This frozen strawberry crunch cake is the perfect summer dessert! It’s a light strawberry cream cake with a fresh strawberry filling and a crispy crunchy base and topping. It’s easy to make, and it’s sure to be a hit with your friends and family.
Spread the Love
Treat yourself and your loved ones to this delicious and decadent Strawberry Sheet Cake. Our mouthwatering cake is made with love in every single bite.
If you look at some of my other recipes, you will see I love sheet cakes! They are easy to make cake, will feed a crowd and always so tasty. We made this cake a few times before deciding this was the best version. When I was growing up my mom made strawberry desserts every so often or just had cut up strawberries in the refrigerator. So strawberries always take me back to those times. Give this cake a try and let us know what you think.
This strawberry cake recipe is perfect for summertime gatherings or any time you crave a delicious dessert. Made with frozen strawberries and just a few other simple ingredients, this cake is relatively easy to prepare.
The cake is topped with luscious strawberry icing for even more strawberry flavor in every bite. This strawberry cake is sure to be a hit with family and friends!
I am not sure where this recipe for strawberry cake originated. It has been in my family for quite some time. I guess it doesn’t really matter where I got it because it is so delicious and it is easy to make.
I know that it is not as impressive as a beautifully decorated layered cake, but therein is part of the reason that it is so easy. Just bake the cake in a 9×13 pan, allow it to cool, and then frost it with the luscious strawberry cream cheese icing. Yum! Remember, in the long run, it is the taste that wins out.
📝Ingredients
- 1 box of white cake mix
- ⅔ cup oil
- 4 eggs
- 3-ounce package of strawberry gelatin
- ⅓ cup water
- 10-ounce package of frozen strawberries thawed and divided
Icing
- 8-ounce package of cream cheese
- 4 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 box (16 ounces) of powdered sugar
- 2 ounces reserved strawberries
👩🏻🍳How To Make Strawberry Cake
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9×13 pan with shortening and dust it with flour.
Mix cake mix, oil, eggs, gelatin, and water well. Add all but two tablespoons of strawberries to the cake mixture. (The two tablespoons are reserved for making the icing.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 33 minutes or until done. Allow the cake to cool completely
For the icing combine cream cheese, butter, reserved strawberries, and powdered sugar. Blend well. Spread on cooled cake. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Store the cake in the refrigerator.
✏️Recipe Notes
If you can’t find frozen strawberries, you can use fresh strawberries. Rinse 10 ounces of fresh strawberries, dice them, and sprinkle 2 tablespoons over the top. Stir. Let the strawberries macerate for at least 30 minutes before using them.
📖 Recipe
- box white cake mix
- thawed and divided
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix cake mix, oil, eggs, gelatin and water well. Reserve 2 Tbsp. strawberries for the icing. Add remaining strawberries to the cake mixture. Pour into a 9×13 pan that has been prepared. (Lightly grease the pan with shortening and dust with flour.)
- Bake for approximately 33 minutes or until done. Allow to cool completely
- For the icing combine cream cheese, butter, reserved strawberries, and powdered sugar. Blend well. Spread on cooled cake. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Store cake in refrigerator.
Be sure to come back and tell us how your strawberry cake turned out!
Reader Interactions
The Paula Deen strawberry cake looks so stunning, it’ll take your breath away. More importantly, it’s jaw-droppingly delicious.
It’s two layers of light, springy, and bouncy strawberry cakes with a delectable strawberry cream cheese frosting in between!
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Sweet, yet light and refreshing, it’s the perfect summer dessert.
Unlike other strawberry cakes that are only flavored with strawberry extract, this cake will blow you away.
It has a heavenly strawberry aroma and flavor.
With real strawberries both in the frosting and the cake, you’ll really taste the goodness of the berry in this dessert.
It sure looks gorgeous, but surprisingly, it’s a cinch to make. It’s so easy, in fact, that it only takes 30 minutes!
White Cake Mix – While this cake is homemade, we’re getting a bit of help from the good-old boxed cake.
Strawberry-Flavored Instant Gelatin – It’s the secret to making boxed cakes taste homemade! Using strawberry-flavored gelatin gives the cake a hint of strawberry flavor.
Frozen Strawberries In Syrup – This cake has strawberries in the cake itself, not just in the frosting! Thaw and puree the strawberries, so you’ll really be able to taste the strawberry in each bite.
Eggs – For binding the cake ingredients together.
Vegetable Oil – For an absolutely moist yet fluffy cake.
Water – The liquid ingredient that’ll help saturate the cake. You can use milk as well.
For the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Butter and Cream Cheese – Together, they make the base of the frosting. Be sure to use softened butter and cream cheese for a fluffy frosting.
Frozen Strawberries In Syrup – To give the frosting a full-on strawberry flavor.
Strawberry Extract – For just an extra pop of strawberry flavor.
Powdered Sugar – For sweetness. Don’t swap it out for granulated sugar, or else your frosting will be grainy.
Fresh Strawberries – To garnish the cake.
How to Make Paula Deen Strawberry Cake
1. Combine the white cake mix and gelatin. It all starts with these two. Gelatin helps boxed cake mixes turn into light and fluffy cakes, as opposed to dense and gummy.
2. Add the rest of the cake ingredients. The pureed strawberries, eggs, oil, and water. Beat them together until the batter is smooth. This will take about 1-2 minutes. Don’t over-mix! Stop as soon as the ingredients have fully combined.
3. Bake the cake. Pour the batter evenly into 2 greased 9-inch pans. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the centers of the cakes. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cakes are done.
Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then transfer onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Make the frosting. Beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Add the strawberry puree and extract for flavor.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, and continue to beat it until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
5. Assemble the cake. Place the first cake on your serving plate and spread some frosting evenly on top. Place the second layer of cake on top and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting.
Garnish with fresh strawberries on top, and voila!
Tips and Tricks for the Best Strawberry Cake
- Use room-temperature eggs, as they combine easily with other ingredients. If you forget to take them out of the fridge on time, simply submerge them in warm water for a few minutes.
- Don’t over-mix the batter! Stop beating as soon as the ingredients have been fully incorporated.
- Instead of greasing the pans with butter or non-stick spray, use parchment paper to line them instead for an easier cake release.
- Don’t over-bake the cake, otherwise, it’ll be dry and dense. Check the temperature of the oven once in a while and make sure it stays at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you’re using an old oven, I highly recommend you place a kitchen thermometer inside so you can monitor accordingly.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting, or else the frosting will melt.
- If the cakes are domed on top, cut a thin layer off the tops to make the cakes flat.
- Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the cake. Wipe it with a paper towel in between cutting for clean slices.
- For an extra dose of strawberry goodness, add a layer of strawberry jam in between the cakes.
- This recipe makes a 2-layer 9-inch cake. You can also use a 9×13-inch cake pan using the same recipe. Just cook for 40 minutes instead of just 20.
- This recipe can also make 30 cupcakes. Bake them for 20 to 22 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool in the fridge for at least 45 minutes to help it set. Otherwise, the cake might fall apart during slicing.
- Storage Instructions: cover the cake and refrigerate it for up to 5 days.
More Strawberry Desserts You’ll Love
Bisquick Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry Cheesecake Lasagna
Texas Roadhouse Strawberry Margaritas
Paula Deen Strawberry Cake (Simply Delicious Recipe)
Try this Paula Deen strawberry cake the next time you want to wow a crowd! With just 6 ingredients for the cake, you’ll have a refreshing summer dessert in no time flat.
- For the Cake:
- (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix
- (3-ounce) box strawberry-flavored instant gelatin
- (15-ounce) package thawed and pureed frozen strawberries in syrup
- For the Frosting:
- (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- thawed and pureed frozen strawberries in syrup
- Fresh strawberries, sliced, for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with butter or non-stick spray.
- Pour the cake batter evenly into the greased pans. Bake them for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Flip them over onto a wiring rack and cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting. In a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Beat in the strawberry puree and extract.
- With the mixer still running, add the powdered sugar gradually. Beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
- Assemble the cake. Place 1 of the cakes on a serving plate and frost with 1/3 of the frosting. Top with the 2nd cake and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Garnish with fresh strawberry slices. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until ready to serve. Enjoy!
🔪 How to make
Step 1Wash and dry the fresh strawberries, then cut them into pieces.
Step 2Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Fahrenheit).
Step 3Grease a shallow baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
Cooking instructions
Step 4Mix the butter crumb crust mixture of flour, nuts, brown sugar, and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Once the ingredients are incorporated, they should look like different-sized bread crumbs.
Step 5Spread crumb mixture into the baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until darkened in color.
Step 6In another mixing bowl, combine eggs whites with the sugar, berries, and fresh-squeezed lemon juice and beat on high with an electric mixer for 10 minutes until stiff peaks form.
Step 7Take the baking dish out of the oven and allow the crumb mixture to cool. Whisk the cream in a mixing bowl for 5 minutes until almost stiff peaks form, and fold that into the strawberry egg white filling until combined.
Step 9Freeze it for a minimum of 6 hours, and best results overnight covering with saran wrap.
Step 10Thaw it for 10 minutes before serving.
Strawberry Sheet Cake
Craving strawberries? This Strawberry Sheet Cake gives you intense strawberry satisfaction!
- white cake mix
- box strawberry Jello
- canola or vegetable oil
- fresh or frozen strawberries (1 cup for cake)
Strawberry Frosting
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9×13″ baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine cake mix, oil, eggs and jello.
- Rinse and remove tops from strawberries. Chop them into small pieces to make 1 cup. Stir in the chopped strawberries to the cake mixture.
- Spread cake mix into prepared baking dish. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until toothpick tests clean. Cool.
- Prepare ingredients for the strawberry frosting.
- Mash or puree strawberries for 1/4 cup.
- Whip butter in large bowl or stand mixer. Mix in 1 cup of powdered sugar and vanilla extract to the butter.
- Combine the rest of the powdered sugar, along with the strawberry puree until you have the wanted consistency.
- Spread onto cooled cake. Decorate top with more strawberries, if desired. Cut and enjoy!
strawberry cake, strawberry jello cake, strawberry sheet cake
📋 Recipe
- Stir together the first 4 ingredients and spread evenly in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a separate bowl, whip the cream until almost stiff, then fold gently into the berry mixture. Pour this over the crumbs in the baking dish, and spread evenly.
- Top with remaining crumble mixture and freeze 6 hours or overnight. Cut into squares and garnish with whole strawberries.
- Serve almost frozen.
No mixer, no problem!
If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can whisk the egg white, sugar, berries, and lemon juice by hand. It will take longer to reach stiff peaks, but it can be done.
You can use any type of nut in the crumb mixture, such as pecans, brazil nuts, almonds, or walnuts. They all add that needed crunch to the mixture and a bit of sweetness.
What ingredients do I need to make Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake?
- 1 boxed white cake mix
- 1 3 oz box strawberry Jello
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 16 oz fresh or frozen strawberries (1 cup chopped for cake)
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup strawberry puree
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla or strawberry extract
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Try one of my comfort dessert recipes for your next meal! And if you have any questions, I’m here to help!
🥗 What to serve with
Frozen strawberry crunch cake is best enjoyed on its own with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries, but if you’re having a kid’s party and need some additional easy desserts to whip up, check out these recipes.
Lemon meringue cupcakes
Cupcakes are always a great treat for kids, but combine them with meringue, and you get these zesty lemon meringue cupcakes. They are sweet, tarty, and sure to be a favorite with this strawberry crumb cake.
Chocolate eclairs
These French chocolate eclairs are light and airy with a smooth vanilla pastry cream filling. They are so moreish, and you prepare them days in advance without losing their texture.
No-bake peanut butter chocolate fudge
- You can use frozen strawberries in place of fresh, just thaw them in a colander first and drain well.
- If you do not have a food processor, you can mash the strawberries with a fork.
- To store, cover tightly and place in refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- To turn the cake into cupcakes, place batter into 24 muffin tins and bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees (until toothpick tests clean). Cool and frost.
📖 Recipe Variations
Crumb cake is such a versatile dessert that you can play with the texture and flavors using the same recipe and adding to it. Here are a few of my favorite variations.
Cream cheese filling
Whisk 1 package of softened cream cheese with the heavy cream mixture and incorporate the mixture with the strawberry mix. The addition of cream cheese gives this frozen cake a delicious cheesecake texture but without the base.
No-bake strawberry crumb cheesecake
If you want to turn this irresistible dessert into a cheesecake, you can, with 2 simple steps.
Simply pour ⅔ of the crumb mixture into the baking dish, press down until it’s compact, bake, and cool. Top with the cream cheese filling (above) and the remaining crumbs and freeze.
Strawberry crumb mousse
If you don’t want to wait 6 hours until it’s frozen, you could make a quick mousse without the egg whites.
Whisk the cream until stiff peaks, then mix squeezed lemon juice, sugar, and strawberries together. Gently fold the strawberry mix into the heavy cream mixture and pour it over the cooled crumbs in small jars or bowls. Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve.
🍽 Key ingredients
You will need a food processor to make the butter crumb crust and an electric whisker to make the fluffy strawberry cream mixture.
Strawberry filling – The filling is a simple mixture of whisked egg whites with sugar, lemon juice, and fresh strawberries. It’s sweet, light, and creamy with a lovely tartness from the lemon.
Bread crumb crust mixture – This is a classic butter crumb crust that’s made with flour, brown sugar, and nuts. It’s simple to make and gives the cake a lovely crunchy texture.
Whipping cream – This is used in the strawberry filling to create a light and fluffy mixture.
Substitutions
If you don’t have any fresh strawberries, you can use frozen ones instead. Just be sure to thaw them before using them so that they’re not too icy. 5 tablespoons of strawberry jam also work as a substitute.
You could also use raspberries or blueberries in this recipe instead of strawberries if you prefer.
If you’re not a fan of nuts, you can leave them out of the recipe or substitute them for another type of seed or grain, like sunflower seeds.
How do I make a strawberry sheet cake with Jello?
🧊 Storing
Frozen strawberry crunch cake is such an easy recipe to make and store for enjoying again and again.
Freezer – Tightly cover the dish with plastic wrap or use a freezer container to make the cake in, and freeze it for up to 6 months.
Check out these fantastic comfort food recipes, including my olive garden giant cheese stuffed shells and my texas chicken spaguetti recipe.
🙋 Frequently asked questions
The best way is to take it out of the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before eating it. It needs to be almost frozen, but not frozen enough that you can’t cut it with a knife.
Can I refrigerate strawberry crunch cake?
Yes, but the filling consistency will not be as firm as it would be when frozen, and it lasts longer when frozen. You can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
👪 Serving size
This frozen strawberry crunch cake yields 10 servings, which is great for big gatherings, and it’s so delicious you’ll want to make 2!
It’s a creamy frozen treat that can be enjoyed all year round. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a delicious, creamy cake that is sure to please everyone. Bon Appetit!
🌟 Why this recipe works
This recipe is a breeze to whip up at home for home cooks as long as you have an electric whisker. All you need to do is whip the fluffy strawberry cream mixture together and make a crunchy butter crumb crust mixture.
The creamy strawberry filling gives this cake a lovely sweetness, while the lemon juice adds a tart and juicy contrast. The nuts add a lovely crunchy texture to the base, making this dessert simply irresistible and an all-around winner.
You’ll have it ready in 25 minutes from start to finish! You can even get the kids involved with this easy dessert because it’s fun and delicious to eat the fresh strawberries and cream mixture at the same time as preparing the strawberry crunch cake. Fan of lemon? You should try my lemoncello tiramisu. So yum!
Homemade frozen cake is great for making ahead of time too, as it’s easy to prepare, freeze, and defrost when you have guests over and fancy a delicious piece of cake to go with that coffee.
The best part of this recipe is everything is homemade, so it will taste much better than store-bought frozen cakes.