Strawberries and cream cake

Benjamin decided he wanted to make a cake for FHE the other day and this is what he picked.  We didn't have fresh strawberries to garnish it, or the strawberry syrup to go in it, but I knew I could do the same thing as a jello cake, so this is a combination of the cream part of strawberries and cream cake and a jello cake.  .  The recipe idea came from a Betty Crocker magazine that I have from last year. It was much more fancy having a strawberry topping of strawberries, strawberry jam, and sugar and lime twists.  We didn't do that part.
This cake was nice because it was cold and it has been hot outside.  The kids had it for snack yesterday and today after school.  This is how we made it.

Ingredients

• 1 box french vanilla cake mix
• 1 1/4 cups half and half
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 package strawberry jello (I used sugar free because that is what I use.)
• 1 cup water
• 1 container cool whip, thawed

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350.  Spray bottom and sides of 9 X 13 pan with baking spray with flour.
2. In a large bowl, beat cake mix, half and half, oil, and eggs on low until combined, then on medium for 2 minutes until smooth.  Pour into pan
3. Bake (directions say 25-30 minutes it took me more like 40-45) until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 20 minutes. 
4. Make Jello syrup by combining hot water with jello and stirring until dissolved.   Poke cake every inch with tines of a meat fork or a table knife.  
5. Pour syrup slowly over cake making sure to pour into the holes and not down the side of the cake.  Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours until completely cool.  
6. Top cake with cool whip.