This strawberry sheet cake is so easy to make! It’s light and tender, using strawberry milk for the strawberry flavor in the cake and topped with a delicious homemade strawberry puree. This will be your go to no fuss cake recipe all summer long!
Jump to Recipe
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE STRAWBERRY SHEET CAKE FROM SCRATCH?
This strawberry sheet cake uses strawberry milk as the flavor and a roasted strawberry puree int he frosting which is tart and sweet and gives this cake a balanced strawberry flavor without being too overpowering.
No other special ingredients are required other than your standard baking ingredients.
Make sure you add these ingredients to your grocery list!
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup strawberry milk
- ¼ cup neutral oil (vegetable, grapeseed, canola)
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Ingredients to make Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup of roasted strawberry puree (see notes) or strawberry jam
HOW DO I MAKE STRAWBERRY SHEET CAKE FROM SCRATCH?
This strawberry cake is so simple to make from scratch and bakes into a sheet pan. It’s a quick and easy cake to decorate and enjoy for any celebration this summer like birthday parties, 4th of July, Summer BBQs. Read through each step before you start baking!
Strawberry Sheet Cake Instructions
- Line a 9×13 baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the sides with oil.
- Add the dry ingredients (Flour, sugar, baking powder, salt) to a mixing bowl
- With the mixer on low speed, add the butter pieces one at a time. Mix until fully incorporated and the mixer resembles wet sand.
- In a tall measuring cup, add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract
- Add ⅔ of the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Reserve about 1 cup.
- With the mixer on medium speed, mix the batter for 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl
- With the mixer on medium low speed, slowly stream in the remainder of the egg/milk mixture and beat for 30 seconds or until combined. The batter should have thinned but will not be runny.
Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions
- Beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until well combined. Add pinch of salt
- Sift confectioners sugar and add 1 cup at a time. Beat on medium speed until combined before adding additional confectioners sugar. Beat until smooth and spreadable. Test frosting for sweetness- if you want the frosting more sweet, add more confectioners sugar 3 tablespoons at a time. *SEE NOTES
- Evenly spread frosting over the cake. Add dollops of strawberry puree (linked in Notes) and create swirls by using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
WHAT IS THE REVERSE CREAMING METHOD?
I first learned about this method from The Cake Bible when I was struggling to make a tender white cake, which can often turn out too dry and flaky.
The most common method to making cakes is the creaming method. Sugars and butters are combined and mixed to aerate the mixture to assist with leavening the cake, creating a light and fluffy cake. But a common mistake is over beating the batter and creating too much gluten formation, which yields a dense and dry cake.
This is when the reverse creaming method comes in handy. This method sounds complicated but is truthfully the easiest to accomplish and is full proof with creating a moist and ultra tender cake.
The reverse creaming method is beating softened butter with the flour to create a sand like texture. The fat from the butter coats the flour which prevents gluten formation. That means, you really can’t overmix this batter and ruin your beloved cake! Then you add your liquids (in two batches) and that’s it!
Once I tried this method and realized how simple it was and also yielding the most tender cake every time, I knew it would be the perfect method for a light and fluffy Strawberry Cake.
HOW TO MAKE THE CAKE AND FROSTING AHEAD OF TIME
If you are planning ahead or just don’t have the time to bake and frost the cake within a day of serving, then follow the baking timelines below!
- If making the cake more than 2 days before you plan on serving: Bake the cake and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap (twice) then foil and place in a freezer ziplock bag. Store flat in the freezer. The cake can be made 3 weeks in advance.
- Take cake out of the freezer the day before you serve and assemble and frost cake within 24 hours.
- Making the cream cheese frosting advance: The Cream Cheese Frosting can be made 7 days in advance and stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
- Making the Strawberry Puree in advance: The puree can be made 7 days in advance and stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
HOW TO STORE THE STRAWBERRY CAKE?
The Cream cheese frosting on this homemade strawberry sheet cake does need to be refrigerated. The cake can sit at room temperature for 2-3 hours in a temperature controlled environment. Caution: cream cheese frosting doesn’t hold up well in warm temperatures and should be refrigerated if serving in a warm climate or summer months and served immediately.
If placing in the refrigerator, it is recommended to store in a cake box or cake storage container. Another alternative is to add toothpicks in the top of the cake and cover with plastic wrap.
The cake is best served at room temperatures- take the cake out of the refrigerator up to 1 hour before serving. Unless you are serving during warmer months or in hot climate, serve the cake immediately.
The cake can also be cut into individual pieces and wrapped in plastic wrap, then foil and placed in a freezer ziplock bag for quicker thawing.
DECORATING YOUR STRAWBERRY CAKE
This sheet cake is so simple to frost and decorate! No need to assemble any layers. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cake and add dollops of the strawberry puree over the cake. Using an offset spatula or the back of spoon, create strawberry swirls by combining the frosting and strawberry puree.
OTHER EASY SUMMER RECIPES TO TRY:
Raspberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie
Strawberry Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Strawberry Sheet Cake Recipe
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1 cup strawberry milk
- ¼ cup oil
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 cups confectioners sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup of roasted strawberry puree (see notes) or strawberry jam
Instructions
Strawberry Sheet Cake Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Line a 9×13 baking sheet with parchment paper and spray the sides with oil.
- Add the dry ingredients (Flour, sugar, baking powder, salt) to a mixing bowl
- With the mixer on low speed, add the butter pieces one at a time. Mix until fully incorporated and the mixer resembles wet sand.
- In a tall measuring cup, add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract
- Add ⅔ of the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Reserve about 1 cup.
- With the mixer on medium speed, mix the batter for 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl
- With the mixer on medium low speed, slowly stream in the remainder of the egg/milk mixture and beat for 30 seconds or until combined. The batter should have thinned but will not be runny.
- Pour into the prepared sheet pan and bake for 18-25 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center and if it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, cake is done!
- Allow the Cake to cool completely for frosting. You can cut and serve the cake right out of the pan.
Cream Cheese Frosting Instructions
- Beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed for 3-5 minutes or until well combined. Add pinch of salt
- Sift confectioners sugar and add 1 cup at a time. Beat on medium speed until combined before adding additional confectioners sugar. Beat until smooth and spreadable. Test frosting for sweetness- if you want the frosting more sweet, add more confectioners sugar 3 tablespoons at a time. *SEE NOTES
- Evenly spread frosting over the cake. Add dollops of strawberry puree (linked in Notes) and create swirls by using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Notes
Leave a Reply