I was first introduced to this classic Betty Crocker recipe at a pot luck luncheon during my first year of teaching, 15 years ago. It was baked in a large rectangular dish and topped with a layer of Cool Whip. At first sight, it looks like nothing more than your average Angle Food Cake, but after a bite, you soon realize it’s so much sweeter than that.
My version of this Pineapple Angel Food Strawberry Shortcake is slightly different, but mostly the same. It’s the perfect cookout or potluck dessert for summer holidays like Memorial Day and The Fourth of July. Or maybe you make it for a low-key play date or dinner with friends.
After a long year of staying in our own yards, my neighborhood is finally coming alive again. After a day of baseball and outdoor play, the neighborhood kids and are raiding my pantry for snacks and freezer for pops with my son leading the charge, as I write this. I can’t help but think, I should have these ingredients on hand because these kids would be in heaven if I made this for them today.
Let the summer impromptu gatherings commence! We’ve been waiting long enough, and I am so happy to be eaten out of house and home again.
Really. I mean it.
What is this exactly?
It’s fluffy, yet melts in your mouth, and when paired with the strawberries and whipped cream, everyone is in for a treat. Your people won’t believe that this cake is just two ingredients (if you are willing to spill the beans).
It’s merely a large can of crushed pineapple and a box of white angle food cake mix. I promise you, if feeding a crowd, there are never any leftovers because it’s just that good!
What makes this hardly homemade?
It’s somewhere between made from scratch and store-bought. By pairing fresh and healthy ingredients like strawberries with some store-bought stuff, like canned pineapple and cake mix, we can call it hardly homemade. We aren’t making it from the box, but we are using the box. Get it?
Cooking Tips:
- Do not add water, even though the box says to do that.
- Use a box of Angle Food Cake mix that calls for water only (such as Betty Crocker).
- Use a large can of crushed pineapple that is based in juice or water, not syrup.
- Resist the urge to grease or spray the pans. It’s important that they are ungreased or else the recipe will not work.
- A long serrated knife works best.
Style tips:
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- Bake in two round Pyrex baking dishes and when cooled, turn them upside down on a serving platter.
- Top with strawberries cut lengthwise and whipped cream.
Four-Ingredient Pineapple Angle Food Strawberry Shortcake
This low-calorie dessert calls for only 4 ingredients and is real simple. It's a melt in your mouth sweet and fresh treat for a crowd. Never any leftovers with this one, because it's just that good!
Ingredients
- 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple in juice or water (not syrup)
- 1 box of Angle Food cake mix (Betty Crocker works well)
- Whipped cream
- Strawberries
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Step 2 Mix the cake mix and can of crushed pineapple together using a hand mixer or whisk. Do not add water.
- Step 3 Pour into ungreased (non-sprayed) two 6-inch Pyrex rounds or a 9×13 pan.
- Step 4 If using a shallow pan or pans, bake for 25 minutes. (Note: if using a deep tube pan it could take as long as 40-45 minutes to bake).
- Step 5 Meanwhile, cut the strawberries lengthwise. As the cake is baking, it will fluff up and then settle when cooling. Bake until the edges are golden brown. Flip the cake(s) upside down and allow to cool completely, as directed on the cake mix box.
- Step 6 Serve on a large rectangular platter and top with strawberries and whipped cream.
