This is by far the best cake I have ever tasted!!! Wonderful recipe.. Easily gets 10 stars!!!

This would get a GREAT cake if the icing were more than just cool whip.... My grandmother, now my mother makes the best Strawberry jello cake and cool whip isn't in the recipe...

My mom made this for special occasions when we were kids. She never put any frosting on top, not even the strawberries, just the Jell-O.

For an incredible topping, mix 2/3 cup sour cream and 2/3 cup powdered sugar into a tub of cool whip and cover cake. It really makes all the difference!

This is a Jell-O poke cake. I have been making these cakes for years. They are so easy and delicious. I particularly love a pudding frosting:

1 (3 oz.) pkg. instant pudding, any flavor
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 c. cold milk
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip, thawed

Combine pudding, sugar and milk in bowl. Blend well. Fold in Cool Whip. Frost cakes and store in refrigerator.

There's also a lovely recipe for frosting on the box of Dream Whip:

1 1/2 cups cold milk 1 envelope DREAM WHIP Whipped Topping Mix
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Instant Pudding, any flavor Make It
BEAT milk, whipped topping mix and pudding mixes in deep narrow-bottom bowl with electric mixer on low speed until blended.

BEAT on high 4 to 6 minutes or until mixture forms soft peaks. Makes about 3 cups or enough to frost 2 (8-or 9-inch) layers or 13x9-inch cake. Store frosted cake in refrigerator. For high altitude areas, reduce beating time to 2 to 4 minutes.

I am baking the cake as I comment. :) I have a pot luck at work tomorrow and wanted to take a touch of Spring since it doesn't seem to want to come to NW PA. Ashley from Louisiana, would you share your Grand Mother's and now your Mom's recipe for the frosting? Please? Thanks!

Hi everyone; I too agree that this is a wonderful recipe/cake!!! Also, for those of you that think that the cake would be even better or "10 stars" if it was topped with something other than JUST cool whip, I have a few suggestions that you may very well like. My mother makes jello cakes with this cake recipe but she uses different flavors of jello rather than just strawberry every time and then she tops it off with a pudding/cool whip icing (made from 1 pack of your choice pudding and 1 tub of cool whip mixed together). She has baked some wonderful combinations of jello cake and pudding cool whip icing. 1 of my favorites that she makes is baked with LIME Jello and topped with Pistachio pudding & cool whip topping. If you want to get a lil fancy with it, you can even sprinkle some fine chopped pistachios to the topping. Another family favorite combination she makes is a jello cake made with strawberry or orange jello and topped with banana pudding/cool whip topping and a few thin slices of bananas. Hope some of you try it out, it is absolutely delicious, no matter what occasion it's made for.

I always make this cake every year for Family reunion. I do the topping different that everyone loves.

TOPPING:

Mix 1 pkg of instant vanilla pudding, 1 container of Cool Whip and 1 can of Dole crushed pineapple (undrained) together until well blended, then gently spread over cake. You can also use crushed Mandarin Oranges instead of Pineapple. Enjoy!

For the frosting I like to mix strawberry cream cheese and cool whip. It makes the cool whip thicker and gives extra flavor. I think it really makes a big difference. This is my favorite cake. I am also experimenting with trying different flavor jello's and fruits. Pineapple Jello Cake is next :-)

This is an awesome recipe! Try a milk chocolate cake mix with cherry jello... Chocolate covered cherries!!! And I tint the cool whip red... Everyone who eats it, thinks it some hard time consuming recipe... Little do they know... Also you can add canned cherries in the holes (or bake in the cake) for a surprise!!!

do you have to use white cake in this recipe? All I have is yellow cake!!

Hi Aidan,

Yellow cake should be ok!

-- CM

Jello cake recipe forgets to mention, After pouring jello into holes of cake you must then refrigerate for hours then proceed to top with berries and whip topping.

Elizabeth,

I think "refrigerate until chilled" has that pretty well covered, actually. Though it should probably be a bit more clear that the cake should cool before adding a frosting.

I made this for a school project and everyone loved it. I love this cake!

I have been wanting this cake for years it was made for me every birthday as a child! I absolutely love your recipe!! It made my birthday just that much more special!!! THANK YOU..

My mom used to make this cake years ago when Whip and Chill was available. She would top the jello cake with Whip and Chill and then eventually Cool Whip. Whip and Chill is not available any longer. Anyone have any ideas on what to use to improvise. It just added another layer of a whipped topping texture that came in strawberry flavor. The final whipped cream topping completed the cake. It was a very festive and colorful cake to be used for any occasion. Any thoughts from anyone on the Whip and Chill option?

Whip and Chill

3/4 cup boiling water
1 small box gelatin, any flavor
1/2 cup cold water
Ice cubes
1/2 cup thawed Cool Whip

Pour boiling water into blender. Add gelatin. Cover and blend at low speed until gelatin is completely dissolved, about 30 seconds. Combine cold water and ice cubes to make 1 1/4 cups. Add to gelatin and stir until ice is partially melted. Add Cool Whip; blend at high speed for 30 seconds. Pour into dessert glasses. Chill.

6 servings.

I love this cake, but I use a cream cheese vanilla frosting and serve it with ice cream yummmm!

I made this for a dinner party tonight, I made the topping with 3/4 cup sour cream, 3/4 powdered sugar and 1 tub cool whip and it was so awesome. It got RAVE reviews

This cake would be easy to substitute sugar free ingredients with.... I'm definitely going to try it for Easter so my family can enjoy something sugar free...and since I'm diabetic and so is my grandfather, it's going to be a great treat... for all!!

Has anyone tried it with the strawberry flavor cool whip?

Love this cake. We have been making it for birthdays for years. My mom made a delicious version with peach jello and sliced nectarines.

Do you have to let the cake cool completely before pouring the jello over it?