FOURTH OF JULY JELL-O CAKE
Hannah’s 1st Note: This recipe is from Andrea, who makes it for the Lake Eden Independence Day picnic every year. Kids love it because it’s colorful. Adults love it because it’s tasty. Andrea loves it because it’s easy and she’s the undisputed Jell-O Queen of Lake Eden.
1 package white cake mix (1 pound 2.25 ounces)
The ingredients called for on the cake mix box
1 three-ounce package dry red Jell-O (raspberry, cherry, whatever)
1 three-ounce package dry blue Jell-O
1 small tub of Cool Whip, or one can of whipped cream
Preheat the oven to the temperature it recommends on the cake mix box.
Grease and flour a 9-inch by 13-inch rectangular cake pan.
Mix up the cake using the directions on the box. Bake the cake for the required amount of time. Let the cake cool to room temperature.
When the cake has cooled, dump one package of red Jell-O into a small bowl. Add one cup boiling water to the Jell-O and stir until it’s dissolved (about one minute.)
Poke holes in the top of the cake with a fork, punching it all the way to the bottom of the cake pan. Make about 30 punches.
Pour the Jell-O evenly over the top of the cake. Give it a minute or two to sink down into the holes you punched.
Refrigerate the cake for an hour.
Prepare the second package of Jell-O, the blue one, mixing the contents with 1 cup boiling water and stirring for one minute, or until it’s dissolved.
Punch more holes in the top of your cake, crisscrossing the first holes. Pour the second bowl of Jell-O liquid over the top of the cake. Give it a minute or two to sink down and then cover it with plastic wrap or foil. Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours. Overnight is fine, too.
Andrea says to warn you that the top is going to look ugly and that’s why you’ll frost it with Cool Whip or whipped cream.
When it’s time to serve, "frost" your cake with Cool Whip or whipped cream and cut into square pieces.
To Make A Layer Cake:
For a truly gorgeous cake, divide the batter into two 8-inch round pans and bake it according to the package directions. Then divide the Jell-O between the two pans.
To frost, remove the cakes from the pans, use Cool Whip or whipped cream between the layers and to frost the sides and top. Everyone will ooh and ahh when you slice the cake.
Hannah’s 2nd Note: Andrea made a confession to me the night of the Christmas potluck dinner. She said she doesn’t bake the cake. She buys an unfrosted sheet cake at the Red Owl, does the part with the Jell-O, and frosts it with Cool Whip. I thought about this for a few minutes and decided it’s probably a good thing.
A Word of Warning about COCOA
When cocoa is used in any of my recipes, make sure to use plain old American cocoa (I usually use Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa.) There are many designer cocoas on the market. They’re wonderful in their own right, but they won’t work in my recipes. Make sure you don’t buy cocoa mix, which has powdered milk and a sweetener added. Stay away from Dutch process cocoa – it has alkaline added. Also beware of cocoas that are mixed with ground chocolate or other flavorings. They won’t work either. Things were simpler in my grandmother’s day (and she’s the one who gave me the Cocoa Snaps recipe.) If you’re in doubt, check the ingredients that are listed on the container of cocoa. It should say "cocoa" and nothing else.