday on NEastPhilly.com. See all of Donna’s reviews here. Read other NEastPhilly columns here.