This strawberry sheet cake is easy to make with vanilla cake batter and fresh strawberry purée! Topped with a strawberry cream cheese frosting, it’s perfect for feeding a crowd.

Strawberry brownie on a white plate.

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Easy Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake

If you love strawberries as much as I do, you don’t want to miss this old-fashioned strawberry sheet cake! Like my strawberry jello poke cake, it’s a boxed cake mix dessert, which makes it easy to whip up in 35 minutes.

It’s baked on a baking sheet like my white sheet cake recipe, making it flatter than your average cake but perfect to serve a crowd at a potluck! Top with a strawberry cream cheese frosting or strawberry buttercream for the best strawberry cake recipe!

Recipe Ingredients

Pouring strawberry cream frosting on top of cake.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Fresh strawberries: Juicy, ripe berries will be pureed to infuse the cake with fresh strawberry flavor! Thawed and drained frozen strawberries will work, but may need a pinch of additional sugar.
  • Cake mix: Using a white cake mix or strawberry cake mix keeps it easy!
  • Instant vanilla pudding: Helps thicken and soften the cake with pudding.
  • Eggs: This will add structure to the cake as well as color and richness.
  • Canola oil: Extra moisture will be added in with the oil.
  • Water: Warm water is added to the batter to keep it moist and help with baking time.
  • Sour cream: This will soften the cake and give it a moist, spongy texture.
  • Red food coloring: This helps to brighten the cake a little more and give it that beautiful pink color once it is baked.
  • Strawberry cream cheese frosting: Softened butter, softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, strawberry puree and a pinch of salt.

How to Make Strawberry Sheet Cake

A photo collage of the steps to make strawberry brownies.
  • Combine. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, water, and sour cream. Mix using an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Add 1 cup of the strawberry purée and gently combined. Do not overmix.
  • Bake. Pour into a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove and allow the cake to cool before adding any frosting.
  • Mix. Make the frosting by beating the cream cheese and butter with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and strawberry purée and mix until combined. Add a pinch of salt or vanilla extract, if desired.
  • Spread. Using a spatula evenly spread the strawberry frosting overtop the sheet pan dessert.
Strawberry brownies in a sheet pan.

Recipe Tips

Follow these helpful tips to make this the best strawberry sheet cake!

  • Flavors. This can be made with vanilla cake mix or strawberry cake mix if preferred.
  • Size. This cake is quite thin, so if you’re looking for a thicker cake, swap the baking sheet for a 9×13 cake pan. Add 5 minutes to the baking time.
  • Butter. I use salted butter because I like what it adds to the taste, but you can use unsalted butter and then adjust using any added salt to taste.
  • Strawberries. The riper, the sweeter your purée will be. It’s the juices that add all of that delicious strawberry flavor. Just keep in mind, you may want to avoid overly juicy strawberries to garnish the cake, otherwise, they may start to bleed into your frosting.
Strawberry brownies on a white plate with strawberry slices on top.

Storage

  • To store: This cake makes about 24 slices. If you have any leftovers, keep them stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days in the fridge.
  • To freeze: You can freeze this cake even with the frosting on! Place any remaining pieces on a baking sheet and flash freeze for 30 minutes. This way, once the frosting has hardened you can transfer it to a freezer-friendly Ziploc or airtight container. Separate the layers with parchment paper that way they won’t clump together.
Bite taken from strawberry cake.

Do you love fresh strawberry desserts!? Try these delicious strawberry cookies, fresh strawberry pie, or these easy strawberry brownies!

More Strawberry Dessert Recipes

sliced strawberry cake

Strawberry Sheet Cake

5 from 9 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 24
This strawberry sheet cake is easy to make with vanilla cake batter and fresh strawberry purée! Topped with a strawberry cream cheese frosting, it's perfect for feeding a crowd.
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Equipment

  • Half-Size Sheet Pan (18×13")

Ingredients 

Strawberry Puree

  • 16 ounces strawberries , rinsed and tops cut (more for top if desired)

Strawberry Cake

  • 15 ounces white cake mix , or strawberry cake mix
  • 3.4 ounce box Instant Vanilla Pudding
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¾ cup canola oil
  • ¾ cup warm water
  • 8 ounces sour cream
  • red food coloring , optional

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 6 Tablespoons butter , softened (I use salted)
  • 4 ouces cream cheese , softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • ⅓ cup strawberry puree , reserved from cake
  • Pinch salt

Instructions

  • Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 18×13" baking sheet with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper. Then place 16 ounces strawberries in a blender and pulse until well blended.
  • Combine the 15 ounce cake mix, 3.4 ounce pudding mix, 3 eggs, 3/4 cup oil, 3/4 cup water and 8 ounces sour cream. Mix until well combined.
  • Bake. Add in 1 cup of strawberry puree and then mix just until combined. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired. Pour into the prepared baking sheet. Bake cake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean. Remove from oven and allow cake to cool.
  • For the frosting, combine 6 Tablespoons butter and 4 ounces cream cheese together in a medium size bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Then add in 3 cups powdered sugar and 1/3 cup strawberry puree. Mix until combined. Taste and add a pinch of salt or dash of vanilla if needed.
  • Spread the frosting evenly over top of the cooled cake.
  • Slice cake into 24 bars and then top with sliced strawberries if desired, just before serving.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

Cake: This cake could also be made with strawberry cake mix or vanilla cake mix. You could also bake in a 9×13″ pan if you desire a thicker cake. You will need to add on an additional 5 minutes of bake time.  
Storage: Store in a covered container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. 
Freezer instructions: Place slices on baking sheet and freezer for 30 minutes. Once frosting is hard, stack slices in a covered container with a parchment paper in between each layer. 

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 191mg, Potassium: 57mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 181IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.