The other day David and I was in Walmart and he wanted a snack but we didn’t purchase anything. Then I found out today was National Angel Food Cake Day and National Cake Decorating Day.I thought these two celebrations went together perfectly. After all, you can make a cake and then have fun decorating it!

You know, I honestly don’t know if Charlie has ever had angel food cake. Can you believe that? Here we are, with Walmart right around the corner, and today might be the perfect day for us to get into the kitchen and make one. Because it would be a nice treat for David because he is working late this evening.

Making the cake together would give Charlie and I a little time together which we need because we would be able to talk and I could find out his plans for the future. Charlie could drive us to Walmart to pick up what we need, then we could come home and mae a cake, and enjoy a slice while he is streaming and I’m working. That sounds like killing two birds with one stone to me!

Now, before you ask me if we already have everything we need in the kitchen, let me stop you right there. No, we don’t. Were lazy when it comes to baking, even though we probably should do it more often. Sometimes it’s just easier to buy a cake than to make one from scratch, and there is nothing wrong with that!

I could even run to Aldi’s and pick up a ready-made angel food cake. Then Charlie and I could decorate it, cut ourselves a slice, and get back to what we were doing. That would be the easy way out, but sometimes the easy way is the best way. Is it that way for your family?

When I was a little girl, I remember my mom buying these sponge cakes that had a hole or a little dip in the middle. They reminded me of angel food cake, although I can’t tell you for sure if that was exactly what they were. She would fill them with strawberries and add whipped cream, and just like that, we had strawberry shortcake! My grandfather, my dad’s dad, absolutely loved strawberry shortcake and that is who she would make these for.

It’s funny how certain foods can take you right back to your childhood, isn’t it? I’m sitting here trying to remember exactly what those cakes looked like, and you have to give me a little grace. When you’re 60-something years old and reaching back into your childhood memories, sometimes you remember the taste and the people sitting around the table better than you remember the name of the food!

Do you remember those little sponge cake shells I’m talking about? Did your mom or grandmother ever buy them and fill them with strawberries and whipped cream? I would love to know if your family made them, too. Or if not would you like to try them out?

I wanted to remind you we don’t need fancy cake-decorating tools to make something special. Sometimes all you need is a cake, some fruit, and a little whipped cream. We could pick up an angel food cake at the store, slice some strawberries, and let everyone decorate their own piece. If Charlie and I decide to make a cake instead, we can have fun doing that, too.

And if you’re not crazy about strawberries, don’t worry! You can always switch them out for your favorite fruit. Blueberries, raspberries, peaches, bananas, or a mixture of several fruits would be delicious. You could even let the children pick out their favorite toppings and make their own little creations. The cakes might not look like something from a fancy bakery, but that isn’t the point. The point is having fun together.

Sometimes we get so busy working, taking care of the house, and keeping up with everything else that we forget to do the little things. Today, I could spend the entire day working on GreatfulMoments.com, and Charlie could spend the day streaming. There is nothing wrong with either one of those things. But we could also take a little break, share a piece of cake, and enjoy a few minutes together. And who knows? Maybe we’ll discover that Charlie really does like angel food cake!

If you’re looking for something easy to make with your family, this mock angel food cake dessert is a good place to start. You don’t have to bake a cake from scratch to enjoy a homemade-style treat. You can use a store-bought cake and concentrate on the fun part: adding the fruit and whipped cream.

So tell me, have you ever made angel food cake? Do you remember those little sponge cake shells filled with strawberries and whipped cream? And if you had to choose, would you bake a cake, decorate one from the store, or simply buy one and enjoy it? Today, I’m reminding myself that we don’t have to make everything complicated. Sometimes a little cake, a few pieces of fruit, and time with the people we love are more than enough. Happy National Angel Food Cake Day and National Cake Decorating Day!

Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed,
GreatfulMoments.com

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates

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Easy Mock Angel Food Cake with Fruit and Whipped Cream

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 6–8, depending on slice size

Ingredients

• 1 store-bought angel food cake or sponge cake
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, optional
• 1 cup whipped topping or freshly whipped cream
• Additional fresh fruit for decorating, if desired

Instructions

1. Prepare the fruit. Wash the strawberries, remove the green tops, and slice them into a bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar if desired, stir gently, and let them sit for 10–15 minutes to release their juices.
2. Prepare the cake. Place the angel food cake on a serving plate. If you are using individual sponge cake dessert shells, arrange them on individual plates instead.
3. Add the strawberries. Spoon the sliced strawberries over the top of the cake, allowing some of the sweet juices to soak into the cake. If using individual dessert shells, spoon the strawberries into the center of each shell.
4. Add the whipped cream. Top the cake with whipped topping or freshly whipped cream.
5. Decorate your cake. Arrange additional fruit on top if desired. You can make a pretty pattern with sliced strawberries or let the children decorate their own portions.
6. Serve and enjoy! Slice the cake and serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fruit Substitutions

Not crazy about strawberries? You can switch them out for your favorite fruit! Try fresh blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, sliced peaches, bananas, or a combination of several fruits. Canned peaches or fruit cocktail that has been well drained can also work.

Tips for Making This Recipe with Kids

Let the children choose their fruit, spoon on the whipped cream, and decorate their own slices. An adult should handle any cutting that requires a sharp knife.

Note: This is a no-bake mock angel food cake dessert because it uses a prepared cake. If you would rather bake your own angel food cake, you can make one ahead of time and follow the same decorating instructions.

Enjoy!

GreatefulMoments.com

Grateful. Thankful. Blessed.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates