There was an on-going argument in our family as to who first introduced this recipe to our family. My mom, Joan, baked it for me on my birthday one year, and that same year my Great-Grandmother Myrtle baked it for a Fourth of July family gathering. Some people in the family called it Joan’s cake. Other’s called it Myrtle’s cake. I just thought of it as our traditional family birthday cake.

So in honor of both of the lovely ladies who introduced this cake to our family, I’m naming it after both of them. But to confuse matters a little bit more, I found this recipe just now in my Grandma Madeline’s recipe box, written out in her handwriting. The plot thickens.

If you like strawberries and whip cream served on Angel food cake, you’re going to LOVE this cake.  It’s my all-time favorite.

Myrtle and Joan’s Strawberry Angel Food Cake

• Bake (or buy) 1 10-inch angel food cake
• 1 package (10-oz) frozen strawberries
• 1 package unflavored gelatin
• 2 cups whipping cream

Thaw berries and drain off juice into a bowl.

Sprinkle gelatin over juice and allow to stand until gelatin is softened. Set dish in larger bowl of hot water until gelatin dissolves.

Combine gelatin mixture with strawberries. Do not allow to congeal.

Whip cream until stiff and sweeten to taste with sugar.

Fold berries and juice into cream carefully.

Cut cake into 2 layers. Spread half of whipped cream frosting on bottom layer and around sides, then top with second layer and use remaining whipped cream to finish frosting the entire cake.

Refrigerate several hours or overnight.