For the syrup, start by placing the diced strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water into a medium saucepan. Set it over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. As the mixture heats up, you'll notice the strawberries start to soften, and their juices will be released. Continue this for about 4 to 6 minutes.
Once the strawberries are softened and the juices are well extracted, reduce the heat slightly. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of water with cornstarch until well blended. Pour this mixture into the cooking strawberries.
Let the syrup boil until thickened, which should take about 1 minute. After that, remove it from heat and cool slightly. You can add a few drops of red food coloring if you want the syrup to have a more vibrant color, but that is entirely optional.
Next, heat a non-stick griddle to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. While the griddle is heating, prepare the French toast mixture. In a blender, combine the milk, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pulse just until blended. Alternatively, you can whisk these ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
Pour the mixture into a shallow dish, like an 8 by 8-inch baking dish. Now, take about 6 pieces of angel food cake and gently place them into the egg mixture. Be careful not to overcrowd, as they need space to soak. Allow them to soak for about 2 and a half minutes on each side. The center won’t soak through, but you want a good coating on the outside.
After soaking, it’s time to cook! Add a bit of butter to the griddle, and then place the soaked angel food cake pieces onto the griddle. Cook them for several minutes until the bottom is golden brown. Keep an eye on them, as you want them perfectly cooked without burning.
Once the bottom side is golden brown, carefully lift the pieces, add more butter to the griddle, and flip them over to cook the other side. Don’t forget to also cook the top and edges for about 30 seconds each side so they’re evenly toasted.
Repeat the process with the remaining slices of angel food cake. When all slices are cooked, serve them warm with the prepared warm strawberry syrup drizzled over the top and a dollop of whipped cream.
