Strawberry Crunch Cake

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Buttery Golden Oreo crumbs, sweet strawberry, and fluffy vanilla buttercream come together in this strawberry crunch cake, my from-scratch cake version of the Good Humor strawberry shortcake ice cream bar. Three layers of strawberry cake (no boxed mix) are filled and frosted with classic vanilla buttercream, pressed with baked strawberry crunch, and finished with whipped cream swirls and fresh strawberries. It’s a showstopper for birthdays, summer parties, and Valentine’s Day.

A note about the color: When I created this recipe, regular strawberry Jell-O was colored with red dye, and that’s where the pink in my photos comes from. No food coloring or special ingredients. Recently, gelatin brands have started switching to natural, dye-free colors, which bake up golden instead of pink. Check the ingredient list on your box for Red 40, and see the ingredient notes below for how to get a pink cake.

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Why Make Strawberry Crunch Cake?

Strawberry crunch cake is a delicious dessert that many people enjoy for its sweet and tangy flavor, as well as its crunchy texture. Here are some reasons why you might want to make this cake:

• It’s completely from scratch. No box mix here. Strawberry gelatin goes right into the batter for strawberry flavor and a moist, tender crumb, so you don’t need fresh berries in season.
• The crunch is the best part. Crushed Golden Oreos, strawberry gelatin, and melted butter bake for just 8 minutes into a crisp, sweet coating that tastes like the outside of the ice cream bar. The batch makes extra, so you’ll have some for snacking or topping ice cream.
• It’s made for celebrations. Readers have made it for birthdays, and it’s a natural fit for summer parties and Valentine’s Day with fresh strawberries on top.
• You can make it ahead. Bake the layers up to 2 days ahead (or freeze them for 2 months), and make the buttercream up to a week in advance, so assembly day is just frosting and decorating.
• It adapts to other pans. It works as 24 to 30 cupcakes or, with 1.5x the recipe, as a bundt cake. See the notes below for times.

Whether you’re serving it at a party or enjoying it with your family, it’s a dessert that everyone will love!

Ingredients Notes

You’ll find the full ingredient list and amounts in the recipe card below.

Strawberry gelatin (Jell-O): Use a 3-ounce (85 g) box of strawberry-flavored gelatin mix, not unflavored gelatin like Knox. You’ll need two boxes: one for the cake batter and one for the crunch. The gelatin is what gives this from-scratch cake its strawberry flavor, so there’s no fruit in the batter.

Heads up about the color! When I developed this recipe, the standard strawberry Jell-O on every grocery shelf contained red dye (Red 40), and that alone turned my cake and crunch pink. I didn’t add any food coloring. Food companies have recently begun replacing synthetic dyes with natural colors, and those fade in the oven, so the same recipe may now bake up golden. The flavor won’t change.

How to tell which kind you have: Check the ingredient list on the box, not the front label. If you see Red 40, your cake will bake up pink. If the color comes from something like beet juice, vegetable juice, or fruit juice, it’s dye-free, and your cake will be golden unless you add gel food coloring.

For a pink cake with dye-free gelatin: Add a few drops of pink or red gel food coloring with the sugar and gelatin. Mix the batter a shade deeper than you want, since the color softens as it bakes. I haven’t tested this recipe with dye-free gelatin.

Vegetable oil: I use oil for a moist, tender cake. You can swap in melted butter, but the layers will be denser.

Eggs and milk: Bring them to room temperature before you start so the batter mixes smoothly and evenly.

Golden Oreos: These are for the crunch. Crush them into small crumbles, but not to a fine powder, so the coating keeps its texture.

Powdered sugar: Sift it before adding it to the buttercream, or the frosting may turn out lumpy.

These ingredients work together to create a delicious and moist strawberry crunch cake with a balanced flavor and a light, fluffy texture.

Method of Making the Cake

For complete instructions, please see recipe card below.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine the vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Beat the mixture on medium speed until it becomes smooth and well combined.

Add the sugar and strawberry gelatin to the mixer bowl. Mix again until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the mixer, adding it in four increments. Mix each addition until just combined before adding more.

In a separate bowl, measure out the milk. Add it to the mixer in three increments, alternating between the milk and flour mixture. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined after each addition.

To bake the cakes, divide the batter equally among the three prepared pans. If you’re using a scale, aim for approximately 483 grams of batter per pan to ensure even layers.

Ensure that the cakes are thoroughly cooled before proceeding with frosting. Cooling them completely will prevent the frosting from melting and sliding off the cakes.

To Make the Crunch and Decorate the Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Crush Golden Oreos into small crumbles using a food processor or by pounding them in a plastic bag with a mallet or rolling pin.

In a medium bowl, combine the crumbled Oreos with strawberry Jell-O powder and melted butter, gently mixing them together.

Spread the mixture onto a greased baking sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicone mat, then bake for 8 minutes at 350°F. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow the mixture to cool.

Decorate top and sides of cake with completely cooled strawberry crunch. Add whipped cream and fresh strawberries to top of the cake.

Enjoy!

Tips for Making Layer Cakes

• Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before starting.

• Use high-quality ingredients, especially for the flour, sugar, and butter.

• Measure your ingredients carefully, either by weight or using measuring cups and spoons.

• Use cake pans that are the same size and shape for even baking.

• Line the bottom of your cake pans with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

• Grease the sides of the cake pans and dust them with flour to prevent the cake from sticking.

• Don’t overfill the cake pans with batter – they should be no more than two-thirds full.

• Bake the cake layers in the center of the oven for even baking.

• Allow the cake layers to cool completely before frosting and assembling the cake.

• Use a serrated knife to level the cake layers if needed and place a dollop of frosting between each layer to hold them in place.

Serving Ideas

Strawberry crunch cake can be served with a variety of accompaniments such as:

• A scoop of vanilla ice cream
• Some fresh sliced strawberries
• A few dollops of fresh whipped cream.

A warm cup of coffee or tea (or iced)or a tall glass of cold milk (any variety!) can also be a great complement to the cake.

Storage and Make Ahead

For the cake:

Once the cake layers have cooled completely, you can store them to use later or assemble the cake right away. To store the cake layers, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container. Alternatively, you can place them in a freezer-safe bag and seal it tightly. Store the cake layers at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

If you want to make the cake layers ahead of time, you can bake and cool them in advance. Once cooled, wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap and place them in the freezer. When you’re ready to use them, allow the cake layers to thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator before assembling and frosting the cake.

For the Buttercream:

If you have leftover buttercream or want to make it ahead of time, it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Before using it, allow the buttercream to come to room temperature and give it a good stir or re-whip it with an electric mixer to restore its smooth consistency.

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