This strawberry sheet cake with lemon cream cheese frosting recipe is so simple but delivers phenomenal results! I love cake recipes that use standard pantry ingredients as this sheet cake recipe does. There’s nothing fancy except the results!
Like all good strawberry cake recipes, it uses tons of fresh strawberries. I think fresh is best in fruit cake recipes!
After tasting this fantastic sheet cake, I’m sure you’re gonna want more of the same. Strawberry poke cake, strawberry pound cake, strawberry shortcake cake, and strawberry cake (3 glorious layers) feed a crowd and knock their socks off delicious!
Let’s start baking!
What I Love About This Recipe
- The fluffy lemony cream cheese frosting
- The fresh strawberries in the cake and frosting
- Makes plenty to go around
- Looks as good as it tastes
How To Make Strawberry Sheet Cake Recipe
- Combine the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and lemon juice.
- Combine the dry ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients alternating with the buttermilk. Mix until just combined.
- Fold in the strawberries, spread the batter in the pan, and bake.
- To prepare the frosting, cream together 1/2 the sugar and the cream cheese. Fold in the strawberries.
- In a separate bowl, mix the heavy cream and lemon juice until frothy. Mix on medium-high speed, adding in the remaining sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Fold the cream into the cream cheese mixture. Spread over the cake.
***See the full instructions below.
Strawberry Sheet Cake Ingredients
Cake:
- Butter: I use unsalted butter at room temperature.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar.
- Eggs: I use large eggs. It’s best to use room temperature eggs.
- Lemon: I suggest using a fresh lemon. One ripe lemon should be plenty for both the cake and frosting. There are lots of different ways to juice a lemon, but I like to roll it on the counter with firm pressure to get the juices flowing before I cut it.
- Cake Flour: Cake flour has lower gluten and makes the cake more tender. I highly suggest it, but in a pinch, you can use all-purpose flour with a bit of corn starch mixed in. Put 2 tablespoons of corn starch at the bottom of the 1 cup measuring cup and add all-purpose flour on top of it. Put 1 tablespoon in the 1/2 cup
- Strawberry Jello: This is added strait from the box as a dry ingredient.
- Baking Soda: This gives the cake it’s rise.
- Salt: Regular table salt.
- Buttermilk: Be sure to shake the buttermilk well before measuring it out.
- Strawberries: I prefer using fresh strawberries.
Frosting:
- Cream Cheese: At room temperature.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar.
- Strawberries: Again, I prefer using fresh strawberries.
- Cream: Heavy cream.
- Lemon Juice: I suggest using a fresh lemon
Tips
- 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 that until everything is well mixed. Stirring will knock the air out of the whipped cream and cake batter, and it also breakdown the berries.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
Store this cake in a well-sealed container in the fridge. If you don’t have a top for your cake pan, you can use toothpicks to keep the clingwrap from sticking to the frosting.
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? This cake will last up to 4 days in the fridge, but the frosting starts to lose its texture after a couple of days.
- Can You Freeze This? I don’t recommend freezing the frosted cake. However, the cake itself will freeze just fine using proper freezing techniques. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight and frost it just before serving.
- Cake Make-Ahead Tips: You can make the cake a day or two ahead of time, but hold off on the frosting until you’re ready to serve. You can also freeze your cake as a make-ahead step.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
More Sheet Cake Recipes
Sheet cake is the way to go to feed a crowd! Be sure to try these!
- Pig Pickin Cake
- Texas Sheet Cake
- Pineapple Sheet Cake
- Coca Cola Cake
- Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
- Coconut Sheet Cake
- Pineapple Sunshine Cake
- Pina Colada Sheet Cake
- Lemon Buttermilk Cake
- Pina Colada Sheet Cake
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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
- 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 that until everything is well mixed. Stirring will knock the air out of the whipped cream and cake batter, and it also breakdown the berries.
Nutrition
Source: Southern Living
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Deb S. says
I made this cake for a family birthday and it was an absolute success! Everyone loved it and my father has requested it for his birthday cake for next June. I’m making it tomorrow for some special guests and I’m sure they will love it. Thanks for the wonderful share.
Kathleen says
You’re so welcome Deb. Thanks for your comment 🙂
tammy says
Has anyone tried to freeze this yet?? Not the icing of course..lol
Kathleen says
Hi Tammy. I haven’t tried freezing this cake. Sorry, but I think the cake alone, without the frosting, should freeze very well. Keep me posted if you give it a try 🙂
Mike says
The recipe looks great, but your printable version is not working, it’s trying to print 11 pages.
Kathleen says
Hi Mike. I’m so so sorry!!! I contacted my tech person the day you left the comment. Trying to get it fixed! I really appreciate you letting me know!
Kavya says
Hi again:)
I baked the cake batter in cupcakes. It is moist and yumm. But the sides of the cupcake have a light hard brown crust. Any idea why?
Kavya says
Hi Kathleen,
I am planning to bake this today. I rcake looks sumptious. Can i bake it as cupcakes?
Or what about as round cake pan?
Thanks
Jennifer says
I made this to celebrate Mother’s Day last weekend and it was a hit! The cake and the frosting are both delicious, but the frosting really stood out for me – so light, fluffy, and delicious!
Kathleen says
Hey Jennifer! I’m so glad you enjoyed this for Mother’s Day! I agree the frosting is amazing! Thanks for sharing 😉
DEBBY CHAMBERS says
HI WOULD THIS BE GOOD FOR A OUTDOOR WEDDING IN SEPTEMBER IN OR. IT COULD BE IN THE 80 TO 86 IS THAT OK FOR THIS CAKE THANK YOU DEBBY AND THE CAKE IS SO SO GOOD !!!!!!!!!!!
Kathleen says
Hi Debby, well, I have to say I worry about the frosting in the heat. The cream cheese and the whipped cream make it more perishable and for food safety require refrigeration.
Nova says
Thanks for your reply Kathleen I just looked at my comment and I left out the word cornflour or corn starch as you call it in the States. Add cornflour to plain flour to make cake flour.
Nova says
I live in Sydney now but I’ve also lived in the States and the jello gelatin powder (not to be confused with the jello you mix with milk) is the same as the jelly in Oz, we just spell it a different way.
Cake flour is another product we don’t have but 2 tablespoons in a cup measure and then all purpose flour to make up a full cup is a great substitute. I haven’t found a strawberry cake I like from scratch and there are literally hundreds on the internet, most of them come out a dull purplish colour and that could be because our butter is really yellow. But this one looks good so I will give it a whirl. Thanks for sharing.
Kathleen says
Hi Nova. Thanks for your input. 😉 I hope you try the cake and enjoy it as much as we do!
Cynt says
Hello ! I did not have cake flour on hand. I searched on google for a substitute. For each measured cup of regular flour, remove 2 Tablespoons, then add 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch. My cake is baking now !
I will comment on cake after finished baking !
Kathleen says
Wow Cynt! Thats very impressive. I love your ingenuity! Please let us all know how it came out! <3
Marie B says
SO SO GOOD! Brought me back to the wild strawberry fields on my grandparent’s farm when I was a child. Made it for our family Easter supper…huge success! Will use the frosting as a topping on other desserts.
Kathleen says
Hi Marie. I’m so happy to hear you liked the recipes and even happier to hear it stirred old memories. I think that’s the best when food does that!
Dawn B. says
What about an adjustment for high altitude Any ideas?
Kathleen says
Hi Dawn. Sorry but I have no experience baking at high altitude. I’m literally at sea level! Sorry again and good luck!!!
Dawn B. says
Thanks for your reply, Kathleen. I’ll let you know how it turns out at almost 5,000 feet of elevation. Happy Easter!
Dianne says
Hello I plan to bake this cake on Sunday, however I don’t like cream cheese in any form or fashion. Is there another lemon frosting recipe that I can use? Thanks
Kathleen says
Hi Dianne. This is the only frosting recipe I’ve tried with this cake. Any lemon butter cream would be great I’m sure 🙂
Nancy Allen says
Recipe looks great
Nancy Allen says
Looking forward to your recipes
Kathleen says
Thank you Nancy 😉
Gail McLean says
Just thought I’wld let u know., there is no such thing as jello in Australia .. We have gelatine (which is unflavored and has no colour) and we have jelly which u call jam but to us Aussie it is wobbly flavoured water based dessert.. It is difficult to
Know what u r talking about when u refer to strawberry flavoured jello?? So I used what we call jelly crystals and had to add a food dye to get the pink colour as the crystals did not produce enuf colour., the recipe worked out well but I sure am
Grateful u put in the size of the dish, even though we work in centimeters and not inches coz I wld have no
Idea what a sheet pan is either., all in all., it’s a beautiful cake but in this global world, there are still differences in products, measurements and language but I
Like a challenge and made all the conversions.. It’s not easy living down under sometimes! But we manage!
Kathleen says
Hello Gail. Well I’m glad theres a product to substitute for Jello. Thanks for sharing ypur experience 🙂
jenny says
Hi Gail , did you use a lamington size pan i,m in sydney a well ??
Ellen says
Just made this cake for a baby shower, and it turned out GREAT! A few modifications:
-Three 9″ tiers, so had to double the recipe exactly to fill the pans properly
-Baked each for 42 mins
-Used a Lemon Cream Cheese icing recipe instead of this one because this icing wouldn’t be strong enough.
Can not say enough great things about this recipe. Some of the best cake I have EVER tried or made!!
Kathleen says
Hi Ellen! Wow that sounds like a Delicious combination! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Love hearing how you put it together!!!
LJK says
Ok so I hate to waste stuff.. if we take out 2 tbsp of jello powder from the packaged, can we then make some jello on the side to use the rest up? Any idea on how much water to use in that case?
Kathleen says
Hi LJK, great idea! I haven’t experimented yet doing so. Sorry. I’d love to know if you figure it out 🙂
LJK says
I have this in the oven right now.. and it’s been in for 35 min and the top is brown but it’s most def not done.. it’s ..sloshy? Prayers..
Anyway in the meantime I figured out the jello.. if you’re using a SMALL box of it, there are 6 tablespoons inside so using 2 for the cake leaves 4 left.. which is 2/3 of the package so you need 2/3 cup boiling water and 2/3 cup cold water to prepare the remaining jello.
I live in Europe and have to have family in the USA mail me some grocery items, like jello.. so I hate to waste it 🙂
I also cannot buy heavy cream here but was suggested to get whipping cream as it’s the highest fat content we can buy at 30%. (I live in The Netherlands)
I’m making this cake for my mother in law’s birthday tonight so I reaaaally hope this comes out. I can’t find any reason for the slosh in the pan.. I followed the recipe exactly. I don’t have a stand mixer but have always made do without one so I can’t see that being the cause. I wlill let you know how it turns out!
LJK says
So.. it was good but very powerful. The only issue was that the cake was incredibly moist but maybe from the strawberry juice? It reminded me of strawberry shortcake. The frosting was the best part 😉
Katy says
Just made this yummy cake last nite for my little grand-daughters 4th birthday. She wanted a “pink” cake and this one looked perfect on Pinterest, and it really was perfect! It was moist, light and had a slight lemon tang to it, with a cool and creamy frosting. And I especially loved that it was a “scratch” cake… I don’t like cake mixes!
We decorated it up with the Princesses’ from Frozen, wrote Happy Birthday on it with some icing I whipped up, and stuck some candles on it, and she loved it !!
Thanks for such a good recipe that I will keep making for a very long time !!
Kathleen says
HI Katy! Happy belated birthday to your grand daughter! So happy you liked this cake and most importantly the birthday girl liked it too!!!