Strawberry Sheet Cake

Bursting with fresh strawberry flavor, this strawberry sheet cake is a must-bake, especially during strawberry season! Both the tender, moist cake and cream cheese frosting are flavored with pureed fresh strawberries that have been reduced down. The strawberry reduction eliminates the worry of excess moisture while packing in tons of strawberry flavor, all without any artificial flavorings. Enjoy this frosted sheet cake as-is or decorate it with fresh strawberries and edible flowers for a visually stunning dessert.

Hey there, and welcome back, friends.

You are in for a treat!

Some things are worth turning your oven on during the summer, and this is one of those! Today, we’re going to bake a luscious strawberry sheet cake.

I love incorporating fresh strawberries into my summer recipes. You can find a few of them here, like this No Bake Strawberry Cheecake that is perfect for when it’s too hot to bake, or this Strawberry Crumble, Fresh Strawberry Cake, or Homemade Strawberry Pie for when you’re craving a comforting dessert over the summer.

Sheet cakes are a classic way to bake a cake, and they’re perfect for weeknights with the family or bringing to a summer get-together.

This cake recipe uses fresh strawberries instead of frozen strawberries. You can use frozen strawberries in place of fresh ones in the strawberry reduction. Allow the frozen strawberries to thaw fully, then drain off any moisture before pureeing. They will take longer to reduce than fresh strawberries.

I highly suggest making the puree and following the directions to remove the extra moisture instead of adding chopped strawberries to the batter of the cake, because it will add too much moisture.

The process of cooking down the pureed strawberries into the strawberry reduction removes a lot of the moisture and allows you to pack in fresh strawberry flavor without affecting the texture of the cake.

I tested this cake both ways and preferred both the flavor and texture of the one made with the strawberry reduction. Additionally, adding the reduced puree enhances the cake with an intense strawberry flavor.

You can decorate this cake as simply or as fancy as you like. Of course, I went a little fancy by adding flowers.

You’ll find every bite of this cake is bursting with strawberry flavor. Since we used our little trick to reduce the moisture of the strawberries, the batter and the frosting aren’t soggy.

Serve this sheet cake on weeknights for your family or at gatherings. Everyone will love this moist and tender cake, topped with a rich cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

• fresh strawberries
• all-purpose flour
• cornstarch
• salt
• baking powder & baking soda
• whole milk
• unsalted butter
• granulated sugar & powdered sugar
• a few large eggs
• sour cream
• vanilla extract
• pink gel food coloring, optional
• cream cheese
• edible flowers, optional

How to Make Strawberry Sheet Cake

Make the strawberry reduction first. Add the rinsed and hulled strawberries to a blender or food processor. Puree the strawberries.

Put the pureed strawberries in a wide saucepan or skillet set over medium-low heat. Simmer the puree, stirring occasionally, until it reduces down to about a cup. You need some for the cake and some for the frosting. This process will take over half an hour.

Allow the reduced strawberry reduction to cool to room temperature before using it in the cake and frosting.

Preheat the oven and grease a rectangular baking pan with cooking spray or butter, then line the bottom with parchment, leaving an overhang on the sides to help with removal.

Sift the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda into a medium-sized bowl, then whisk to combine. Set aside.

Add some of the strawberry reduction to a small bowl, along with the whole milk. Whisk until combined, then set aside.

Add the butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium for a few minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated into the butter mixture before adding the next one.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and food coloring if using. Beat on medium for about a minute. Once the vanilla is added, the mixture might look split, but the cake will come together once the remaining ingredients are incorporated.

With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients. Once they are mostly combined, add the strawberry reduction and milk mixture.

Mix until mostly combined, then add the remaining dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, then scrape the bottom of the bowl.

Fold by hand a few times, making sure not to overmix. The batter will be thick and fairly smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.

Bake the cake in the preheated oven on the center rack until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Set the pan on a wire rack and allow the cake to cool in the pan completely before removing and frosting.

When you’re ready to frost the cake, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy. This should take a few minutes.

Beat in some of the strawberry reduction, the vanilla, and a pinch of salt. With the mixer on low, beat in the powdered sugar one cup at a time.

Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, beat on medium to medium-high speed for a few minutes, stopping once the frosting is smooth and creamy. It will be slightly less thick than traditional cream cheese frosting due to the addition of the strawberry reduction.

Use the parchment paper to carefully remove the cake from the pan. Set the cake on a rectangular board or platter then spread the frosting over the top.

Decorate with strawberries and edible flowers if desired.

Slice into 12 equal pieces and serve.

How to Store

Due to the fruit in the frosting, the cake will keep best in an airtight container in the fridge. Make sure to enjoy it within 3-4 days.

More Strawberry Recipes

These recipes are perfect for using up your fresh summer strawberries.

• Strawberry Fool with Mascarpone
• Strawberry Tiramisu
• Strawberry Trifle
• Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
• Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Frosting

What do you think of this amazing strawberry sheet cake recipe? What would you serve with a slice of this? Let me know in the comment section below. 

If you share across social media, make sure to tag #aclassictwist, so I can see your beautiful creation come to life!

Happy summer baking, friends!

Strawberry Sheet Cake Recipe