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This tender and buttery vanilla cake tastes like shortcake, making it the perfect match for fresh strawberries. Top with a colorful pink strawberry whipped cream and loads of fresh berries for the creamiest, dreamiest strawberry snack cake. It’s the perfect way to end any summer meal!
The words “snack cake” should absolutely excite you. Not only is it cake, but this is one of those tray-bake types of cakes that you pour into a 9×13 and serve straight from the pan.
It’s so simple to make yet has all the textures and flavors you expect in a fancy layer cake. I always think it tastes like grown-up strawberry shortcake. It’s the perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, summer parties, and so much more!
If you love this homemade strawberry cake, try my flaky Strawberry Rhubarb Scones or chewy Strawberry Blondies.
Why you’ll love this Strawberry Snack Cake Recipe
- No fancy layering or frosting techniques – it all comes together in a 9×13
- Makes enough for a crowd
- Loaded with layer after layer of berry flavors
- Lasts for days in the fridge
- Several layers of fresh strawberry flavor
- Slightly dense yet tender cake with a moist, buttery flavor
- Fantastic way to use up lots of berries through strawberry season!
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Cake
- Softened butter – I typically use unsalted butter. It’s essential to make sure it is fully softened, or it won’t whip nicely.
- Eggs – For leavening and a tender texture.
- White sugar – Adds sweetness without distracting from the flavor of the strawberries.
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream – Essential for a moist, tender texture.
- Flour – Scoop and level first to avoid accidentally adding too much.
- Baking powder – I highly recommend sifting your baking powder first to make sure it doesn’t clump up.
- Salt
- Fresh strawberries – Chopped or sliced in halves.
For the Whipped Cream Frosting
We’re using my Strawberry Whipped Cream, which is made with fresh strawberries, sugar, whipped cream, and strawberry extract. It’s just as easy as making regular whipped cream, except you need to sweeten and cook a strawberry puree first.
For decorating
Garnish with lots of fresh strawberries. This adds another texture and more of that fresh berry flavor.
How to Make Strawberry Snack Cake
The cooked strawberry puree for the whipped cream needs time to chill, so I like to start it as soon as I put the cake in the oven or even before I bake the cake.
Take some time prepping the strawberries – there are a bunch to wash and cut before you get started!
Bake the cake
- Butter a 9×13 cake pan and preheat oven to 350 F.
- Combine sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream mixture until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk for 3-5 minutes or until light and creamy.
- Pour in the sour cream and stir to combine.
- While stirring slowly, add the dry ingredients (baking powder, salt, and 1/3 of the flour). Continue adding the rest of the flour until fully combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in half of the fresh strawberries.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. sprinkle the remaining strawberries evenly over the top.
- Bake cake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Make the frosting
- Blend fresh strawberries in a food processor. Then, strain out the seeds.
- Add the strawberry puree and sugar in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir constantly to keep it from overflowing. Once it boils, reduce the heat and continue cooking until it passes the plate test.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and place it in the fridge or freezer on a hot pad to cool completely.
- Once cooled, combine the strawberry jam mixture with the heavy cream and extract in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to stiff peaks.
Decorate
- Once the cake is cooled and the whipped cream is ready to go, spread the whipped cream over the cake. Garnish with lots of sliced strawberries and serve!
Storing Suggestions
Once decorated, the cake should be kept covered and stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. If undecorated, the baked cake can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Pro Tips for Making the Best Snack Cakes
I’ve made this basic cake recipe many times now and want to talk about the order of operations.
Initially when I played with this recipe for my Tayberry Cake, I creamed the eggs and sugar together for several minutes until light and fluffy. Then, I added the butter in small pieces and whipped it into the mixture.
This made the cake batter look lumpy, but as it baked, the butter melted and made the cake soft and moist.
This is sort of an odd method, so I decided to play around with a traditional creaming method variation. I started by mixing the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, then whipped in the eggs until the whole mixture was really creamy.
The final flavor of both variations is the exact same, but this second one ends up with a slight shell on top of the cake (which I love), and it’s also taller and feels slightly more dry. It’s still moist, but not quite as soft as version one.
I’m sharing the traditional creaming method version here, but feel free to follow the steps from the Tayberry Cake post, if you prefer!
How to Serve a Snack Cake
Snack cakes can be served either as a dessert or as part of a brunch for a special gathering.
I typically think of it is a regular dessert and pair it with a refreshing drink, like homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade or a hot cup of coffee.
Tips & Variations
- Change the berries. This cake can be made with any of a number of fresh berries, like blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries.
- Let the cake cool. Before decorating, the cake must be fully cooled or the whipped cream will melt.
- Add extra pucker. Grind freeze-dried strawberries into a powder and sprinkle some into the whipped cream for even bolder flavor. You can even fold some into the cake batter instead of the fresh berries.
- Simplify serving. Line the pan with parchment paper to make it easier to remove from the pan.
Related Recipes
- Moist Apple Cake
- White Chocolate Strawberry Muffins
- Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins
- Strawberry Apple Crisp
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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Strawberry Snack Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature; one stick of butter
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 2 cups all purpose flour, scooped and leveled
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, stemmed and diced, divided
Strawberry Whipped Cream Frosting
- 1 1/2 cup heavy cream, very cold
- 1 cup strawberry puree, blended fresh strawberries, strained to remove seeds
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp strawberry extract, or vanilla extract
Garnish
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced for serving
- remaining strawberries
Instructions
Bake the cake
- Butter a 9×13 cake pan and preheat oven to 350 F.
- Combine sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream mixture until light and fluffy.1 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- Add eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk for 3-5 minutes or until light and creamy.3 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pour in the sour cream and stir to combine.1 cup sour cream
- While stirring slowly, add the baking powder, salt, and 1/3 of the flour. Continue adding the rest of the flour until fully combined. Be careful not to overmix.2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in half of the fresh strawberries.2 cups fresh strawberries
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining strawberries evenly over the top.remaining strawberries
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Make the frosting
- Blend fresh strawberries in a food processor. Then, strain out the seeds.1 cup strawberry puree
- Add the strawberry puree and sugar in a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir constantly to keep it from overflowing. Once it boils, reduce the heat and continue cooking until it passes the plate test.1/2 cup white sugar
- Remove the pan from the heat, and place it in the fridge or freezer on a hot pad to cool completely.
- Once cooled, combine the strawberry puree with the heavy cream and extract in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to stiff peaks.1 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 tsp strawberry extract
Decorate
- Once the cake is cooled and the whipped cream is ready to go, spread the whipped cream over the cake. Garnish with lots of sliced strawberries and serve!
Nutrition
Did you try this recipe?
Post a photo and tag @milkglasshome!Pin this recipe for later!
Substituted with maple sugar and pastry whole wheat flour and still came out perfect
That’s awesome! I’m so glad it worked well with those substitutions. I’ll have to try them sometime. Thanks for leaving a comment, Amelia!