Strawberry Snowball Cake Recipe: Your Leftover Secret is Safe
Sneak Preview: Make this Strawberry Snowball Cake Recipe the next time you have a leftover angel food cake, an angel food cake fail, or want to use a simple store-bought angel food cake. No one will ever guess. It is the perfect make-over solution. Make it in advance because it needs time to chill.
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Making an angel food cake from scratch is an exercise in anxiety management for me. Will it rise to the top of the pan? Will the volume hold after I pull it out of the oven?
If your angel food cake didn’t rise very high, this Strawberry Snowball Cake Recipe is the perfect make-over solution.
This Snowball Cake (not to be confused with the pink fluffy concoctions you see next to the Twinkies at the grocery store) is a light and summery dessert full of fresh fruit, angel food cake torn into bite-sized pieces, and whipped cream. I’ve been making it for years, even when I have to buy the angel food cake.
Happy Bakers Speak Up:
“I made this for a July 4th family picnic today and it’s wonderful. What a great EASY way to make dessert for a crowd. I can see how you could add other fruits and flavors too. And, drizzle a piece with chocolate or fudge sauce – just to make it even better! Thanks.”–Nancy”
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Gelatin– The recipe calls for two packages of unflavored gelatin. A common brand in the States is “Knox,” but the store brand works the same.
- Pineapple and Juice – I use crushed pineapple–a 20-oz can. Drain the juice in to a measuring cup so you can add water to make one cup, if necessary.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar works best.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice gives the freshest flavor. Although not needed for this recipe, I always grate the lemon rind before slicing, then freeze the grated rind for another recipe.
- Strawberries – Sweet, red berries will shine in this recipe. Save the prettiest berries for a garnish.
- Whipped Topping – I prefer whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, because this will need to sit in the fridge for several hours. It’s more sturdy than whipping heavy cream from a cow.
- Angel Food Cake – Use plain angel food cake, either leftover (with no icing), made from a mix or scratch, or purchase a ready-made cake.
Four things you should know before you make this Strawberry Snowball Cake
- This dessert can be, and actually must be made ahead, then chilled before serving.
- In addition to pineapple, you can try adding different fresh fruits. My favorite is strawberries, but I can imagine that blueberries, peaches, or cherries would be tasty and colorful.
- Coconut on the outside is not required, but then it won’t look like a snowball if that is your goal.
- This recipe is easy to cut in half–and I recommend it. Use a smaller mixing bowl when assembling. The cake you see in the pictures is a half-batch that will easily feed eight people.
Are you an Angel Food Cake lover?
Need help troubleshooting? Email me: Paula at saladinajar.com—photos welcome!
Strawberry Snowball Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 small packages (14 g) unflavored gelatin
- 4 tablespoons (57 g) cold water
- 1 cup (227 g) boiling water
- 1 cup (227 g) pineapple juice drained from a 20-ounce can crushed pineapple add water to make 1 cup if necessary
- crushed pineapple from a 20-ounce can
- ¾ cup (156 g) granulated sugar
- (28 g) juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup (166 g) fresh strawberries, chopped
- 2 8-ounce (452 g) tubs of whipped topping
- 1 (340 g) angel food cake, baked
- whole strawberries for garnish
Instructions
- Sprinkle 2 small packages (14 g) unflavored gelatin over 4 tablespoons (57 g) cold water and allow it to dissolve.
- Add 1 cup (227 g) boiling water, 1 cup (227 g) pineapple juice drained from a 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, crushed pineapple from a 20-ounce can, 3/4 cup (156 g) granulated sugar, (28 g) juice of 1 lemon, and 1 cup (166 g) fresh strawberries, chopped. Stir to combine.
- Refrigerate until slightly jelled and gently fold in whipped topping.
- Tear angel food cake into bite-sized pieces.
- Line a 4-quart mixing bowl with plastic wrap or criss-cross 2 long and narrow pieces of wax paper over the bottom of the bowl.
- Then start with a handful of angel food cake pieces as your first layer. Now add a layer of the gelatin/fruit mixture, then another layer of angel food cake. Alternate layers until all is used. It’s a good idea to push the cake pieces against the side as you build your cake so it will hold together and have a firm base for the whipped topping later on.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, turn the cake out onto a cake plate with the help of plastic wrap or wax paper. Remove the wrap and frost with the second container of whipped topping. Decorate with flaked coconut for a “snowball” effect.
Nutrition
All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com
Paula Rhodes, owner
As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.