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This Strawberry Sheet Cake is soft, moist, fluffy, and bursting with fresh strawberry flavor in every bite. Topped with a light, dreamy lemon frosting that perfectly balances the sweetness, this easy 9×13 cake is the kind of dessert that always steals the show at potlucks, birthdays, baby showers, and summer parties.
If you love easy homemade sheet cakes like this, be sure to check out my Texas Sheet Cake, Coca Cola Cake, and Pig Pickin Cake — all reader favorites. Or browse my full Cake Recipes collection for even more crowd-pleasing homemade desserts.
What makes this strawberry sheet cake recipe so special is the texture. Cake flour and buttermilk create an incredibly tender crumb, while fresh strawberries add real berry flavor throughout the cake and frosting. The fluffy lemon frosting keeps the cake tasting bright and fresh rather than overly rich or heavy, making this one of those desserts people can’t stop going back for “just one more slice.”
💡 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.
Fluffy Homemade Frosting
This frosting is light, fluffy, and slightly tangy — the perfect complement to a sweet strawberry cake. It balances the sweetness beautifully without feeling heavy or overly rich.
If you’d rather switch things up, this cake also works beautifully with vanilla buttercream, chocolate frosting, or 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.
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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
- 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.
Nutrition
I’m on a diet right now, but really like to bake just to get my house to smell delicious. Anyway, I want to whip some up, have one question, do I shake the buttermilk, THEN measure it, or measure THEN shake?
Hi Wendy, I shake then measure 🙂 No more shaking
I am diabetic, I was wondering if I could use truvia in place of the sugar & use sugarfree jello?
Hey Liz, I’ve never baked with truvia. It sounds like a great idea. Does truvia have any substitution recommendations on their packaging? Sugarfree Jello would work for sure.If you try it, please let us know how it works 🙂
I wondered about the pan size indicated in this recipe (9×13) when the title indicates this is a sheet cake, but I followed the recipe as written. Now my cake has been in the over for over 40 minutes and is nowhere near being done. I should have followed my gut and used a sheet cake pan which much larger. 🙁 My family is on the way for Easter dinner and I don’t think this cake is going to come through.
Hi Katrina, I can’t imagine what happened. I definitely used a 9 X 13 inch baking pan and it worked out perfectly. Is is possible your oven runs cooler so it baked slower?
I’m having the same problem.. 45 min and still in there.. since the top browned already I covered it with foil.
This might be a silly question but it’s titled sheet cake and the directions say a 9×13 dish. So do you mean a 9×13 sheet cake pan or a 9×13 baking dish? We made it for Easter in a 9×13 sheet pan and it doesn’t seem right. Thanks!
Hey Sammi, I used a regular old 9 X 13 baking dish. How did your cake turn out?
I assume you refrigerate any leftovers?
Hi Lisa Yes definitely 🙂
How long then should we bake for cupcakes?
Jeanette, I haven’t made cupcakes yet so I’m sorry I’m not exactly sure.
I want to do something different for Easter. In steps 4 and 5, are they mixed together at the end. Also do I use half the cream cheese for in both mixtures?
Hi Kimmela. In step 4 you’re making a sweetened cream cheese by beating ALL of the cream cheese with 1/3 cup of sugar.
In step 5, in another bowl, you beat the heavy cream with the lemon juice until frothy, then continue beating and add 1/3 c sugar until it creates stiff peaks. You’re making a flavored whipped cream in step 5.
Then, once you’ve made the whipped cream, you fold 1/2 of it into the sweetened cream cheese mixture from step 4. When it’s incorporated you fold in the second 1/2 of the sweetened cream cheese mixture just until it’s incorporated.
Hope this is helpful. Lmk if you have any other questions 🙂
Do you think this cake would work to double the receipe and cook in a jelly roll pan? I want to make this for Easter for our large family.
Hey Carrie, I’m so sorry to reply so late to you! I’ve had a family emergency and have been out of town until today! I don’t think the jelly roll pan would work because I think there is too much batter.
Oh I just saw the comment about the frosting being to light to layer. I think I’ll bake the cake in a bundt pan instead.
Hey Seneca, I’d love to hear how that turns out! Please let us know 🙂
I interested in making this recipe as a three layer cake. Do you think doubling the recipe would yield enough batter and frosting?
I have a question about the icing recipe.
It asked for “heavy cream”, I bought a table cream
18%. Should I be buying a whipping cream??
Hope to hear from you tonight since I’ve baked
the cake and will be making the icing tomorrow
for Easter Dinner.
Hi Darlene, I’ve sent you an email. I think you should use the Heavy Cream instead of the Table Cream. Heavy Cream is 33%. I’ve never whipped up the lighter cream so I’m worried it might not be the right consistency or richness.
This looks so good and I’m going to make it for Easter. do you think this would work as a layer cake, or is the frosting to “light” to keep it together?
Hey Gaela. Yes, I do think that this frosting would be too light to use in a layer cake. I think it just might “squish” out between the layers!
Is the strawberry jello the instant or cook to serve jello? I am not sure if it would make a difference, but it does not hurt to ask!
Hi Lindsay! I just checked the original recipe and it didn’t specify. I don’t think it matters. Honestly, I can’t remember which one I used!!!LOL Sorry bout that!
Jello gelatin, not the jello pudding. (pudding is cooked or instant)
Yes, this recipe calls for gelatin powder. I’ve clarified the recipe 🙂
Do you think this would work as cupcakes too?
Yes I think they’d be delish!
Another “stupid” question but am I correct in assuming that the jello isn’t already made and is still in powder form?
Lauren, honestly, that is a Great question! Yes use the powdered form 🙂
Do you have to line the pan with parchment paper? I don’t want to lift the cake out of the pan as I would not have a serving dish to put it on….
Hi Donna, no then I wouldnt bother!
In most of the pics, it looks like you omitted the chopped strawberries from the frosting because I don’t see them. I think I it looks better not seeing the chopped strawberries in the frosting and just garnishing with a fresh berry on top of each slice.
Hi Susie. You’re right it doesn’t look like I added the strawberries to the frosting but I did. The recipe doesn’t have an overwhelming amount in the frosting. Funny thing is my sister and I had a long debate over this issue. She thought it would be better if they were only on the top-I like them in the frosting! LOL.
I made it last night. Shared it with my neighbors. Just one word perfection! So moist, tangy, and when you bite into the chopped strawberries. Gosh! I can’t wait for my mom to visit so I can serve this up. Thanks for sharing this one.
Hazel, I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it!
I can just tast tha tender crumb. I’m off to get my ingredients. If all goes well I will serve this on Easter Sunday brunch
Hazel, I hope you like it as much as we did!
Stupid question but what’s cake flour? Is that the same as cake mix?
Not a stupid question at all and I’m happy you asked it 🙂 It’s a special flour that you buy in the baking section in a box. It isn’t a cake mix. It’s a flour that has lower protein that regular all purpose flour so it produces a more tender cake.
Hi There! I live in Italy and have found tipo 00 which is a super refined flour, self rising flour and that’s about it in terms of a white flour for cakes and breads, aside from grainy flour of course. Think that would work?
Hi Valerie. I have to say honestly since I haven’t baked with those specific products I really am not sure. I wish I could be more helpful!
hi Valerie,
I live in Sunny Sicily Italy and i made this cake and used
Il Molino Farina 00 Per dolci which i found in a normal supermarket…the cake came out moist and perfect…hope this will help…Salute
Hi Maria. Thanks so much for sharing!
Ahhh.. Grazie Maria! Il Molino è perfetto! Pensavo che tipo 00 èd aguale di cake flour. La farò subito!!! Grazie mille!
Is the sugar thats in the frosting granulated or powdered?
Hi Paula, the sugar is granulated 😉