Irresistible Strawberry Crunch Cake Recipe

This Strawberry Crunch Cake is packed with bright, fresh strawberry taste. A tender vanilla sponge is layered with silky strawberry frosting and a crunchy mix of freeze-dried strawberry powder and Golden Oreo crumbs for contrast and texture.

You may also enjoy my Fresh Berry Cake recipe.

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I adore the scent of fresh strawberries and wanted that aroma and flavor to shine through in this cake. The key to achieving an intense strawberry note is not only using fresh berries but also incorporating freeze-dried strawberry powder into the frosting and crunch mixture.

Freeze-dried strawberry powder gives the frosting a concentrated strawberry flavor and a vivid color, creating an effect similar to biting into strawberry ice cream. The idea for this cake comes from strawberry crunch ice cream bars — creamy, fruity and just a little crunchy.

Strawberry Crunch Cake Ingredients

This recipe is made from scratch — no boxed cake mix or strawberry Jell-O. The cake is a simple vanilla sponge with a hint of strawberry, while the frosting and crunch deliver the concentrated berry flavor.

For the cake

• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated or caster sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup (120g) strawberry yogurt
• 1/2 cup softened butter or baking spread
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

Strawberry Frosting

• 2 cups (260g) powdered/icing sugar
• 1 lb (450g) mascarpone or full-fat cream cheese
• 1 1/3 cups (320 ml) heavy/double cream, cold
• 4 tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract

For the strawberry crunch

• 10 Golden Oreo cookies (or custard creams)
• 2 tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder

Final touches

Optional: 14 oz (400g) fresh strawberries, sliced, to decorate. You can also cover the whole cake with the crunch topping instead of fresh berries. Berries look beautiful but can make slicing the cake a little trickier, so add them just before serving.

How to Make Strawberry Crunch Cake

Read these steps through once before you begin. The recipe yields three 6-inch layers and serves about 12.

Make the cake layers

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare three 6-inch cake pans by greasing them and lining the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar and baking powder. Add the strawberry yogurt, softened butter, eggs, lemon juice and vanilla in the order you prefer and beat with a hand or stand mixer until smooth and lump-free, about 1–2 minutes.
3. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 22–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.
4. Run a knife around the edges, invert the cakes onto a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before assembling.

Make the frosting

Place the mascarpone or cream cheese, powdered sugar, cold cream, freeze-dried strawberry powder and vanilla in a bowl. Beat until the frosting is smooth, thick and holds soft peaks. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through mixing for an even texture.

Make the crunch topping

Roughly break the cookies and pulse them in a mini chopper with the freeze-dried strawberry powder until you have small crumbs. If you don’t have a chopper, place the cookies in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin.

Assemble the cake

1. Place the first cake layer on a cake board or plate. Pipe or spread a generous layer of frosting, then sprinkle some crunch topping over the frosting.
2. Repeat with the second layer, adding more frosting and crunch, then top with the third layer.
3. Cover the entire cake with a thin crumb coat of frosting, chill briefly if needed, then give a final smooth coat.
4. Press the crunchy topping around the base of the cake and scatter or place sliced strawberries across the top for decoration, adding them just before serving.

Strawberry Crunch Cake — Tips and Notes

• Freeze-dried strawberries are frequently sold in snack packs, but buying a bag of freeze-dried strawberry powder is usually more economical and convenient for baking.
• If you plan to decorate with fresh strawberries, slice and pat them dry on kitchen paper and add them to the cake at the last minute to avoid sogginess.
• The crunch topping works well with Golden Oreos or custard cream biscuits. Any leftover crunch keeps in an airtight container and is great on ice cream or other desserts.
• Store the cake in the refrigerator for 2–3 days without the fresh strawberry decoration; bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor and texture.

Recipe Details

Servings: 12 • Author: Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

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