Grandma’s Famous Jello Dessert

Family Recipe Credit: Lucia de Leyva

This delicious jello cake is one that is sure to leave you drooling for more. Grandma Lucy makes this dessert for every birthday, Christmas, and family celebration. It is a favorite among my family and I hope you will enjoy making and eating it too! 

Prepping Your Ingredients…

The cake is made up of three layers: the pound cake layer (bottom), the “cream” layer (middle), and the peach layer (top). Start by preparing both boxes of the flavored jello according to the instructions. Put it in the refrigerator for about one hour, but do not let it get hard.

To prepare some ingredients, empty out your peaches into a bowl and set aside the water in the can for later use. Grab one halve peach and cut it into small cubes. Cut the rest of the peaches into slices to decorate the top of the dessert later on and set this aside.

Start with the Bottom Layer

Cut the pound cake into thin slices and place it as a bottom layer on your pan. Make sure that there are no holes in your base and that the layers are not so thin that they will break. Gradually pour one ounce of red wine mixed with one ounce of water to moisten and strengthen the pound cake. Place it in the fridge. 

Move on to the Middle Layer

You will begin making the “cream” layer by putting the cream cheese and whipping cream in a bowl and beating it with a mixer. Slowly add in the sugar. 

The next step for this middle layer involves the unflavored jello. Pour three small envelopes of unflavored gelatin into a bowl. Add in ¼ cup of boiling water (if it does not dissolve, heat this in the microwave for 20 seconds). Once it dissolves, pour in ¼ cup of peach water from the can. 

With a spatula, combine the unflavored jello and the diced peaches with the bowl containing the cream cheese mixture. 

Take out your pan with the poundcake base and pour the mixture onto it. Spread evenly and leave it to harden in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Time for the Top Layer

Get the flavored jello you made at the beginning. When it is at the desired consistency (not hard or runny), pour half of it on the middle layer. Take it back to the fridge until the jello is hard. Leave the other half of the flavored jello outside.

Take it out and put the sliced peaches on top in a decorative way. Then, pour the remaining flavored jello on top. This goes back in the fridge one last time until it is completely set. The jello should not be liquid, so it will keep its shape.

Run a thin knife around the dessert before you open the latch on your pan. The base of the cake pan stays with the dessert.

I hope you enjoyed using our cherished family recipe! 

Ingredients

• 1 pound cake

• 1 oz of red wine with 1 oz of water

• 1 large can of halved peaches

• 2 small boxes of flavored jello (orange or strawberry)

• 3 small envelopes of unflavored jello

• 16 oz of cream cheese

• 16 oz of whipping cream

• 1 cup of sugar

Materials

• Cutting board and knife

• Can opener 

• Bowls 

• Spatula 

• Measuring cup(s)

• Mixer 

• Cake pan with latch (removable sides)

• dessert
• diy
• family
• jell-o
• recipe