Strawberry cake is a perfect dessert for Mother’s Day.

If ever there was a perfect time to make a pink, strawberry cake, it’s Mother’s Day. Or a little girl’s fourth birthday, which also just so happens to be this week for our household.

Our daughter is a fan of anything pink or purple. So much so, that when you ask what ice cream flavor she wants, the response is always, ‘pink or purple.’

Strawberry? Raspberry? Cherry? Grape? She doesn’t care, as long as it’s a pleasing color.

Sometimes I wonder how much easier life would be if we were as easy to please as a 4-year-old ordering an ice cream cone. Maybe if we wore rain boots simply because we like them and not just because it’s raining.

What a simple life toddlers lead.

They have their moments, as do all of us. Then they take their nap, have a snack, and everything is well again.

Perhaps more of us need nap time back in our lives.

Before I get too far away from this recipe, maybe we need some strawberry cake in our lives, or to make it for someone else.

Back to toddlers: for one moment, has anyone else ever noticed how kids always make things for other people when they play in their play kitchens, with the sand, mud or play-doh?

There’s something to be learned here.

Giving brings joy.

Just today my kids made some, ‘dandelion soup,’ in our backyard. You know the one, you have the recipe archived somewhere within the childhood files of your brain.

They were just so happy to share what they had made with me, whether I would actually eat it or not.

Take a lesson here, fellow grown-ups, and consider applying it to your own life if need be.

Think of the last time that you received an unexpected loving note in the mail, or a fresh baked treat. How would it make you feel if someone surprised you with a bunch of flowers, either for Mother’s Day or no reason at all?

Think of the things that would bless you, and then do them for other people.

What’s the kindest thing someone has ever done for you? Are you able to do that for someone else? Then do it. Even if they never find out who it was.

So if you’re looking for something nice to do for someone, maybe you could make them this cake. If you’re looking for something even better, maybe you could make this cake, and then share it with them while sharing conversation and spending time together.

Your mom would absolutely love that, by the way. Unless she doesn’t like strawberries, then you may want to consider some flowers, or a different flavored cake.

As always, thanks for reading, and Happy Mother’s Day to all you fellow moms out there from hbk! Thank you for bringing life into this world, and for all you do!

Strawberry Cake

INGREDIENTS

3 large eggs

1 C. water

§ C. vegetable oil

1 box strawberry cake mix

1 box strawberry jello mix

§ C. finely chopped strawberries

Frosting – cool whip or whipped cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and prepare cake pan(s). This recipe will make 1 – 9×13 cake pan, 2 – 8 inch round layer cakes, or 4 – 6 inch round layer cakes.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, water and oil together.

3. Add in cake mix, and mix until well incorporated, then add jello mix, and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.

4. Fold in strawberries, scraping the sides of the bowl.

5. Bake! 45-50 minutes for 9×13 pan, 30-35 minutes for 8 inch, and 20 minutes for 6 inch pan.

6. Allow to cool, then frost with cool whip or fresh whipped cream. (Whip together 2 C. heavy cream, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1/2 – 1 C. powdered sugar for about 5 minutes on medium speed, or until soft peaks are formed.) Enjoy!

Katy Wise is a Fredonia resident.