My Mom’s 60-Year-Old Strawberry Cake Recipe Is So Good, My Daughter Has It Framed In Her Kitchen

"Goodbyes are not forever. Goodbyes are not the end. They simply mean I’ll miss you until we meet again."

This was just one of the many handwritten notes my mother left for us after she passed. On scraps of paper and in her distinct cursive, her messages ranged from sentimental to practical. We also found a box filled with greeting cards she had received for her birthday, Mother’s Day, and Christmas. Right below the signature of the card giver, she had written a sweet note back to the original giver. 

MeeMee, as she was known to her children and grandchildren, had a knack for making everyone feel special, and the “love notes” were only one example. Baking was another. Baking for others gave her such joy. And family members were often on the receiving end of that joy.

For every family birthday, tradition dictated that MeeMee would bake the celebrant’s favorite cake. That either meant her chocolate sheet cake or her strawberry cake, both legendary among the family. I belonged in the strawberry cake camp. As far back as I can remember, my mom made me a strawberry cake on my special day. When my twin sister and I were young and celebrated together, she made us two cakes in heart-shaped pans because our birthday falls two days after Valentine’s Day.

Decades later, my daughter, Sarah, spent an afternoon with MeeMee learning how to make the cake. Of course, there was much more gained than a new recipe. Sarah will forever cherish those memories created that day. In fact, a handwritten copy of MeeMee’s Strawberry Cake and a photo from that day hang in my daughter’s kitchen. And now, Sarah happily carries on the tradition of making the cake for family celebrations.

The Convenient Secret Ingredients Behind MeeMee's Cake

Though it tastes like it’s completely from scratch, my mom’s cake starts with two prepackaged items: a cake mix and Jell-O mix. Using the cake mix cuts down on ingredients (and time), while the Jell-O mix gives extra strawberry flavor and a fluffy texture to the cake. 

The recipe also calls for a box of frozen strawberries rather than fresh berries because the frozen ones have more juice. A key ingredient, the added juice provides even more strawberry flavor and moisture.

A half cup of berries combine with a stick of butter and a WHOLE BOX of powdered sugar for a frosting that’s perfectly sweet. 

How to Make MeeMee's Strawberry Cake

Ingredients 

For the cake:

• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 box strawberry Jell-O
• ⅔ cup vegetable oil 
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup frozen strawberries (thawed, with the juice)

For the frosting: 

• 1 (16-ounce) box confectioners’ sugar
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
• ½ cup frozen strawberries

Directions

To make the cake:

1. Line two 9-inch cake pans (or three 8-inch pans) with wax paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. In a large bowl, mix the cake mix with the Jell-O mix. 
3. Stir in the oil, eggs, strawberries, and strawberry juice.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. 
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. 
6. Remove from the oven and cool the layers completely on a wire rack. 

To make the frosting:

1. Beat the confectioners’ sugar, butter, and berries together until smooth and creamy. 
2. Frost the cooled cake.