This strawberry crunch cake is a fresh take on the nostalgic ice cream bar, made with real strawberries, cream cheese frosting, and a crunchy Golden Oreo topping.
Strawberry crunch cake brings a dose of nostalgia with a fresher, more flavorful twist. Inspired by the classic strawberry shortcake ice cream bar, this homemade version skips the boxed mixes and artificial colors in favor of real strawberries, rich cream cheese frosting, and a crunchy Golden Oreo topping.
This cake is soft, fruity, and fun, making it perfect for summer gatherings or anytime you want a dessert that looks impressive but isn’t complicated to make.
For a single-layer option with similar flavors, try my strawberry sheet cake!
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Crunch Cake
- Real berry flavor. If you love strawberries, this cake is for you. Using powdered dehydrated strawberries and jam makes this cake taste like real berries.
- Crunchy topping. The Golden Oreos give this cake a delightful crunchy finish that you won’t be able to resist! It’s a wonderful contrast to the soft layers of frosting and cake.
- Impressive presentation. This is a dessert that’s easy to put together, but looks impressive on a plate. If you’ve never made a layer cake before, this strawberry crunch cake is a good one to start with.
Key Ingredients
This recipe sticks to simple ingredients with a few fun twists for maximum strawberry flavor and texture. Let’s take a look at some of the main players and what they bring to this cake. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the cake:
- Cake flour – Gives the cake a softer, lighter crumb than all-purpose flour. If you want to learn more, read through my guide to wheat flours.
- Ground freeze-dried strawberries – Powdered in a food processor for a big punch of real berry flavor.
- Strawberry jam – Adds moisture and concentrated fruit flavor; use a high-quality brand.
- Unsalted butter, milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, baking powder, salt – Baking staples that round out the cake base.
For the frosting:
- Cream cheese – Use full-fat block-style cream cheese for the best texture.
- Unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla – Classic ingredients for a smooth, fluffy frosting.
For the crunch topping:
- Golden Oreos – Their vanilla flavor is a perfect match for strawberries.
- Freeze-dried strawberries – Add more berry flavor and color to the topping.
- Unsalted butter – Helps the crumb topping stick and adds richness.
How to Make Strawberry Crunch Cake from Scratch
This recipe comes together in three main parts: the cake, the frosting, and that irresistible crunchy topping. You can prep the components ahead of time and assemble when you’re ready to serve. The cakes can be made a day in advance, and the frosting can be refrigerated for two or three days.
Make the cake layers
The strawberry cake batter starts by mixing the dry ingredients. Be sure to grind the freeze-dried strawberries finely so they incorporate evenly. The reverse creaming method (mixing butter into the dry ingredients first) creates a tender texture with a fine crumb. Once the wet ingredients are added, you’ll fold in jam for extra berry flavor and moisture.
Bake and cool
Divide the batter between two pans and bake until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the layers cool completely before frosting to help the frosting set nicely and keep the crunch topping from melting.
Make the topping
A quick whirl in the food processor turns Oreos and freeze-dried strawberries into sweet-tart crumbs. Stir in melted butter so the topping sticks together in clumps and let it dry briefly before using. This step can be done ahead and stored in an airtight container.
Make the frosting and assemble
The cream cheese frosting is simple but rich. Softened cream cheese and butter make the base, whipped until light and fluffy. After frosting the cooled cake layers, press the topping over the top and sides. It’s easiest to do this while the frosting is still soft.
Tips for Success
- Grind the strawberries finely. You want a powder-like texture so it blends evenly into the batter and topping without clumps.
- Use cake flour for a lighter crumb. All-purpose flour will make the cake denser. Cake flour helps keep the texture soft and tender.
- Don’t skip softening the butter and cream cheese. This is key to a fluffy cake and a smooth frosting with no lumps.
- Make it ahead in parts. The cake layers can be baked a day in advance, and the crunch topping holds well for a day or two if kept airtight.
- Use a gentle hand when applying the topping. For best coverage without smudging the frosting, gently press the topping onto freshly frosted areas before it sets.
Serving Suggestions
Garnish your strawberry crunch cake with extra crumb topping, fresh strawberries, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Macerated strawberries are also a delicious addition to plates of this cake!
How to Store
Refrigerator: Store your strawberry crunch cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the best texture and flavor, let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
Freezer: To freeze, place the frosted cake (whole or sliced) on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until firm. Wrap well in plastic wrap, then place in an airtight container or freezer bag. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
A Fresh Spin on a Classic Favorite
Whether you grew up loving those strawberry crunch bars or you’re just here for the real berry flavor, this strawberry crunch cake delivers the best of both worlds. I hope you’ll give it a try! If you do, leave a comment or a rating. I’d love to hear what you think!
More Strawberry Recipes
Strawberry Crunch Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3 1/4 cups (390 g) cake flour
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (46 g) ground freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) milk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup strawberry jam, stir well before using
For the topping:
- 24 (272 g) Golden Oreos
- 1 1/2 cups (28 g) freeze-dried strawberries
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, melted
For the frosting:
- 8 ounces (226 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups (385 to 440 g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
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Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease (or butter and flour) the paper.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, ground strawberries, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the butter, and mix with an electric mixer on medium-low speed. The mixture will appear sandy.
- Combine the milk and vanilla. Add to the batter, and mix on low speed for about a minute.
- Add one egg and mix, beginning on low speed and increasing to medium speed after a few seconds. Mix just until combined (about 30 seconds). Repeat with the remaining eggs.
- Stir in the jam, mixing just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and spread evenly. Lightly tap the pans on the counter a few times to get rid of any large air pockets.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Place the cake pans on a wire rack, and allow the cakes to cool completely.
To make the topping:
- Place the cookies and strawberries in a food processor, and pulse until broken into large crumbs. (I break the cookies into a few pieces as I put them in the food processor to minimize mixing so that the strawberries aren’t completely powder after mixing.)
- Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter, and stir to combine. Alternatively, you can drizzle the butter over the mixture in the bowl of the food processor and pulse to mix.
- Spread the topping mixture in a single layer on a lined half sheet pan and allow to dry for about 15 minutes.
To make the frosting:
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
- Add the confectioners' sugar about a cup at a time, mixing until the frosting reaches the desired consistency and sweetness.
- Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate, and frost the top. Place the other cake layer on top, and finish frosting the top and sides of the cake. Cover the top and about a third to halfway up the sides of the cake with the strawberry/cookie topping. (It’s fine if you don’t use all of the topping.)
Video
Notes
- Store tightly covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
5 Comments on “Strawberry Crunch Cake”
If I was to dehydrate my own strawberries, approximately how much (fresh packages) should I purchase to make this cake. This seriously sounds delicious!!!
Hi, Teresa! I’ve never dehydrated any fruits, so I can’t really help you with that. For what it’s worth, a package I have says 9.7 ounces of fresh strawberries were used to make a 0.8 ounce package. However, keep in mind that dehydrated fruit is a bit different from freeze-dried. It might not work quite the same in this recipe.
Is the measurement for the strawberries ground or pre-ground? Making right now!
Hi, Alex! The measurement for the strawberries in the cake is for ground strawberries. For the topping, it’s before they’re processed.
Came out great! Only note I beat my eggs for 30 seconds per the recipe and that was way too long and the cake shrank a bit. Wish I could post a picture. Will make again.