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Strawberry Crunch Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 58 reviews

This Strawberry Crunch Cake is an effortlessly delightful dessert featuring a moist strawberry-flavored cake layered with luscious vanilla buttercream and topped with a crunchy, buttery strawberry cookie crumble. Its vibrant color, light texture, and combination of creamy and crunchy elements make it a crowd-pleaser perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake:

  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
  • 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1 large whole egg, at room temperature
  • 2/3 cup (160ml) whole milk, at room temperature
  • 3-ounce package (85g) strawberry flavored gelatin powder (such as Jell-O)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Buttercream Frosting:

  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream (or whole milk)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), sifted

Crunch Topping:

  • 12 Golden sandwich cookies (cream filling removed) or 1 ½ cups crushed shortbread cookies
  • 1 cup (about 25g) freeze-dried strawberries, lightly crushed
  • 4 Tablespoons (56g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan, or line it with parchment paper to ensure the cake releases easily after baking.
  2. Beat Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with an electric mixer until light and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, creating a tender crumb.
  3. Add Eggs and Wet Ingredients: Add the three egg whites and one whole egg one at a time, beating well after each until incorporated and mixture is light and airy. Mix in whole milk, strawberry gelatin powder, and vanilla extract until just combined, scraping bowl sides for even mixing.
  4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together sifted all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt to prevent lumps and ensure even leavening.
  5. Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until no flour streaks remain. Avoid overmixing to prevent a tough cake texture.
  6. Bake the Cake: Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake surface should be lightly golden and spring back to touch.
  7. Cool the Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes, then invert onto the rack to cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
  8. Make the Buttercream: Beat softened butter in a large bowl on medium speed until creamy. Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt and blend until fully combined.
  9. Add Sugar to Frosting: Gradually add sifted confectioners’ sugar starting on low speed to reduce dust, then increase to medium-high. Beat for 3-5 minutes until frosting is light, fluffy, and spreadable.
  10. Prepare Crunch Topping: Place Golden sandwich cookies without cream filling and crushed freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. Alternatively, crush in a bag with a rolling pin. Toss crumbs with cooled melted butter to coat evenly, avoiding sogginess.
  11. Assemble and Chill: Spread buttercream evenly over cooled cake. Sprinkle strawberry crunch topping generously over frosting. Chill the cake at least 30 minutes to set the frosting for clean slicing and serving. Enjoy your Strawberry Crunch Cake!

Notes

  • Make sure all eggs and milk are at room temperature to ensure even mixing and a tender texture.
  • Sifting flour and powdered sugar helps avoid lumps and creates a smoother batter and frosting.
  • Removing cookie cream filling from Golden Oreos or using shortbread cookies enhances the crunch texture without excessive sweetness.
  • Use cooled melted butter for the topping to prevent it from becoming soggy.
  • Allow the cake to fully cool before frosting to avoid melting the buttercream.
  • Chilling the cake after assembling improves slicing and presentation.

Keywords: Strawberry cake, Crunch topping, Buttercream frosting, Easy strawberry dessert, Strawberry gelatin cake

Find it online: https://bitesizedbenny.com/strawberry-crunch-cake-recipe/