Sak's 5th Avenue Strawberry and Lemon Trifle

Syrup:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Pudding:
2 (3.3 ounce) packages lemon pudding or lemon mousse mix

Fruit:
2 1/2 pints fresh strawberries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1 (16 ounce) all butter pound or angel food cake

Topping:
3 cups whipped cream

For Syrup: Combine sugar, lemon juice and water in a small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 1 minute. Cover and chill.

For pudding: Prepare pudding as package direction states. Transfer to small individual dessert bowls, only filling 1/4 of the bowls full. Chill until set.

For fruit and topping: Roughly chop strawberries then divide and mash one half of the strawberries. Then combine the mashed and chopped strawberries with 1/3 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan on medium heat and simmer for about two minutes.

Cut cake crosswise into 8 pieces. Cut each piece into 3 strips. Layer cake sections on top of set pudding, trimming to fit. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons lemon syrup, then the stewed strawberries. Repeat layering.

Top with generous amounts of whipping cream.

Garnish with strawberry slices or mint sprigs.