gran's strawberry cake with strawberry glaze

This is the cake that I make for every event in my life. I've made this cake for home groups, birthdays, holidays, teacher luncheons, coaches' meals, Saturdays, compassion meals, parties and more. I make it for special and not-so-special days. This is the cake that my 13 year old son says is the cake I'll make for him when he's old and he comes home to visit with his family one day. 

Pardon me while I grieve a little and gush a little. My sweet boy.

Strawberry cake is likely the best cake that comes out of my kitchen. It's as classic as classic gets. It has stood the test of time, having been made in our grandmothers' mothers' kitchens. It reminds me of church potlucks and picnics and pretty aprons. 

This recipe is my best-friend-from-college's Gran's recipe, aka Louise Gaston from Batesville, Arkansas.  I first had this cake more than ten years ago at my friend's house. And I copied it down right away while standing in her kitchen. Since then, I've made it a gazillion times. I've made it with Gran's original buttery, strawberry glaze AND I've made it with a full-blown, inch-thick homemade strawberry buttercream frosting. Both. Are. So. Good.

So I'm kicking off the week of love with this classic, to-die-for strawberry cake and so y'all can make it for your loved ones! Nothing says Happy Valentine's Day like pink cake. Or at least I think so anyway! 

Tomorrow, I'll share the strawberry buttercream frosting recipe so you can ice this cake however it tickles your fancy.

-click here for printable recipe-

 

GRAN'S STRAWBERRY CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY GLAZE

 {makes one bundt pan}

1 white cake mix

3 Tablespoons flour

1 small box of strawberry jello, do not use sugar-free

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup frozen crushed strawberries with juice

3 large eggs, room temperature*

1 teaspoon good vanilla extract

*Euna Mae's is a Great Day Farms brand ambassador

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, stir together the cake mix, flour, and jello to combine the dry ingredients and remove any clumps from the cake mix.  With the mixer on low, pour in the oil, water, and strawberries with juice. Then add one egg at a time. Add the vanilla. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for about two minutes to put air in the batter. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 37-40 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean and moist, but not batter-y. Allow to cool for about 10-12 minutes before inverting onto a cake plate.

FOR THE GLAZE

2 Tablespoons of melted butter
2 Tablespoons of crushed strawberry juice
1/2 teaspoon good vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract 
1.5 cups powdered sugar

Whisk together and drizzle over an almost-cooled cake.