Description

This Strawberry Crunch Cake is a vibrant and delicious dessert featuring a tender strawberry-flavored cake layered with creamy vanilla buttercream and topped with a crunchy mixture of golden sandwich cookies and freeze-dried strawberries. Perfect for any occasion, it combines bright fruity flavor with irresistible texture in a moist, fluffy cake that is easy to make and sure to impress.

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 (like 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

Strawberry 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

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 prevent sticking and ease cake removal.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes until creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until pale and fluffy to aerate the batter.
Add Eggs and Wet Ingredients: Beat in the three egg whites one at a time, followed by the whole egg, ensuring each is fully incorporated. Mix in room temperature milk, strawberry gelatin powder, and vanilla extract until evenly combined, scraping the bowl sides as needed.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together sifted all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt to ensure even leavening distribution and avoid lumps.
Mix Batter: 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 crumb.
Bake the Cake: Pour batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the top is lightly golden and springs back when touched.
Cool the Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes. Then invert it onto the rack to cool completely, ensuring the cake is fully cooled before frosting to prevent melting.
Make Buttercream Frosting: Beat the softened butter on medium speed until creamy. Add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt, beating until fully combined. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar starting on low speed, then increase to medium-high and beat for 3-5 minutes until light, fluffy, and spreadable.
Prepare Strawberry Crunch Topping: Place the golden sandwich cookies (without cream filling) and crushed freeze-dried strawberries into a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form, or crush manually in a Ziploc bag. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the cooled melted butter until evenly coated to prevent sogginess.
Assemble and Chill: Spread a generous layer of buttercream evenly over the cooled cake. Sprinkle the strawberry crunch topping evenly on top. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set the frosting before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Notes

Ensure all ingredients like eggs and milk are at room temperature for the best texture and mixing.
Do not overmix the batter after adding dry ingredients to avoid a dense or tough cake.
Cooling the cake completely before frosting is crucial to prevent the buttercream from melting.
Use cooled melted butter for the crunch topping to keep it crispy and prevent sogginess.
You can substitute Golden Oreos with crushed shortbread cookies if preferred for crunch.
Chilling the assembled cake helps the frosting set and makes slicing cleaner.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Strawberry cake, strawberry crunch cake, easy strawberry dessert, vanilla buttercream, crunchy topping, golden sandwich cookies, freeze-dried strawberries