This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Strawberry Sheet Cake is soft, fluffy, and packed with fresh strawberry flavor, all baked in one easy 9×13 pan and topped with a bright lemon cream cheese frosting that takes it over the top. It’s the kind of cake that feels special but couldn’t be easier to make — perfect for feeding a crowd or bringing to any gathering.
What really makes this recipe stand out is how it builds bold strawberry flavor into every bite while keeping the texture light, tender, and never soggy. The lemon cream cheese frosting adds just the right balance, cutting through the sweetness and making each bite irresistible.
If you love easy, crowd-pleasing cakes like this, be sure to check out my Texas Sheet Cake, Coca Cola Cake, or Pig Pickin Cake — all reader favorites. And if you want even more options, browse my full Cake Recipes collection.
💡 Why This Strawberry Sheet Cake Works
Layered strawberry flavor: Fresh strawberries combined with strawberry gelatin give you bold, reliable strawberry flavor in every bite, so the cake tastes as good as it looks.
Soft, tender crumb: Cake flour and buttermilk create a light, fluffy texture that stays moist and gives this cake that soft, bakery-style feel.
Balanced sweetness: The lemon cream cheese frosting adds a bright contrast that keeps the cake from feeling too sweet, while giving it that fluffy, tangy finish people remember.
Perfect for a crowd: Baked in a 9×13 pan, this cake is easy to slice, serve, and transport, making it ideal for potlucks, holidays, and family gatherings.
What Is a Strawberry Sheet Cake? (Quick Guide)
A strawberry sheet cake is a single-layer cake baked in a 9×13-inch pan, making it one of the easiest ways to serve cake to a group. Unlike layered cakes, there’s no stacking or complicated decorating — just simple, slice-and-serve convenience.
It’s known for its soft, tender texture, bold fruit flavor, and ability to feed a crowd with minimal effort, making it perfect for potlucks, parties, and holidays.
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Use room temperature ingredients: Butter, eggs, and cream cheese mix more smoothly and create a better texture.
✨ Chop strawberries small: Large pieces can create soggy pockets in the cake.
✨ Don’t overmix: Mix just until combined to keep the cake light and tender.
✨ Line your pan: A parchment sling makes removing the cake easy and clean.
🔬 How to Get Strong Strawberry Flavor in Cake
Strawberries are naturally high in water, which can dilute their flavor when baked into cakes. That’s why many strawberry cakes end up tasting faint or flat.
This recipe solves that problem by combining fresh strawberries with strawberry gelatin. The fresh berries bring natural flavor and texture, while the gelatin boosts and concentrates that strawberry taste so it actually comes through after baking.
It’s a simple trick, but it makes a huge difference — giving you a cake that truly tastes like strawberries, not just looks like it.
Strawberry Sheet Cake Ingredients + Key Notes
Butter: Use unsalted butter at room temperature for best control over flavor.
Sugar: Granulated sugar provides structure and sweetness.
Eggs: Large eggs at room temperature help create a smooth batter.
Lemon: Fresh lemon juice adds brightness to both the cake and frosting.
Cake Flour: Creates a soft, tender crumb. You can substitute all-purpose flour with a cornstarch adjustment if needed.
Strawberry Gelatin: This boosts strawberry flavor and enhances color.
Baking Soda: Helps the cake rise properly.
Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
Buttermilk: Adds moisture and tenderness.
Strawberries: Fresh strawberries provide natural flavor and texture.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional but Recommended)
This frosting is light, fluffy, and slightly tangy — the perfect complement to a sweet strawberry cake. While the cake is delicious with all kinds of frostings, the lemon cream cheese version adds a bright finish that really makes the flavors pop.
If you’d rather switch things up, this cake also works beautifully with vanilla buttercream, chocolate frosting, or a strawberry cream cheese frosting.
🥣 How to Make Strawberry Sheet Cake
Here’s a quick look at how to assemble this easy strawberry sheet cake (full instructions in the recipe card below).
Prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper so the cake is easy to lift out later.
Make the batter. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the lemon juice. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, strawberry gelatin, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, and mix just until combined.
Fold in the strawberries. Gently fold in the chopped strawberries by hand so you don’t crush them or overwork the batter.
Bake. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese with part of the sugar until smooth, then fold in the strawberries. In a separate bowl, whip the cream with the lemon juice and remaining sugar until stiff peaks form, then gently fold that into the cream cheese mixture.
Finish. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, then slice and serve.
⭐ Pro Tips
⭐ Chop strawberries small: Large pieces can create soggy pockets and uneven texture.
⭐ Don’t overmix the batter: Mix just until combined to keep the cake light and tender.
⭐ Use room temperature ingredients: This helps everything blend smoothly and evenly.
⭐ Line your pan with parchment: A parchment sling makes removing the cake easy and clean.
⭐ Want even more strawberry flavor? A thin layer of strained strawberry jam under the frosting adds extra berry flavor without making the cake soggy.
⭐ Add a pretty finish: Crushed freeze-dried strawberries make a beautiful garnish and add even more concentrated strawberry flavor.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Overmixing the batter → leads to a dense, heavy cake
Using large strawberry chunks → creates soggy spots
Skipping parchment lining → makes removal difficult
Overbaking → dries out the cake and dulls the flavor
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead Tips
Storing:
Keep the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing:
Freeze the unfrosted cake tightly wrapped for best results. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and frost just before serving.
Make-Ahead:
Bake the cake 1–2 days in advance and store it covered. Frost just before serving for the best texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
◆ What is a strawberry sheet cake?
A strawberry sheet cake is a single-layer cake baked in a 9×13-inch pan, making it easy to slice and serve. It’s known for its soft, tender texture and is perfect for feeding a crowd without the extra work of stacking layers.
◆ Can I make this without lemon frosting?
Yes! The lemon cream cheese frosting is completely optional. You can use vanilla buttercream, chocolate frosting, or strawberry frosting depending on your preference.
◆ Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes, but thaw and drain them well before using to avoid excess moisture. Fresh strawberries will give you the best flavor and texture.
◆ How do you make strawberry flavor stronger in cake?
Combining fresh strawberries with strawberry gelatin helps boost flavor and ensures the cake tastes rich and fruity instead of faint.
◆ Can I make this in round cake pans?
Yes. You can divide the batter between two 9-inch round cake pans and reduce the bake time to about 20–25 minutes. You can also use three 8-inch round pans, but since this frosting is softer and fluffier than a traditional buttercream, it may not be the best choice for a tall layer cake.
More Sheet Cake Recipes to Try
- Coca Cola Cake— moist, fudgy, and full of nostalgic flavor.
- Texas Sheet Cake — rich, chocolatey, and always a crowd favorite.
- Pina Colada Cake — tropical, creamy, and perfect for spring and summer.
- Honey Bun Cake — sweet, swirled, and finished with a simple glaze.
- Pineapple Sheet Cake— soft, fruity, and easy to make for a crowd.
- Oatmeal Cake — old-fashioned, cozy, and topped with that irresistible broiled frosting.
Tried This Recipe?
💗 If you enjoyed this recipe, please take a moment to leave a star rating and a quick comment — I love hearing from you!
Tip for mobile readers: scroll just a bit to tap the stars — thank you!
Have you Subscribed to my free email list yet? I share new recipes every week, and I’d love to have you join me in the kitchen.
Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! ❤️ Kathleen
Strawberry Sheet Cake with Lemon Frosting
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs large
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour
- 2 tablespoons strawberry flavored jello gelatin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk well shaken
- 2/3 cups fresh strawberries chopped
Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 2/3 cups sugar divided
- 2/3 cups fresh strawberries chopped
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Line the baking dish with parchment paper with the long sides extending 2-3 inches. Spray parchment with nonstick cooking spray.
- Using a stand-up electric mixer, beat butter (1 cup) until creamy. Slowly add sugar (2 cups) then continue to beat for 4-5 minutes until it's fluffy. Add eggs (2) one at a time, and beat after each addition until they're incorporated. Add lemon juice (2 teaspoons) and vanilla (1 teaspoon) and mix in.
- In a small bowl combine flour (2 1/2 cups), strawberry jello (2 tablespoons), baking soda (1/2 teaspoon), and salt (1/4 teaspoon). Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternating with the buttermilk (1 cup), beginning and ending with the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Gently stir in strawberries (2/3 cups). Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool cake completely. Lift the cake out of the pan, using the parchment paper extensions.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese (8 ounces) with 1/3 cup of sugar until the mixture is smooth. Fold in strawberries (2/3 cups).
- In a large bowl, beat the cream (1 1/2 cups) and lemon juice (3 tablespoons) until the mixture is frothy. Continue beating on medium-high speed and gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar. Beat until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Fold half of the whipped cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the rest of the whipped cream mixture.
- Immediately spread the top and sides of the cake with frosting. Serve 🙂
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- How To Remove From Pan? I like to line the baking pan with parchment that extends a few inches beyond the length of the pan on both ends. This is referred to as a sling. After baking, grab both ends and gently lift the entire cake out of the baking pan.
- Chopping the strawberries – The berries should be chopped or diced into small pieces. Big chunks will create soggy pockets in the cake.
- Folding – The key to fluffy frosting and a light, airy cake is to fold in the strawberries by hand.
- To fold, pull your spatula through the middle of the batter and fold one side.
- Continue until everything is well mixed. Stirring will knock the air out of the whipped cream and cake batter and also break down the berries.
Nutrition
Source: Southern Living
Delicious cake recipe! I forgot that most heavy creams contain carrageenan, which makes me seriously 🤮. I would love to make this again but will be more careful choosing ingredients.
Very thankful for this delicious cake. I am waiting for the next recipe.