Contributed photo Sensible chocolate cake with strawberry topping, made special for mom. (Click for larger image)

Let her eat cake!

Spoil Mom with delectable cake recipes from Weight Watchers.

This year, on Mother’s Day, bake her a cake to show her how much you care. Remember all of the birthday cakes or freshly baked cookies she slaved over when you were, growing up? Now is your chance turn the tables and show how much you appreciate her. With delicious recipes from Weight Watchers, you can warm Mom’s heart and keep her fit and trim all at once.

The Fresh Peach Cake is perfect for fruit lovers and so delicious and refreshing that your mom may even ask for the recipe. If she loves cheesecake, the rich and creamy Pineapple-Topped Sour Cream Cheesecake will hit the spot. And the Chocolate Angel Food Cake with Macerated Strawberries is ideal for chocolate lovers (recipe on page 27).

“For all of those times Mom said eat your veggies,” said Maria Walls, Senior Nutritionist for Weight Watchers International, “Mother’s Day is the perfect time to show her how much you appreciate her wisdom. A low-fat cake not only says ‘I love you,’ but also ‘you taught me well.’”

Weight Watchers offers these tips for a healthy and happy Mother’s Day:

1. Give the gift of time. Every mom looks forward to a quiet moment to herself, so on Mother’s Day, grant her that wish. Promise her a day or night where she won’t have to lift a finger. She’ll be grateful!
2. Surprise her with breakfast in bed. What better way to start Mother’s Day than with a delicious, healthy breakfast in bed? Cook up low-fat dishes such as an egg-white omelet, oatmeal or turkey sausage. She’ll love being waited on hand and foot.
3. Hit the town with mom. See a play, get a manicure, take in a concert, go away together for the weekend—just get out and share a common experience. You’ll get a chance to catch up with each other and will create memories to last a lifetime.
4. Take a leisurely stroll. When the kids-are running around and she needs a break, usher her out the back door and take a good long walk together. Not only will you have the chance to exercise, you can chat along the way. Strive to make the walk not just an annual tradition, but a weekly or even daily one as well.
5. Let her know how much she means to you. Take the focus off of food by giving non-edible, heart-felt gifts. Make a photo album of pictures of the two of you or write her a card expressing your gratitude. Treat harried moms to a spa service, like a massage. And of course, tell her how much you love her over and over again!

CHOCOLATE ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH MACERATED STRAWBERRIES

Number of Servings: 12
POINTS ® per serving: 3.

This cake may be made a day ahead and store, covered, at room temperature. The strawberries can also be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated. If you are not a chocolate fan, but love angel food cake, simply omit the cocoa powder.

1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
10 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 pints strawberries, stemmed and sliced, about 6 cups
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Combine the flour and cocoa powder in a small bowl, sift twice. With an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until thick and foamy. Gradually sprinkle in 11/2 cups of the sugar, the cream of tartar and salt; continue beating until the egg whites form medium peaks, 3-5 minutes.
3. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, gently folding each addition into the whites with a rubber spatula until well combined. Fold in the vanilla.
4. Pour the batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan or angel food cake pan. Tap the pan lightly on the counter to help remove air bubbles; smooth the top of the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan, 35-40 minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely in pan on a rack. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and remove the side of the pan. Run the knife under the bottom of the cake and the center tube. Invert the cake on to a serving plate.
5. To prepare the strawberries, combine the strawberries, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, the orange juice and zest in a bowl. Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight, stirring occasionally.

Per serving (1/12 cake and generous 1/2 cup strawberries): 169 Calories, 1 g Total Fat, 0 g Saturated Fat, 0 mg Cholesterol, 96 mg Sodium, 38 g Total Carbohydrate, 2 g Dietary Fiber, 4 g Protein, 14 mg Calcium.

Recipe from Weight Watchers Simply Delicious Winning Points Cookbook© 2002 by Weight Watchers International, Inc.