Description
This delightful strawberry crunch cake features moist strawberry-flavored layers topped with creamy buttercream and golden cookie crunch. Perfect for birthdays and summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 1/4 cups granulated white sugar
- 3 egg whites + 1 whole egg
- 2/3 cup milk
- 3 oz strawberry gelatin powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature) for buttercream
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/8 teaspoon salt for buttercream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 12 golden sandwich cookies (cream removed)
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray your 9×13-inch pan with non-stick cooking spray, ensuring complete coverage.
- Beat room temperature butter until smooth. Add sugar and cream together until light and fluffy.
- Add egg whites and whole egg. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes until mixture becomes pale and voluminous.
- Pour in milk, strawberry gelatin powder, and vanilla. Mix until completely combined and pink throughout.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in separate bowl. Fold into wet ingredients until just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 20-25 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool cake completely (at least 1 hour) before frosting to prevent melting.
- For buttercream, beat softened butter until creamy. Add cream, vanilla, and salt, mixing until incorporated.
- Gradually add powdered sugar while beating. Continue until frosting is light and fluffy.
- Crush cookies and freeze-dried strawberries in sealed bag with rolling pin to pea-sized crumbs.
- Add melted butter to crumb mixture. Toss until evenly coated and clumps form.
- Spread buttercream evenly over cooled cake. Sprinkle crunch topping generously across entire surface.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients mix more easily and create a smoother batter – set them out 1 hour before baking
- Don’t overmix the batter once flour is added – stop as soon as no dry streaks remain to ensure tender cake
- Use a offset spatula for spreading buttercream to achieve a perfectly smooth, professional finish
- Make crunch topping right before using to maintain maximum crispiness – it can soften if made too far ahead
- For extra strawberry flavor, add a few drops of strawberry extract to the buttercream frosting
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 64g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: strawberry cake recipe, crunch cake dessert, strawberry buttercream cake, golden cookie cake, summer dessert cake, birthday cake ideas, strawberry gelatin cake