Description
Feeding a crowd? This Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake is a light, fluffy vanilla sheet cake topped with juicy macerated strawberries and stabilized whipped cream. It’s easy to bake, easy to frost, and the ultimate summer party cake for potlucks, BBQs, and celebrations.
Ingredients
CAKE
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
STRAWBERRY TOPPING
• 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM
• 2 cups heavy cream (cold)
• 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
• 3/8 cup water
Instructions
1. Prep the pan and oven: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a sheet pan (about 13×18) with parchment.
2. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt.
3. Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Combine: Add dry ingredients to wet and stir just until no dry streaks remain (do not overmix).
5. Bake: Spread batter evenly in the pan. Bake 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
6. Macerate strawberries: Toss strawberries with powdered sugar and lemon juice. Rest 20–30 minutes until juicy.
7. Bloom gelatin: Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes to bloom.
8. Dissolve gelatin: Microwave 10–15 seconds (or warm gently) until fully melted and clear. Cool 2–3 minutes (warm, not hot).
9. Whip cream: Whip cold heavy cream to soft peaks. With mixer running, slowly drizzle in gelatin. Continue whipping to medium-stiff peaks.
10. Frost: Spread whipped cream evenly over the cooled cake.
11. Top and serve: Spoon strawberries (and a little juice) over the whipped cream right before serving. Slice and enjoy.
Notes
Make-ahead: Bake the cake up to 1 day ahead and keep covered at room temperature. Macerate strawberries up to a few hours ahead and refrigerate.
Best timing: Add the whipped cream and strawberries closer to serving for the prettiest slices.
No gelatin option: You can skip gelatin if serving the same day, but the whipped topping will be softer.
Buttermilk substitute: Mix 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice; rest 5 minutes.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers covered up to 2 days. Best within 24 hours for the fluffiest whipped topping.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/16 of cake)
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg