The Gathering Season is here, designated by both the calendar and the weather.
When summer comes to the Carolinas, people begin gathering at church picnics, family reunions, club parties, etc., and the common denominator for them all is that there must be good food and a lot of it.
Today’s recipe fills that requirement, with the plus that it is a pretty dish. When you read the recipe, you’ll probably say, “That is a trifle,” and you would be correct – except it is a big trifle, hence the name. Our contributor, JoAnn Hill, says it will fill two of the footed trifle bowls, so she uses a glass punch bowl for the large crowd this will serve. You can easily divide the ingredients to make one trifle.
This is one of those “about like this” recipes because it can be varied easily. JoAnn frequently uses peaches, mixed fruit, berries, or whatever is in season. You do need the cake and the pudding. I found this to be a bit sweet, so you’ll want to make the servings small.
JoAnn is a Methodist on her way to being a Baptist. She and her late husband, Laverne McCaskill, and their four children lived in Bishopville, where they were members of Bishopville Methodist Church. JoAnn and Laverne Hill, her new husband of three months, met while traveling. JoAnn and first husband Laverne and new husband Laverne and his wife went on several tours together and knew each other well. Mrs. Hill died some time ago, and Mr. McCaskill died about three years ago.
Laverne has been a member of Alice Drive Baptist Church in Sumter, where Clay Smith has been the pastor for 35-40 years. On most Sundays, the Hills will go to the early service at Alice Drive, then to the morning service at JoAnn’s church in Bishopville.
At present they are also living in two places. JoAnn’s house in Bishopville is an historic one, built in 1912. JoAnn also works with the tourism board for the Pee Dee area after retiring from a teaching career at Robert E. Lee Academy in Bishopville.
Laverne, the owner of Hill Plumbing in Sumter, and his late wife had five children. His son Frank and daughter Harper both work in the plumbing business. His daughter Allison Hill lives in Mount Pleasant; daughter Jenny Hawkins lives in Easley; and Iris Hill lives at Edisto Beach.
JoAnn and her first husband had four children. The oldest, Al, is a veterinarian in Hartsville; Nancy Lee McCaskill is in Atlanta; and Ann McIlhenny and her Air Force husband Tim are in Fort Walden Beach, Fla.
Your family may not be as large as the Hills and McCaskills when they are all assembled, but whatever the size there will be plenty of this pretty Punch Bowl Cake for … Sunday Dinner.
Punch Bowl Cake
1 large purchased angel food cake (or 1 cake made with a mix using 1 envelope of whipped topping added to the batter to make the 2 layers)
1 6-ounce box vanilla instant pudding made with milk by box directions
1 6-ounce box strawberry gelatin made by box directions
2 8-ounce boxes (about 2 cups) frozen strawberries
2 16-ounce containers frozen whipped topping or whipped cream
2 cups chopped pecans
2-4 cups blueberries
2-4 cups strawberries, sliced
1 kiwi, peeled and sliced
Prepare the strawberry gelatin, add frozen berries, and let stand until thick. It doesn’t have to be congealed.
Put half the pudding in bowl; top with half of the cake broken in pieces. The next layer is half the strawberry gelatin, followed by half the blueberries, then strawberries in layers. Repeat the pudding, cake, gelatin, blueberries and strawberries in the second layer.
Top with the thawed whipped topping (or whipped cream).
Arrange kiwi slices on the topping around edge of bowl and sprinkle pecans in center.
Refrigerate at least an hour or overnight. Serves 18-20.