Best Strawberry Sheet Cake Recipe with Cream Cheese
If you’re looking for the best strawberry sheet cake recipe, this one has a fresh strawberry flavor and is a soft, tender and rich cake. It’s a great way to use up leftover strawberries, cream cheese, or even a bit of extra flour from other baking projects. Perfect for spring and summer gatherings, this fresh strawberry sheet cake is a huge hit at baby showers, wedding showers, barbecues, and church dinners.
How to Make Strawberry Sheet Cake
This simple cake comes together quickly using fresh or frozen strawberries. The cake batter combines ingredients like room-temperature butter and cream cheese to create a light vanilla cake batter for a fluffy strawberry cake. And by the way, if you love strawberries, try my strawberry rhubarb muffins. So good!
Ingredients
The ingredients for this homemade strawberry cake are pantry staples with a few fresh additions. I use strawberries both in the batter and in the strawberry syrup or sauce. If I leave the lumps of strawberries in the liquid, I call it sauce. If it’s smooth, I call it strawberry syrup!
- Vegetable oil – Adds moisture and richness.
- Cream cheese – Helps create a soft, tender cake texture.
- Granulated sugar – Used in both the batter and for sprinkling on top.
- Milk – Helps create a smooth, pourable batter.
- Eggs – Provide structure and moisture.
- Vanilla extract – Enhances the cake’s sweet strawberry flavor.
- All-purpose flour – The main dry ingredient for the cake structure.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness.
- Baking powder – Helps the cake rise.
- Fresh strawberries – Used in both the batter and as a topping.
Instructions
This fluffy strawberry cake is simple to make. Bake it in a prepared 9 x 12 casserole, cake pan or deep sheet pan for easy serving.
- Prepare the strawberry sauce: Combine diced strawberries, sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the strawberries break down and the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Preheat the oven: Set to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9×13-inch cake pan with parchment paper.
- Make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing at low speed until it is just combined.
- Add milk: Stir in milk to achieve a smooth batter.
- Prepare for baking: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Evenly distribute the sliced fresh berries over the top and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake: Place in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cake to cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Want another old-fashioned strawberry dessert idea? Try this vintage strawberry blackberry crumble.
Pretty Garnish Ideas for Strawberry Sheet Cake
Make your strawberry sheet cake extra special with beautiful edible garnishes. Drizzle strawberry syrup over the top for added sweetness and a vibrant color.
Choose edible flowers like pansies or chamomile for a delicate, spring-like touch. Make candied lemons or strawberries for a pop of flavor and texture. If you prefer, pick fresh mint leaves for the top of your strawberry cake. They offer an unusual color contrast with a bright green color to complement the strawberry sheet cake.
Tips for Making This with Fresh Strawberries
Using fresh berries gives the best flavor and texture. Make sure to select ripe, juicy strawberries for the freshest taste.
For a smooth consistency, puree the strawberries in a food processor. Then gently fold the fresh pureed strawberries into the batter to avoid overmixing. When you do this, you will get a pink batter.
I’ve also made this strawberry slab cake by just dicing or slicing the strawberries. Then you get a white cake batter dotted with pretty pink strawberry pieces.
Making This Recipe With Frozen Strawberries
If fresh berries aren’t available, frozen strawberries work well as long as you remember a few things. First, thaw those strawberries completely.
Next, drain any excess liquid. You can use a food processor to blend them into a smooth puree. Make sure to taste it, as you may want to add some sugar if the frozen berries are too tart.
Substitutions and Alternate Ingredients
This strawberry sheet cake recipe is flexible, so you can swap ingredients based on personal preference.
- Coconut oil can replace vegetable oil with a slightly different flavor.
- Greek yogurt or mascarpone can be a substitute for cream cheese.
- Almond flour or a gluten-free flour blend can replace all-purpose flour, but you may have to add a bit more liquid so the cake doesn’t get too dry.
- Strawberry gelatin or strawberry powder can boost the strawberry flavor.
Baking Times for Layer Cake and Cupcakes
Don’t want a large strawberry slab cake? No worries.
If you want to make this as an 8-inch layer cake, divide the batter evenly between two greased and parchment-lined cake pans. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
For 24 cupcakes, line a muffin tin with cupcake liners, fill each about two-thirds full, and bake at the same temperature for 18-22 minutes. Then, check for doneness with a toothpick.
The Best Strawberry Sheet Cake
This homemade strawberry sheet cake recipe is a great way to use up extra ingredients like strawberries, cream cheese, and flour. Whether you serve it for a spring or summer celebration, this cake’s sweet strawberry flavor and tender texture make it a huge hit.
Store leftovers in an airtight container or wrap them in plastic wrap to enjoy later. Happy baking!
Strawberry Sheet Cake FAQs
Have questions about this recipe? Here are the most common ones answered. If you don’t see your question here, leave it in the comments!
How Can I Turn This Into a Lemon Strawberry Cake Recipe?
Add two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and one teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter for a bright citrus flavor. Replace half of the vanilla extract with lemon extract for a stronger lemon flavor.
You can also add a lemon glaze on top of the cake by whisking powdered sugar and lemon juice together before drizzling it over the cooled cake. And if you want another old-fashioned style lemon cake, try my Copycat Lemon Nothing Bundt Cake recipe.
How Can I Make a Simple Strawberry Cake Filling for a Layer Cake?
To turn this into a strawberry layer cake, prepare a simple strawberry cake filling (it’s old-fashioned strawberry sauce) by combining 1 1/2 cups of fresh pureed strawberries with 1/4 cup sugar and one tablespoon of cornstarch. Combine in a saucepan over medium heat.
Stir until thickened, then let cool before spreading between cake layers. This filling adds a fresh strawberry flavor and a deliciously moist texture to your homemade strawberry cake.
Can I Make This Recipe with Frozen Strawberries?
Yes! If using frozen strawberries, thaw them first and drain excess liquid to prevent a soggy batter. You can also use freeze-dried strawberries ground into a fine powder for a more intense strawberry flavor.
How Can I Turn This Into a Strawberry Poke Cake?
To make a strawberry poke cake, bake the sheet cake as directed and let it cool slightly. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes evenly across the top of the cake.
Warm strawberry jam or pureed fresh strawberries and pour it over the cake, letting it seep into the holes for added moisture and flavor. Then let it set before topping it with plain cream cheese icing, buttercream icing, strawberry cream cheese frosting or whipped cream.
What Can I Serve with This Strawberry Sheet Cake?
This old-fashioned strawberry sheet cake recipe is so versatile. It’s just the thing to serve at a shower, church dinner, or a barbeque. It pairs well with
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream
- Whipped cream
- A drizzle of strawberry jam
- Fresh berries on top of the cake
- A cup of coffee or iced tea
We’ve also enjoyed it with homemade custard. I think vanilla pudding could also work.
Can I Use a Strawberry Cake Mix Instead?
Yes, go ahead and substitute a white cake mix or strawberry cake mix for the dry ingredients if you’re pinched for time. Or if you’re trying to use up that cake mix before it expires. Honestly, I do prefer my cream cheese strawberry cake recipe instead.
If you go with the cake mix, just follow the package instructions. Then, fold in the sliced strawberries before baking.
Strawberry Sheet Cake with Strawberry Sauce
Equipment
- 9 x 16 cake pan
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 1/3 cup coconut oil or any other vegetable oil or butter
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups sugar for the batter
- 1/4 cup sugar for sprinkling
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries sliced
- For the strawberry sauce:
- 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries diced
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Prepare the strawberry sauce:
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add the diced strawberries, sugar, and water.
- Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries start to break down and the mixture thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Prepare the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 24 x 34 cm (9 x 13 inch) baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, eggs, 1 1⁄2 cups of sugar, coconut oil and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Then, fold in the flour, salt, and baking powder with a spatula until fully incorporated.
- Finally, add the milk and mix until the batter is smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet and evenly distribute the sliced strawberries on top. Sprinkle with 1⁄4 cup of sugar.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool slightly before slicing.
- Serve:
- Cut into portions and serve with the strawberry sauce and a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.
