Name: Strawberry Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ¾ cup vegetable oil (170g); ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (56g); 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g); 3 large eggs; 2 tsp vanilla extract; ⅓ cup milk (80g); 340g fresh or frozen strawberries (about 1 ½ cup puree); 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (360g); 2 tbsp cornstarch (20g); ¾ tsp baking soda; 1 tsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; Optional: few drops pink gel food color; 12oz cream cheese, room temperature (340g); ⅓ cup strawberry jam (80g); ¼ cup granulated sugar (60g); ⅓ cup heavy cream (80g); Pinch of salt; Fresh strawberries to taste

If you’re on the hunt for a bright, fresh dessert that screams spring and summer, this Strawberry Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe might just become your new go-to. It’s moist, tender, and bursts with real strawberry flavor, topped with a luscious frosting that feels like a dream.

A close-up view of a rectangular slice of light brown cake with a thick, smooth layer of pink frosting on top, decorated with three small fresh red strawberries and red sprinkles scattered over the frosting. The cake is being lifted by a clear spatula, showing its soft crumb texture inside. Around the slice, other pieces of the same cake with similar pink frosting and strawberry toppings are slightly visible, all set on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Strawberry Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Strawberry Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Strawberry Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Honestly, I can’t get enough of how this cake balances a fresh strawberry intensity with a silky cream cheese frosting—it’s like summer in every bite. Getting this recipe on your table is easier than you think!

Bright, natural flavor: The cake is made with fresh or thawed strawberries pureed right into the batter, giving it that genuine fruit taste.
Moist and tender crumb: Careful mixing and the right balance of ingredients ensure a soft texture that’s just perfect.
Silky cream cheese frosting: The strawberry-infused frosting adds a creamy, tangy sweetness that complements the cake beautifully.
Simple to make: No complicated steps or fancy tools—just straightforward baking that anyone can do.

Ingredients & Why They Work

When it comes to these ingredients, quality and freshness really shine through, especially with the strawberries and cream cheese. Whether you pick up fresh berries at the market or grab frozen ones from your freezer, just be sure they’re ripe and flavorful to get the best results in your strawberry sheet cake.

Flat lay of a small pool of vegetable oil in a simple white ceramic bowl, a few unsalted butter cubes melted and pooled in a small white bowl, a small white bowl filled with granulated sugar, three whole brown eggs with clean shells arranged in a triangle, a small white bowl holding pale vanilla extract, a small white bowl with fresh milk, fresh whole strawberries both whole and sliced revealing bright red juicy interiors, a small white bowl with all-purpose flour, a small white bowl with fine cornstarch, a small white bowl containing baking soda powder, a small white bowl containing baking powder, a small white bowl with fine salt, a small white bowl of cream cheese at room temperature, a small white bowl filled with vibrant red strawberry jam, a small white bowl of granulated sugar for the frosting, a small white bowl of heavy cream, and a pinch of salt displayed neatly and symmetrically, all placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Vegetable oil: Keeps the cake moist and tender without overpowering flavor.
Unsalted butter: Adds richness and depth to the batter.
Granulated sugar: Balances the tartness of strawberries and sweetens the cake perfectly.
Eggs: Provide structure and help bind everything together.
Vanilla extract: Brings warmth and rounds out the flavor profile.
Milk: Adds moisture and helps achieve a soft crumb.
Fresh or frozen strawberries: The star ingredient – pureed into the batter for real fruit flavor.
All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the cake’s tender structure.
Cornstarch: Helps lighten the texture, keeping the crumb soft.
Baking soda and baking powder: Work together to give a good rise without drying out the cake.
Salt: Enhances all the flavors in the cake.
Pink gel food color (optional): Adds a pretty hue if you want to amp up the cake’s strawberry vibe.
Cream cheese: The base for the frosting, giving a tangy richness that pairs perfectly with strawberry flavor.
Strawberry jam: Infuses the frosting with sweet, fruity notes.
Heavy cream: Whipped into the frosting for a silken, spreadable texture.
Pinch of salt: Balances the sweetness in the frosting.
Fresh strawberries (for decoration): Makes the finished cake look as good as it tastes!

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

The beauty of this Strawberry Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe is how easy it is to personalize. Whether you want to tweak the sweetness, try vegan substitutions, or add a little extra flair, this cake welcomes creativity with open arms.

Gluten-Free Variation: I swapped the all-purpose flour for a gluten-free blend once and was thrilled with the results — the cake kept its tender crumb and delightful strawberry flavor, perfect for sharing with friends who avoid gluten.
Dairy-Free Option: Using coconut cream instead of heavy cream and a dairy-free cream cheese made this recipe vegan-friendly without sacrificing the luscious creaminess of the frosting.
Seasonal Twist: For a summer barbecue, I mixed in fresh blueberries with the strawberry puree for a burst of mixed berry flavor that brightened each bite.
Extra Strawberry Boost: If you’re like me and adore more strawberry flavor, adding a few extra tablespoons of strawberry jam right into the frosting amps up that sweet, fruity note beautifully.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Strawberry Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

A slice of light pink cake sits on a white scalloped plate, topped with a creamy layer of pale pink frosting and decorated with fresh, red strawberry slices. The cake has one visible layer of soft, moist texture. There are crumbs scattered near the slice, and a gold fork is placed under the cake, lifting it slightly. In the background, there is another larger piece of the same cake on a white scalloped plate, also topped with pink frosting and whole strawberries. Bright red strawberries and dried strawberry pieces are scattered on a white marbled surface around the plates. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Step 1: Preheat and Prep for Success

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (conventional, no fan). While it warms, line your 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper — this simple step means your cake won’t stick and lifting it out becomes a breeze. Nothing beats a perfectly clean edge after baking!

Step 2: Whip Together the Wet Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine the vegetable oil, melted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat these together for about 2 minutes until you see a smooth, glossy batter forming. This smoothness is your sign that the sugar is blending nicely and your cake will be moist and tender.

Step 3: Puree Those Strawberries

Pop your fresh or fully thawed strawberries into a food processor and blitz them until you get a luscious puree. I like to leave just a tiny bit of texture for bursts of juicy strawberry in every bite. It adds a nice homemade feel to the cake.

Step 4: Combine the Strawberry Puree and Milk

Pour the strawberry puree and milk into your wet ingredients bowl and whisk gently until everything is evenly combined. The batter will have a lovely pink hue, especially if you add a few drops of pink gel food coloring here for extra visual fun.

Step 5: Gently Add the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to your wet mixture, using a hand whisk to fold them in gently until you no longer see lumps. Be careful not to overmix here — a tender crumb depends on it!

Step 6: Bake to Perfection

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and slide it into the oven. Bake for about 30 minutes, but start checking around 25 minutes with a toothpick inserted in the center. It should come out with a few moist crumbs — no wet batter. This keeps the cake wonderfully moist without being gummy.

Step 7: Let It Cool Completely

Patience pays off here! Allow the cake to cool fully at room temperature — about 10 minutes to start, but ideally longer — before moving on to frosting. This prevents your frosting from melting and sliding off, keeping it silky smooth on top.

Step 8: Whip Up the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

In a bowl, combine the room-temperature cream cheese, strawberry jam, granulated sugar, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. Using a mixer on medium-low speed, whisk until silky and lump-free. Take care not to overbeat to keep the frosting thick and luscious—not runny.

Step 9: Frost and Decorate

Once the cake has cooled, carefully lift it out of the pan if you lined it with parchment. Spread your frosting generously and evenly over the top. Finally, arrange fresh sliced strawberries on the frosting for that picture-perfect finish and an extra juicy punch.

Step 10: Slice, Serve, and Store

Slice your cake into 12 generous servings and enjoy! This cake is best served at room temperature to let those flavors shine. If you have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator to keep the frosting fresh and flavorful for up to 3 days.

Top Tip

These tips are here to help you master the Strawberry Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe so it turns out moist, flavorful, and beautifully decorated every single time.

Perfect Strawberry Puree: I’ve found that using fresh or fully thawed strawberries that are well-pureed—but with a little texture left—adds the best strawberry flavor without making the batter watery.
Gentle Mixing: Avoid overmixing after adding dry ingredients; from experience, this keeps your cake tender and airy instead of dense.
Frosting Consistency: Whisk the cream cheese frosting on medium-low speed just until smooth. Overmixing can thin it out and make spreading tricky.
Baking Window: Keep a close eye on the cake after 25 minutes and test with a toothpick to avoid overbaking, which can dry the cake out.

How to Serve Strawberry Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

A wooden bowl filled with thick, smooth pink batter that has small red specks mixed evenly throughout. A metal whisk with a wooden handle is resting in the batter, with batter coating the whisk’s loops. The bowl sits on a white marbled surface, and there is some dusting of flour around the rim of the bowl and on the surface. The batter looks creamy and soft with gentle swirls made by the whisk. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Garnishes

Fresh, sliced strawberries on top are the star garnish—adding a juicy, vibrant pop of color. You can also sprinkle a few edible flowers, a light dusting of powdered sugar, or a few small mint leaves for contrast. A handful of white chocolate shavings pairs beautifully as well if you want to elevate the presentation.

Side Dishes

This strawberry sheet cake shines as a dessert centerpiece, but you can serve it alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of lightly whipped cream for an extra indulgent touch. For beverages, think chilled lemonade, sparkling rosé, or a fruity iced tea to complement the bright berry flavors.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store your leftover Strawberry Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting in an airtight container or cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Keep it in the refrigerator where it will stay fresh for up to 3 days. This also helps the frosting remain set and delicious.

Freezing

If you want to freeze, it’s best to freeze the cake without frosting to maintain texture on thawing. Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil for up to 2 months. When ready, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add fresh frosting before serving.

Reheating

This cake is delightful served at room temperature. If you prefer it slightly warm, let slices sit out for 15-20 minutes after removing from the fridge. Avoid microwaving as this can melt the frosting unevenly and change the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?

Yes! Just make sure to thaw the frozen strawberries completely at room temperature for about 30 minutes and drain any excess liquid before pureeing. This prevents the batter from becoming too watery.

Why is my cake dense instead of light and fluffy?

Overmixing the batter once the dry ingredients are added can cause the cake to be dense. Mix just until the ingredients are combined and no lumps remain to keep the crumb tender.

How thick should I make the cream cheese frosting?

This recipe yields a light layer of frosting, perfect for balancing the cake’s soft texture. If you prefer thicker frosting, simply increase the quantities while keeping the consistency smooth by whisking gently.

Can I make this cake in a different size pan?

You can, but baking times will vary. The recipe is designed for a 9x13 inch pan to ensure even baking. If using a smaller or deeper pan, check doneness earlier and adjust time as needed.

Final Thoughts

There’s something truly joyful about a homemade Strawberry Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe—it’s vibrant, moist, and downright irresistible. I hope these tips and serving ideas help you enjoy every bite to the fullest, whether it’s a celebration or a cozy afternoon treat. Happy baking, and may your kitchen be filled with the sweet aroma of strawberries and smiles!