Strawberry Sheet Cake
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This easy strawberry sheet cake is flavorful, moist, and perfect for feeding a crowd, no layering or fancy tools required. This cake is the one-layer version of my famous strawberry cake, making it a quick, reliable, no-fuss dessert for any occasion. Be sure to try the Bundt version and cupcake version, too!
MY FAMOUS STRAWBERRY CAKE: THE SHEET CAKE VERSION
If you’ve tried my wildly popular fresh strawberry cake or the show-stopping strawberry Bundt cake, then you already know the magic of this recipe. This carefully tested, highly-rated, and reader favorite recipe produces a cake that is soft, fluffy, and full of fresh strawberry flavor since it’s made with real strawberries and not a single spoonful of gelatin in sight.
Paired with a strawberry buttercream that’s also flavored with real strawberries, a simple 9″ x 13″ pan turns everything readers love about a layer cake into a fuss-free dessert that’s perfect for potlucks, parties, or quick weekday baking. Think of it as the easiest, most crowd-friendly version of my most famous cake.
What Makes This Strawberry Cake So Special?
If you’ve ever tried searching for a strawberry cake recipe without gelatin, you know the struggle. Most versions rely on strawberry Jell-O or require extra steps like strawberry reductions. My recipe skips all of that. It uses real chopped strawberries in the cake and freeze-dried strawberries in the buttercream (or ganache, depending on your preference– we’ll get there!) to give you the flavor of actual berries without any additives or soggy texture.
And yes— this recipe works beautifully whether you’re making cupcakes, a layer cake, a Bundt, or this sheet cake. But, it’s important to note that each format has its own slight variations, because one size doesn’t always fit all when it comes to baking. Be sure you’re visiting each post/recipe separately if you want to turn this into all the versions (you will— trust me).
SAME CAKE, NEW FORMAT
In the other versions of this cake, I walk through every detail about the method: how to chop your strawberries (hint: small pieces help keep them evenly distributed), how to cream the butter and sugar for maximum lift, and why you should alternate adding flour and milk to the batter. All of that applies here, too!
To save space and unnecessary scrolling here, if you’re new to the recipe, you can find all those tips in the original strawberry cake post, or get a visual in the Bundt cake version if that’s more your style. I’ve also included some photos in the recipe card below to help you through the recipe.
Frosting Options
This cake pairs best with my strawberry buttercream (half the recipe, though, since sheet cake only has one surface!). This sweet and tangy buttercream is made from crushed freeze-dried strawberries for maximum flavor without any mess.
Want to try something different? Cream cheese frosting or even my strawberry white chocolate ganache (from the Bundt version) would be lovely here, too. You could even go totally old-school and dust the top with powdered sugar and call it a day. There is more than enough flavor in the cake to keep it super simple.
If you want to use a completely different frosting, I would suggest my classic vanilla buttercream, Swiss meringue buttercream, or chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. Don’t forget to halve these recipes!
QUICK NOTES ON ADJUSTMENTS
BAKING TIME: this cake bakes up a bit faster in a 9″ x 13″ pan than it does in a Bundt or in 8″ rounds. Keep an eye on it and start testing for doneness around the 38-minute mark.
NO LAYERING NEEDED: just bake, cool, frost (or drizzle), and serve right out of the pan. Zero stacking, zero stress. If you want to make a layered sheet cake, though, you can bake two separate layers of the 9″ x 13″ size for an epic layered strawberry sheet cake. You’ll want to double the frosting for that one, though!
STORAGE: this cake stays fresh covered at room temperature for 2-3 days, or longer if refrigerated. Depending on the climate and humidity in your home, the moistness of this cake can be disrupted by extremes making for a soggy cake and/or encourage molding. Just keep an eye on the cake if you’re keeping it at room temperature in warmer months.
Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake with Strawberry Buttercream
Ingredients
STRAWBERRY CAKE
- 3 and ¼ cups (390g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 large egg white room temperature
- 1 cup (240g) milk any though I prefer whole cow; room temperature
- 2 cups finely chopped strawberries1 approximately 16 large strawberries
STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM
- ½ cup (10g) freeze-dried strawberries2
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 to 2 and ½ cups (240-300g) powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons (30-45mL) milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅙ teaspoon salt
Instructions
STRAWBERRY CAKE
- Place oven rack on the middle setting and preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Grease and flour (or use homemade cake release) a 9" x 13" sheet cake pan. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.3 and ¼ cups (390g) all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until the color is light and the texture is fluffy (approximately 2-3 minutes). Add the vanilla then beat again to incorporate.1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar, 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the eggs and egg white one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next one and scraping the. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary.3 large eggs, 1 large egg white
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 2 parts, alternating with the milk.1 cup (240g) milk
- Blot the strawberries dry (you don't need to wring them out, just blot them), then gently fold in the strawberries by hand.2 cups finely chopped strawberries1
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, then bake cake for 38-42 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is lightly browned. Remove cake from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before adding the frosting.
STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM
- Using a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Set aside.½ cup (10g) freeze-dried strawberries2
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- With the mixer on low, add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or cream. Add the strawberry powder and salt, increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until completely smooth, about 3 minutes. If frosting is too stiff, add more milk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.2 to 2 and ½ cups (240-300g) powdered sugar, 2 to 3 Tablespoons (30-45mL) milk or cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅙ teaspoon salt
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE
- Spread the buttercream evenly over the top of the sheet cake (while it's still in the pan) with an offset spatula. Leftovers stay fresh, covered tightly, at room temperature up to 5 days and in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
- Make ahead: prepare cake and frosting up to 1 day in advance. Cover cake tightly and keep at room temperature or in the refrigerator until ready to assemble. Refrigerate prepared frosting in an airtight container until ready to use. Unfrosted cake may be frozen, wrapped tightly, up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before assembling. Frosted cake can be frozen, wrapped tightly, up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Strawberries: you can use frozen strawberries, too. Thaw them first then blot or squeeze some of the liquid out of them before using.
- Freeze-dried strawberries: freeze-dried strawberries are typically found in the dried fruit section of your grocery store. If you can’t find them there, check the aisle with bulk candy, if your grocery store has one.
- Bundt cake: make this cake into a strawberry Bundt cake! The recipe differs only slightly. I paired that one with a white chocolate strawberry ganache, but you can use any frosting you like.
- Cupcakes: while baking this recipe as is will give you 24 delicious cupcakes, see my post for fresh strawberry cupcakes for a recipe specifically developed to make 16 fluffy cupcakes.
- Layer cake: as written, this recipe will make two 8″ cake layers. Bake time is about 40-44 minutes. You can find specific instructions and visuals for that recipe in my fresh strawberry cake post.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.