Strawberry Crunch Cake – It Will Bring Back Memories
Strawberry Crunch Cake is a soft, moist strawberry cake topped with creamy frosting and a buttery strawberry-cookie crunch. This nostalgic dessert brings back memories of classic strawberry shortcake ice cream bars and is perfect for birthdays, summer gatherings, potlucks, and family celebrations.
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake
- 1 box strawberry cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup milk
- 1 package strawberry gelatin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Creamy Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Strawberry Crunch Topping
- 20 Cookies Golden vanilla sandwich
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Garnish
- 6 fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake Batter: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Combine the strawberry cake mix, eggs, melted butter, milk, strawberry gelatin, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Beat until the batter is smooth and evenly combined.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the strawberry batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly. Bake for about 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Make the Frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then mix in the vanilla extract and heavy cream. Beat until creamy and smooth.
- Prepare the Strawberry Crunch: Place the vanilla cookies and freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor. Pulse until you have coarse crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and pulse briefly until the mixture is evenly combined.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake has completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the entire surface using an offset spatula.
- Add the Strawberry Crunch: Sprinkle the strawberry crunch mixture generously over the frosting. Gently press the crumbs into the frosting so they stay in place.
- Garnish and Chill: Decorate the cake with fresh strawberries. Refrigerate the finished cake for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftover Strawberry Crunch Cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Crunchy Topping: For the best texture, keep the strawberry crunch topping as coarse crumbs rather than processing it into a fine powder.
- Cooling: Make sure the cake is completely cool before adding the frosting. A warm cake can soften the frosting and make decorating difficult.
- Make Ahead: The cake can be baked ahead of time and refrigerated until you're ready to frost and decorate it.
- Serving: Serve chilled or let the cake sit at room temperature briefly before serving for a softer frosting texture.
Nutrition Facts
- Protein: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 65 g
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Sugar: 45 g
Fiber: 2 g - Sodium: 430 mg