Cooking with My Mom for Mother's Day

This year for Mother's Day our family decided to have a family gathering at my aunt's house combined with a birthday party for my uncle. As per usual agreement, everyone brings a dish or desert from home to contribute.

I decided helping my mom, Cindy Hartenbach, cook a Strawberry Angel Food Cake would be a good way to spend some time together for the holiday.

This recipe is pretty standard, though a family classic as I can remember eating it when I was five or six and lost a tooth in my piece of cake during my mom's Tupperware party.

The ingredients are pretty simple:
1. 2 cups of sugar

2. 2 1/2 cups of water

3. 10 tbsp. strawberry jello (or two boxes).

4. 4 tbsp. corn starch

5. 1 angel food cake

6. 8 oz. Cool Whip

7. 1 container of real strawberries

Photo Credit: Anna Hartenbach

First, begin by mixing the 2 cups of sugar, 2 boxes of jello powder and 4 tbsp. of corn starch in the pan while they are dry.

Photo Credit: Anna Hartenbach

Next, cut up and wash the strawberries in a strainer.

Photo Credit: Anna Hartenbach

Go ahead and add the 2 1/2 cups of water to the pan.

Photo Credit: Anna Hartenbach

"The jello mix takes the longest, so once you have it started you can break up the angel food cake," my mom said.

Photo Credit: Anna Hartenbach

"You only bring the pan to a boil, you don't go past that," my mom said. "I've done that before and it makes the counters and stove all gooey and it's a real mess."

Photo Credit: Anna Hartenbach

My mom said she always puts the jello in the freezer to cool down for about a half of an hour. This is because the jello has to be a little thicker before you pour it on the cake and strawberries.

Photo Credit: Anna Hartenbach

While the jello is cooling, put the strawberries in the cake.

Photo Credit: Anna Hartenbach

After the jello looks thicker, you can remove it from the freezer, stir it up a little and pour it over the strawberries and angel food cake.

Photo Credit: Anna Hartenbach

After you pour the jello into the cake, you put it in the fridge overnight to cool and form into jello. When you take it from the fridge, spread Cool Whip on top and add sprinkles if you like and your cake is complete.

Photo Credit: Anna Hartenbach

After taking it to my aunt's house, my cousin, Rachel Elliott said, "I love this cake, it's so good that I saved a bunch of room for it."

The Verdict: I also love this cake. It's great because it's not covering up the strawberries, but it's playing them up.

Best Paired With: Family and your mom. And in my case, Saturday Night Live starring Betty White.