Retro-style Strawberry Sheet Cake is a simple sheet cake recipe that takes only 30 minutes to make. This moist, light and fluffy cake is made with fresh strawberries and the most delectable, roll your eyes back, strawberry & cream cheese frosting.
Strawberry Sheet Cake isn’t just a pink cake – it’s all about texture, lightness and celebration of spring. I also wanted to make a really simple, but flavorful sheet cake, with strawberries, some jello and cream cheese. And this is it! This is as simple as it gets.
Simply delicious and easy to make too! Bonus: it kept well overnight and didn’t crust up at all.
Strawberry Sheet Cake
Equipment
- baking sheet
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake
- 1 cup strawberry puree, from about 2 cups fresh strawberries chopped
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon strawberry jello powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ canola oil
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon strawberry jello powder
Garnish
- fresh strawberries, halved or sliced
- extra freeze-dried strawberry dust
- Edible flowers like chamomile
Instructions
Strawberry Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch cake pan and line with parchment paper if desired.
- Add the strawberries to a food processor and pulse until pureed.In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and strawberry jello powder.
- In a large bowl, beat butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and strawberry puree. Mix until smooth.
- Gradually add dry ingredients, alternating with milk, mixing until just combined.Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool while making the frosting.
Frosting
- Pulse freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until they become a fine powder.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, vanilla extract, and butter until smooth.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, then the freeze dried strawberry powder, and strawberry jello powder.
- Beat until light and fluffy.
Assembly
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
- Top with fresh strawberries and a dusting of freeze-dried strawberry powder if desired. Slice and enjoy!
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. This information comes from online calculators. Although whatsinthepan.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake
- Fresh strawberries — We will be making puree out of them.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder and salt
- Strawberry jello powder — Use powder straight out of jello box
- Butter — Use softened unsalted butter
- Canola oil — Olive oil will be fine as well, even color wise, it’s only ½ cup.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs — Try to use large eggs in order to keep the cake moist and fluffy
- Vanilla extract
- Milk — Whole milk works best due to higher saturated fat content.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Freeze-dried strawberries
- Cream cheese, softened
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Strawberry jello powder
For garnish, I used fresh strawberries, freeze-dried strawberry dust and any edible flowers like chamomile.
How to make strawberry cake step by step
Prepare the cake pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. and grease a 9×13 inch cake pan with oil. Alternatively, you can line it with parchment paper.
Make strawberry puree: Add the strawberries to a food processor and pulse until pureed.
Prepare cake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and strawberry jello powder. In a different and larger bowl, beat butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and strawberry puree.
Mix until smooth and gradually add dry ingredients, alternating with milk, mixing until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the cake: and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool while making the frosting.
How to make strawberry frosting
Make strawberry powder: Pulse freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until they become a fine powder. This is the step that gives you a much more punchy strawberry flavor.
Make cream cheese mixture: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, vanilla extract, and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, then the freeze dried strawberry powder, and strawberry jello powder. Beat until light and fluffy.
How to assemble the cake
Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Top with fresh strawberries and a dusting of freeze-dried strawberry powder if desired.
FAQ
Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh? Yes, you can! Just thaw them fully and drain off excess liquid before blending. Keep in mind that frozen berries may yield a slightly looser texture and more intense flavor.
Where can I buy freeze dried strawberries? Any grocery store, or stores like Home Goods, TJ Maxx or Trader’s Joe carries freeze dried strawberries. Freeze Dried Strawberries are strawberry slices that have undergone a special freeze-drying process so they remain extremely flavorful, but unlike so many conventionally dried berries, they’re free of added sugar.
How long does this pie keep in the refrigerator? For the best flavor and texture, enjoy within 1 week. Be sure to wrap it well to prevent flavor mix-up with other items in the fridge.
Can I make this ahead of time? Absolutely. This cake is ideal for making a day or two in advance. Just let it sit at room temperature for no longer than 24 hours before serving.
Your ingredient list is missing the “oil and butter” for the cake??
You are right, Brett – I missed it. It’s 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup canola oil.
I updated the recipe card. Thank you!!!
I made this late last night because I was so hungry -!freeze dried strawberries are really the key. Thanks
Love freeze dried fruit in general!