This Strawberries and Cream Cake is a light and fluffy strawberry cake made with simple ingredients, filled with fresh strawberries and topped with a fresh whipped cream cheese frosting with strawberries and a touch of lemon. A great recipe for a crowd and the perfect cake for strawberry season.


Strawberries and Cream Cake slice

STRAWBERRY AND CREAM CAKE

How was your Mother’s Day? Mother’s Day for me is a mixture of emotions. I’m very mindful of the people in my life who have lost their moms, lost a child, or aren’t able to have children. Thinking of them makes my heart hurt. So I hold all of that emotion with me going into Mother’s Day.

Not to mention the many things I could be doing better. Did I half listen when my son was telling me his long (very long) story about a game he was playing? Do I wish sometimes that I could listen to the radio instead of Frozen on repeat in the car? Do I wish I could go to Target alone. Very alone. YES.

My husband leaned over and kissed me and said, “Happy Mother’s Day. You deserve it.” 

I said, “Do I?” and laughed. I expressed my insecurities about the day and he told me I was way too hard on myself. He’s probably right. All you can do it try. Wake up every morning and recommit to trying. My mom was the epitome of patience and selflessness so it’s hard to measure myself against her.

I’ve been wanting to make a homemade strawberry cream cake recipe for a while. This cake is unbelievably light and fluffy. So fluffy that I had a hard time cutting a pretty piece. Cake flour is used in this cake to give it it’s incredibly tender crumb. I don’t always have cake flour on hand so I provided a substitute in the notes. But if you can, buy cake flour.

Strawberries and Cream Cake batter in a bowl

You know how sometimes cakes have a slight strawberry flavor. Not this one.  The best cakes have a vibrant strawberry flavor and that’s exactly what this had.

Strawberries and Cream Cake in a pan
Although this cake is called a sheet cake, it’s baked in a 9×13 baking dish or cake pan. I think the proper name for a cake that’s not layered is a sheet cake. I’m not all that proper so I was a little confused at first too.

Strawberries and Cream Cake with a slice out

HOW TO MAKE STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM CAKE

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with shortening and line with parchment paper, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over long sides. Lightly grease paper with cooking spray. Use this method if you plan on inverting the cake on to a serving plate.
  2. Beat butter and sugar for 4 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until well blended. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.
  3. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, strawberry-flavored gelatin, baking soda, and salt; Add the flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low until ingredients are just barely combined. Stir in the strawberries. Spread batter in prepared pan.
  4. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Lift cake from pan, using parchment paper sides as handles. Invert cake onto wire rack; gently remove parchment paper. Or just leave in the pan if you chose that option. Cool completely (about 1 hour). Spread frosting on top.
  5. For the frosting: Make sure your cream cheese is really soft. Stir the jello into the cream cheese. Add the strawberries and beat until blended.
  6. In a separate bowl, beat the cream and lemon juice at medium speed until foamy; increase speed to medium-high, and slowly add 3/4 cup powdered sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold half of cream mixture into cheese mixture; fold in remaining cream mixture. Frost cooled cake immediately. Keep cake refrigerated until serving.

Buttermilk Substitute

Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to a measuring cup. Fill the measuring cup up with milk until it reaches the 1 cup line. Let sit 5 minutes or until mixture looks slightly curdled. You can also use lemon juice but vinegar is better.

Cake Flour Substitute

For every cup of flour you need to substitute do this:
Measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and return to your flour bag. Replace the removed flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift the flour several times to incorporate the mixture completely.

OTHER STRAWBERRY RECIPES

Strawberries and Cream Sheet Cake | The Girl Who Ate Everything

Strawberries and Cream Sheet Cake

4.49 from 31 votes
This Strawberries and Cream Cake is a light and fluffy strawberry cake filled with fresh strawberries and topped with a fresh whipped cream cheese frosting with strawberries and a touch of lemon.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 15 servings

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour, see notes for substitute
  • 2 tablespoons instant strawberry-flavored gelatin mix
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk, see notes for substitute
  • 2/3 cup diced fresh strawberries

Frosting:

  • 1 8- oz. package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon instant strawberry flavored gelatin mix, (JELLO)
  • 2/3 cup diced fresh strawberries
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13- x 9-inch baking dish (although the title says sheet cake it's referring to a non-layered cake. Do not use a jelly roll pan) with shortening and line with parchment paper, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over long sides. Lightly grease paper with cooking spray. Use this method if you plan on inverting the cake on to a serving plate. If you want to serve it out of the pan, just generously grease the pan.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer for 4 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until well blended. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, strawberry-flavored gelatin, baking soda, and salt; Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until ingredients are just barely combined. Stir in the strawberries. Pour batter in prepared pan.
  • Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and cake springs back to the touch. You may need to cover the cake after 30 minutes with foil to make sure it doesn't brown too much. Cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Lift cake from pan, using parchment paper sides as handles. Invert cake onto wire rack; gently remove parchment paper. Or just leave in the pan if you chose that option. Cool completely (about 1 hour). Spread frosting on top.
  • For the frosting: Make sure your cream cheese is really soft. Stir the jello into the cream cheese. Add the strawberries and beat until blended.
  • In a separate bowl, beat whipping cream and lemon juice at medium speed until foamy; add 3/4 cup powdered sugar, beat at high speed until soft peaks form. Fold half of cream mixture into cheese mixture; fold in remaining cream mixture. Frost cooled cake immediately. Keep cake refrigerated until serving. Cut with a serrated knife to serve.

Notes

Buttermilk Substitute: Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to a measuring cup. Fill the measuring cup up with milk until it reaches the 1 cup line. Let sit 5 minutes or until mixture looks slightly curdled. You can also use lemon juice but vinegar is better.
Cake Flour Substitute: For every cup of flour you need to substitute do this:
Measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and return to your flour bag. Replace the removed flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift the flour several times to incorporate the mixture completely.
Adapted from: Myrecipes
Serving: 1grams
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Strawberries and Cream Cake

Other Strawberry Recipes You Might Like:

strawberry-shortcake

Strawberry Shortcake With Almond Glaze

 cheesecake-strawberries-001

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Strawberries and Cream Sheet Cake | The Girl Who Ate Everything

Strawberries and Cream Sheet Cake

4.49 from 31 votes
This Strawberries and Cream Cake is a light and fluffy strawberry cake filled with fresh strawberries and topped with a fresh whipped cream cheese frosting with strawberries and a touch of lemon.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 15 servings

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour, see notes for substitute
  • 2 tablespoons instant strawberry-flavored gelatin mix
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk, see notes for substitute
  • 2/3 cup diced fresh strawberries

Frosting:

  • 1 8- oz. package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon instant strawberry flavored gelatin mix, (JELLO)
  • 2/3 cup diced fresh strawberries
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13- x 9-inch baking dish (although the title says sheet cake it's referring to a non-layered cake. Do not use a jelly roll pan) with shortening and line with parchment paper, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over long sides. Lightly grease paper with cooking spray. Use this method if you plan on inverting the cake on to a serving plate. If you want to serve it out of the pan, just generously grease the pan.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer for 4 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until well blended. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.
  • In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, strawberry-flavored gelatin, baking soda, and salt; Add the dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until ingredients are just barely combined. Stir in the strawberries. Pour batter in prepared pan.
  • Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and cake springs back to the touch. You may need to cover the cake after 30 minutes with foil to make sure it doesn't brown too much. Cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Lift cake from pan, using parchment paper sides as handles. Invert cake onto wire rack; gently remove parchment paper. Or just leave in the pan if you chose that option. Cool completely (about 1 hour). Spread frosting on top.
  • For the frosting: Make sure your cream cheese is really soft. Stir the jello into the cream cheese. Add the strawberries and beat until blended.
  • In a separate bowl, beat whipping cream and lemon juice at medium speed until foamy; add 3/4 cup powdered sugar, beat at high speed until soft peaks form. Fold half of cream mixture into cheese mixture; fold in remaining cream mixture. Frost cooled cake immediately. Keep cake refrigerated until serving. Cut with a serrated knife to serve.

Notes

Buttermilk Substitute: Add 1 tablespoon vinegar to a measuring cup. Fill the measuring cup up with milk until it reaches the 1 cup line. Let sit 5 minutes or until mixture looks slightly curdled. You can also use lemon juice but vinegar is better.
Cake Flour Substitute: For every cup of flour you need to substitute do this:
Measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and return to your flour bag. Replace the removed flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift the flour several times to incorporate the mixture completely.
Adapted from: Myrecipes
Serving: 1grams
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert