Best Strawberry Angel Food Cake Dessert Recipe (4 Ingredients)
This Strawberry Angel Food Cake Dessert is a nostalgic no-bake dessert that uses frozen strawberries for tons of flavor. And it totally reminds you of being a kid!
We always just call this “strawberry cake” but it’s SO much more than that. This perfect strawberry pink dessert uses cubed angel food cake and Jello to make a quick dessert that you’ll crave all year long!
This Strawberry Jello Angel Food Cake is a family favorite
This strawberry angel food cake recipe was originally published in October of 2015. It has since been updated to include more detailed directions and variations my readers have shared over the years.
This Strawberry Angel Food Cake with Cool Whip is so easy to make and is always very well received! From the comments left on this post and my pins, it’s a totally sentimental dessert and reminds people of beloved family members.
It only uses 4 simple ingredients like store-bought angel food cake pieces, frozen strawberries, Cool Whip whipped topping and strawberry Jello. And it doesn’t require any baking skills or much kitchen know-how.
Related: Strawberry Jello Cupcakes
This light and fluffy cake is super flavorful and totally reminds me of summer! My mom used to make it for us on summer break and it makes my heart smile just thinking about it.
Similar to a strawberry lush cake and strawberry angel delight, this dessert using prepared angel food cake is one you’ll crave. I think this is the best type of strawberry dessert to make because the angel food cake gives it some body and the creamy strawberry flavor is super refreshing and satisfying.
I’ve uploaded most of the images in this post but you still may recognize some of the process shots if you came over from Pinterest!
Ingredients
It’s just an angel food Jello cake dessert. Pretty straightforward stuff. But absolutely delicious.
Scroll to the end of the post for a printable recipe card with full measurements and instructions!
- Angel Food Cake (store-bought)
- Strawberry Jell-O
- boiling water
- frozen whipped topping (like Cool Whip, thawed in fridge)
- frozen strawberries in sugar (not whole frozen berries – see image below), not thawed but not straight from the freezer
The grocery store sells a ready-made angel food cake option that just needs to be torn (which is a great task to have the kids do!).
The store-bought cake keeps this strawberry angel food dessert super quick to prepare.
Take the time you would have used to make the cake and go take 15 minutes for yourself.
How to Make this Angel Food Strawberry Jello Cake
This pink strawberry angel food cake dessert couldn’t be easier to make!
Step 1
Remove the strawberries from the freezer and let them sit on the counter while working through the next steps. The more thawed the better.
Step 2
Crumble up the ring of cake and add half of the angel food pieces to the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. If a few pieces fall up into your mouth, that’s ok.
Step 3
Mix Jell-O in a bowl with 2 cups boiling water. Stir well to dissolve the Jell-O powder.
Step 4
Add strawberries immediately and stir. The cold strawberries will help the Jello start to set.
Stirring will help to melt the strawberry juice the rest of the way, but you may need to use your hands to break them up if they remain in a chunk.
Step 5
Fold in spoonfuls of Cool Whip until well mixed.
If you forget to take the Cool Whip out of the freezer to thaw, it will still work (it might just not mix in as smoothly).
Step 6
Spoon ½ mixture over the first half of the angel food cake in the dish.
Step 7
Add a second layer with the rest of the angel food cake chunks then top with the rest of that gorgeous, creamy strawberry mixture.
Step 8
Cover, then set in the refrigerator for several hours.
Quick tip: Push down any cake pieces that are sticking out the top so they are submerged and can soak up all the flavor.
Don’t leave them exposed like this photo shows. I mean, it really doesn’t ruin anything because Angel Food cake is delish no matter what.
But still, you’ll get the best flavor if you drown those bad boys.
I would leave it to set for at least 2 hours but 4 or more will make sure it is totally set and will keep its form when cut into squares.
How to serve this Strawberry Angel Food Cake Recipe
This poor, sad, ugly little cake. It’s so unfortunate that this lush-type dessert is just not that pretty. But it sure is pretty on the inside.
This is not the dessert you will make if you are trying to impress guests who are superficial and into outward appearances.
For that, I would make this faux croquembouche or even this Angel Food Cake with Peaches and Cream instead.
But this angel food cake with strawberry JELLO is super easy and it’s what you make for your friends when you want to give them a mouth hug.
To make it look a little nicer, you could also “frost” it with additional Cool Whip then lay out sliced strawberries in a pretty way.
At the very least use fresh mint and strawberries to draw the eye away from that heap of pink. This is the way I prefer to serve it.
When ready to serve, cut into squares and serve immediately.
Or you can scoop it into bowls. This is an anything goes types of dessert recipe.
Or Make it A Strawberry Jello Angel Food Cake Trifle!
A reader suggested I try using a trifle bowl so I did.
It’s a lot cuter in terms of dish choice but the dessert itself…still not so much.
A trifle is a great dessert to serve when you have company.
It’s also a great idea for people, like me, who aren’t great at decorating cakes!
Someone else suggested making this in a bundt pan. That’s the route I’m going to try next time. It will look nice when turned out onto a plate and the slices would probably even look nice on a dessert plate.
When to serve this cake
I love this quick and easy dessert recipe for spring and summer celebrations but no matter what occasion you make it for, it’s always a crowd-pleaser.
This strawberry angel food cake dessert with Jello is really more like a dump cake. And it’s no-bake which is why it’s perfect for warmer weather.
This is my go-to dish for a family party or neighborhood potluck and it’s always gone immediately.
It really works for any party, any time of year. It’s easy to transport to other places and can be made ahead which is great when having company over.
Putting this strawberry Angel Food jello cake together (I realize this isn’t really a cake, but it has cake in it so…and it’s so much easier than saying Strawberry Angel Food Cake Dessert with Jello, right?) is SO easy.
Plus, pink desserts are always the best! Just look at all that pink goodness!
FAQs for this angel food strawberry dessert
The best way to store this delicious pink dessert is to cover it with foil and put it in the fridge. I would think this will keep in the fridge for about 3 days.
But you probably won’t have too much leftover. Who knew that Angel Food cake, frozen strawberries and Cool Whip could taste SO simple and so tasty!
People ask me about the right type of strawberries to use for this yummy strawberry dessert recipe. They are sold in plastic containers like that shown and can be found in the freezer section. They sometimes come in a container that looks like a frozen juice concentrate but in a rectangular shape. Some people have a hard finding the right type of frozen strawberries in sugar. I haven’t figured out a good substitute yet. 
Fresh strawberries aren’t the best because they won’t have the extra sweet juice that comes in frozen strawberries. It helps to flavor the dessert and give it that fun pink color. You can potentially get a similar look by macerating the berries with sugar to bring out their own juices but it may not give you the same amount of flavor. Worth a try! Fresh strawberries are never a bad idea! :)
To macerate I would do 1 pint of strawberries with 2 TBSP sugar and let them sit at room temperature for at least an hour to release their juices. I haven’t tried this but it may work.
Yes! Since this is kept in the fridge, you can make it ahead of time and then keep in their, covered, until ready to serve.
Tips and suggestions
Over the years I’ve received tons of comments on this post. Every family had a little different way of doing things. Here are some of the suggestions that may help you.
Substitution ideas
–Don’t want to use Cool Whip, here is how one user made this instead: “Dissolve large box of strawberry jello in 3/4 cup hot water.
Once dissolved stir in 3/4 cup cold water and refrigerate. After it sets up whip in a pint of whipping cream to the jello on a low setting.”
–Make it sugar-free: You can make this more diet-friendly or ok for diabetics by using sugar-free ingredients. Several commenters mentioned this.
–A fruitier version: This version uses 1 small strawberry Jello, 1 small lemon Jello, 2c boiling water, 1/4 c sugar, juice of 1 lemon, 2 oranges and juice from a 10oz pineapple can.
Mix together. Cool until it starts to set. Fold in 8oz cool whip, add pineapple tidbits and fresh sliced strawberries.
Other serving suggestions
–Make it more cake-like: Line a large bowl with waxed paper. let sit a few hours and when set turn upside down on a plate or cake dish.
Top with Cool Whip or whipped cream, as if you were icing a cake, then add fresh some strawberries.
– Make it a little more structured: Bake your own angel food cake in a 13×9 pan. Cut the cake into 2 layers instead of ripping it into chunks.
Place one layer down, spread half of jello mixture on top, placed the next layer down and spread the remaining jello mixture on top.
Chill for about 8 hours. It cut just like a cake and it looked pretty!
–A pool of Cool Whip!: In this suggestion, the Cool Whip is served separately. Tear the cake into pieces and put in a greased bundt pan.
Mix the strawberries and Jello and pour over the cake. Let set and flip onto a cake plate. Fill the hole in the middle with the Cool Whip!
To serve, slice the cake and put a dollop of Cool Whip on top.
–To ensure the cake is soaked with flavor: After mixing the Jello, strawberries and Cool Whip, combine it with the angel food cake pieces then pour into the pan and chill.
It’s much easier and mixes together better for a smoother look.
–Fill the angel food cake: Mix the strawberries, Cool Whip, and Jello and put them in the refrigerator until it is thick but not solid.
Slice a thin piece off the top of the angel food cake and tear out a trench all the way around the cake.
Pour the very thick Jello strawberry mixture inside, put the top back on and frost with the remaining whipped cream.
Return the cake to the refrigerator. It was so pretty when cut because of the Jello strawberry surprise at the center.
I must have taken 300 pictures of it trying to get this strawberry angel food cake dessert to look appetizing. Nope.
You’re going to have to trust me on this one. And I know my sweets.
And more than anything, this pink dessert makes people smile. This recipe totally reminds people of recipes their grandmas made for them!
More easy strawberry recipes
- Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
- Frozen Strawberry Yogurt Pie
- Strawberry Pineapple Dump Cake
- Strawberry Short Cake Dump Cake
- Stupid Easy Strawberry Snack
- Easy Strawberry Refrigerator Cake from Crystal and Comp.
- Strawberry Poke Cake from It Is a Keeper
- White Chocolate Strawberry Cake Roll from We’re Parents
More easy angel food cake desserts
- Angel Food Cake Mix Cookies
- Angel Food Cake with Peaches and Mint
- Easiest Ever Red White and Blue Angel Food Cake Mix Cupcakes
- Angel Food Pineapple Dump Cake
- Strawberry Short Cake Dump Cake
Printable Strawberry Jello Angel Food Cake Recipe
Strawberry Angel Food Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ring Angel Food Cake store-bought
- 1 6 oz. pkg. Strawberry Jello
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 regular container frozen whipped topping like Cool Whip, thawed in fridge
- 16 oz. container frozen strawberries in sugar the kind that also have juice, not whole frozen berries
Instructions
- Set out frozen strawberries to thaw while working on the rest of the recipe.
- Boil water.
- Break 1/2 of the angel food cake in to chunks and put in the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
- Mix powdered Jello in a bowl with 2 cups boiling water.
- Add strawberries immediately and stir.
- You may need to use your hands to break up chunks of frozen strawberries.
- Stir in spoonfuls of Cool Whip until well mixed.
- Spoon 1/2 mixture over angel food cake in dish.
- Repeat layers and set in refrigerator for several hours.
- Cut in to squares and serve immediately. (Your squares won’t be perfect. The gelatin is not firm.)
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Pin this Dessert for Later
This Angel Food Strawberry Jello Dessert is one you need to try. It will become a family favorite and one that you make for parties all the time!
I’ve made this for decades. I would grease a fancy cake pan or mould, then unmould the ‘cake’ onto a fancy platter once it was set, and decorate with whipped cream. Just make sure the pan you use is greased well so it doesn’t stick. Setting the pan in some warm water for a minute or so, helps to loosen the cake to make flipping easier.
Great idea!! I need to try that out!
I made something similar, we would take the pieces of angel food cake and dip real quick into the strawberries and jello mixture line 9×13 pan with dipped cake then pour remaining liquid over cake pieces. Place in refrigerator to set up, before serving ice with small container of cool whip. Gives a “prettier” appearance
I love the idea of dipping the cake!! Thanks for sharing!
My great grandmother use to make this all the time but instead of mixing the cool whip, jello & strawberries all together, she just added all the ingredients in a large bowl (including the cake chunks) & mixed it all together. Then poured it all into a dish to refrigerate! It was delicious this way because some of the jello would seep into the cake before jelling. :) and she used fresh strawberries! Gonna have to get to making this again sometime soon!
That sounds even easier and I’m all about easy!! Thanks for sharing!
hello
i just love your recipe!! Can I try another cake? Because here in Brazil it’s hard to find angel cakes.
Thanks!
I don’t see why not! I’m just not sure if a different cake would absorb the strawberry mixture differently. But it would probably taste good still! I say go for it! :)
I think you can use a simple “pao de ló”. Im sure it will work
My grandmother made this dessert, and it’s a favorite in our family. I’ve pinned it so I can remember. :) She would just let it set in a bowl and serve it by the spoonful. Nobody cares about pretty when it’s this good. ;)
I like her style. :)
Bombness!
My mother used to make this for my birthday. She would first mix the strawberries, whip cream, and jello and put them in the refrigerator until it was thick but not solid. Then she would slice a thin top off of the top of the angel food cake and tear out a trench all the way around the cake. After that she would pour the very thick jello strawberry whip cream mixture inside, put the top back on and frost with the remaining whip cream. Then she would return the cake to the refrigerator. It was so pretty when cut because of the jello strawberry whip cream center.
Such a great idea!!!!!! What a delicious surprise to find!
I first had this cake back in the late ’70’s. As I recall, my MIL would make it in an Angel food cake or Bundt pan, then when ready to serve, unmold it onto a serving plate. It’s also possible to garnish it with fresh berries to dress it up a bit. However you make it, it really is a good dessert. Thanks for sharing it.
That sounds so fun! This doesn’t gel up enough to form in a bundt pan, but maybe if you up the amount of jello that would work. I may have to give that a try. I love fun, 70’s ideas! Thanks for sharing!
I got the large Cool Whip and fresh strawberries and I did a real thin layer of Cool Whip on top and sliced strawberries to make it a little more presentable for those that want to take this dish to potluck or whatever, doesn’t change the flavor up but dresses it up a little. Thanks for the recipe it is delicious!
That is a fantastic idea! Forehead slap! That would make it a little more pretty for sure! Thanks for sharing that idea!
This is exactly what I do…just made one with a cool whip heart for Valentine’s Day!
Sounds cute!!!
A friend of the family brought a similar dessert to a potluck, but instead of jello it was vanilla pudding and sour cream with the cool whip. And the strawberries are drained and on the top as the final layer arranged like jewel slices. So just cake, pudding, cake, pudding, and drop some fresh or frozen sliced strawberries on top. I love our “white” recipe, can’t wait to try your “pink” recipe! :) It looks amazing!
Oh yum!!! That sounds delightful! I’ll have to give that a try! Thanks for sharing the idea!
I made this exact cake years ago but you submerged the whole cake into a Tupperware gelatin mold filled with the strawberries and jello. It was more work and then I could no longer buy Mrs. Baird’s pound cakes. This looks so much easier.
I’m in to really easy. :) I even make it in a disposable pan for family gatherings because I hate trying to have to get my dish back. :)
My mom made this for me for my birthday for years and now I make it for summer get together’s. The difference in our recipe is we put in a large can of pineapple chunks drained and we mix the Angel food cake in with the jello mixture, then we pour it into a greased bunt pan and chill several hours or overnight. It looks like a cake when it comes out of the pan.
Mmmmmm, pineapple! That sounds like a delicious addition! This doesn’t mold very well, but maybe if you chilled it really well it would? I may have to give it a try. It’s always fun to tweak a recipe and try it a new way! Thanks for commenting!
I just pulled up my recipe, it has 1 sm strawberry, 1 sm lemon jello 2c boiling water, 1/4 c sugar, juice of 1 lemon, 2 oranges and juice from a 10oz pineapple can. mix those together. Cool until it starts to set. Fold in 8oz cool whip, add pineapple and strawberries. It calls for the small size frozen strawberries or fresh sliced. Your recipe sounds very yummy and easier then mine. I will have to try it.
I have put this in a glass bowl and a truffle dish before. It makes it look “prettier”. I love this dessert. Thanks for sharing.
Duh, putting it in a cute footed bowl would be perfect! That is totally how I’m doing it next time! Thanks for sharing that fantastic tip!
Do you mean a trifle dish? This is basically an English trifle without the formal construction.
I guess it is!! I don’t think I’ve ever made a legit trifle before!
tgis looks amazing and soooo easy!!! Thanks for sharing. I do t cook in my family or bake my husband does! But this looks like something I could handle!
This looks DELISH! And I love how simple it is to make. Win Win!