Inspired by a classic ice cream popsicle, this Strawberry Crunch Cake combines a strawberry-flavored cake, homemade cream cheese frosting, and a strawberry cookie crunch topping. This easy-to-make cake is full of strawberry flavor and will certainly impress at any celebration.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with baking spray.
In a large bowl, add the white cake mix, strawberry gelatin, eggs, butter, and milk. Use a hand mixer to blend until smooth. (About two minutes.)
Pour into your prepared baking pan.
Bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
While your cake bakes and cools, prepare the strawberry crunch topping. Add the cookies to a food processor. Pulse to create crumbs. Remove and transfer to a large bowl.
Add the freeze-dried strawberries to the food processor. Pulse to create a fine powder. Add this to the bowl of cookie crumbs and mix to combine. Drizzle the melted butter over this cookie mixture and stir to combine again.
Spread out this mixture onto a piece of wax or parchment paper. Allow it to dry for about 20-25 minutes.
Next, mix up the cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer), beat together the cream cheese, butter, and salt until light and smooth. This will take about three to five minutes. Add in the vanilla extract and beat to combine.
Add the confectioners’ sugar slowly, about one cup at a time, and beat until smooth. Add milk, a splash at a time, to achieve desired consistency.
Once your cake is cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the prepared strawberry crunch topping. The topping should completely cover the frosting.
The cake can be served immediately or refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
*With this recipe you will have extra strawberry crunch topping. I used about two-thirds for this cake. If you do not want extra, adjust the recipe accordingly. Any leftover cake should be refrigerated. It is good for two to three days in the refrigerator, but the crunch topping will become less crunchy over time.
If you’re making this cake in advance, wait to add the crunch topping until closer to the time of serving.