Strawberry Surprise Dream Cake

 Sunday was Dan's birthday.  This was his cake.  It is a strawberry surprise dream cake and I have been making it since forever.  My memory tells me I made this for our mothers on Mother's Day about 1970, the first year we were married.  It may have been the next year, but it was at the beginning  - BC (before children).  So, this recipe goes back a long way, whenever it was.  I tried to find out when this recipe first appeared, but had no luck.  I just know it's delicious even if it is an old recipe.

If you aren't familiar with Dream whip, it is a powdered non-dairy topping that fluffs up like whipped cream or Cool Whip when you make it.  It can be found in the baking aisle of most major grocery stores.  Dream Whip is made by Kraft and comes in boxes of 2 or 4 pouches.  For this recipe you need 3 pouches (of course), but I use real whipped cream for the filling and topping, so I only used 1 envelope for the cake itself.

This cake is filled with whipped cream and strawberries and is oh my gosh good!  The cake is a yellow cake that tastes like the best strawberry shortcake/sponge cake you have ever eaten.  Yum.  Yum.

The cake is baked in an angel food (or tube) pan.  It is removed after cooling and the top is cut off, part of the inside removed and then mixed with whipped cream and strawberries.  Seriously, what could be better than that?  Not much!

Here is what you need:

1 box 2 layer size yellow cake mix
1 envelope Dream Whip topping mix
4 eggs
1 cup COLD water

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer until moistened.  Beat at medium speed for 4 minutes.  Pour into a greased and floured 10 inch tube pan.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes.  Cool for 15 minutes in the pan.

Turn the pan upside down and remove cake from the pan.  Flip the cake over so it looks like this.  If that makes you nervous, know that I have never had one of these cakes fall apart.

Using a long bread knife, cut the top of the cake off - about 1 inche.  I start right about where the curve of the cake begins.  Lay the top aside until after you have filled the cake.  Now, using a small spoon, leave a 1/2 inch thick shell by removing the center of the cake.  Try not to cut through the bottom.

Cut the cake that you remove into 1 inch pieces and put aside.

Slice 1 quart of strawberries and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar.  Let the berries stand for 30 minutes.

Now, here is where I made a change in the original recipe.  The original calls for making 2 envelopes of Dream Whip according to directions which you can still do.  I used a 16 ounce container of heavy whipping cream and whipped it with a few tablespoons of sugar and a tsp. of vanilla until stiff peaks form.  You could also use Cool Whip if you prefer.  Either way, set aside 1 cup of the whipped cream and fold the rest into the berries to which you add 1 cup of the cake pieces.  Mix gently.  Spoon into the cake shell.

Replace the top layer that you cut off earlier.  Your cake should now look like this.

The cut line is barely noticeable.  This is where the surprise part of the came comes in!  Everyone is surprised when  you slice into the cake and there is all that sumptuous, delicious filling.  Try not to eat all the filling before you put it in the cake.  Holy cow it's good.

To finish the cake, spread the remaining whipped topping on the cake and garnish with more strawberries.  Oh.  So.  Yummy.

When  you cut into the cake, this is what you see.

Whipped cream and strawberries are all nestled in the middle of this wonderful cake.  It's like eating an inverted strawberry shortcake.  I know you want some!

If you want to push this right on over the top, add a large dollop of vanilla ice cream to a slice of the cake and some more strawberries in syrup.  Oh My!  Our 9 year old grandson ate 3 pieces of this cake.  He said it was the best cake ever and he doesn't usually eat strawberries!  How is that for a testimonial?

This recipe is in my poor old falling apart hand written recipe book that I have had since the late 1960's.  I'm glad I have now put it in my blog for future reference.  This poor book may disintegrate at any time and I do not want to lose this recipe.

The cake recipe is on the box of Dream Whip.  You can actually make the Dream Cake using any flavor cake mix.  The Dream Whip adds such a wonderful texture to the cake.  I have to say the yellow cake is still my favorite to this day although you could make this same cake in chocolate.  I know Dan would like that too!

Looking at this picture makes me wish I had a piece to eat right now.  Needless to say, it is long gone.  Give this recipe a try.  You will definitely add it to your recipe list to make again and again.  Remember strawberries will be in season soon and  Mother's Day is coming up and graduations - summer picnics!  Wow.  Delight someone with this fabulous cake.  They will certainly be happy that you did.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Just a few of the perfect excuses for having some strawberry shortcake.
Pick one.

(1) It's less calories than two pieces of strawberry shortcake.
(2) It's cheaper than going to France.
(3) It neutralizes the brownies I had yesterday.
(4) Life is short.
(5) It's somebody's birthday. I don't want them to celebrate alone.
(6) It matches my eyes.
(7) Whoever said, "Let them eat cake." must have been talking to me.
(8) To punish myself for eating dessert yesterday.
(9) Compensation for all the time I spend in the shower not eating.
(10) Strawberry shortcake is evil. I must help rid the world of it.
(11) I'm getting weak from eating all that healthy stuff.
(12) It's the second anniversary of the night I ate plain broccoli.  author unknown