A fun twist on the classic strawberry crunch bars, this strawberry crunch cake is the perfect summer dessert. With a boxed cake mix, whipped topping, and the famous strawberry crunch on top, dessert is ready in under 1 hour!
Love strawberry desserts? You will love this strawberry poke cake, this strawberry cheesecake fluff and this strawberry crumble too!
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below and we’ll send the recipe straight to your inbox! (plus more yummy recipes sent weekly!)
Table of contents
The Best Strawberry Crunch Cake Recipe
Strawberry crunch cake is a fun, quick, and delicious dessert for summer bbq’s or any special occasion that is so easy to make in under 1 hour.
It’s a twist on the strawberry crunch ice cream bars in the form of a moist and fluffy cake. Complete with the sweet strawberry flavors of everyone’s favorite childhood treat!
We’re using a boxed cake mix to make life easier, and we’re adding strawberry jello for flavor but also a beautiful pink hue. We’re topping it with vanilla whipped cream followed by the famous strawberry crunch topping.
I am using golden Oreo cookies and strawberry jello for that sweet crunch, but I’m sharing with you variations to be able to make this cake your own.
Serve this delicious cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and get ready to hear requests for more!
Ingredients/shopping list
- White Cake Mix: You’ll make the cake according to the directions on the box, so you’ll also need the ingredients listed on the back. It’s usually water, oil, and eggs.
- Strawberry Jello Mix: A couple of 3 oz boxes should do it. You’ll need some for the cake batter as well as the crunchy topping.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Keep it in the fridge until you use it. Cold heavy whipping cream whips up much faster. Do not confuse this with regular whipping cream!
- Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar, adds sweetness to the whipped topping without grittiness, but it also helps to stabilize the whipped cream topping.
- Vanilla Extract: For extra flavor in the whipped cream frosting.
- Golden Oreos: Crushed up in a food processor or with a rolling pin, these adds a delicious, vanilla flavored cookie crunch.
- Melted Butter: I like using unsalted butter. Gives the crunchy topping a buttery flavor and helps to solidify the topping into a crumble.
- Optional Topping: A dollop of whipped cream or cool whip and some fresh strawberry slices for presentation is an option!
Variations/ Substitutions
1. Instead of using more of the Jello mix powder in the topping, you can pulse a cup of freeze-dried strawberries with the crushed Oreos instead.
2. You can also use a strawberry cake mix and omit any jello powder at all. Or a vanilla cake mix or angel food cake also works with jello powder.
3. For a different type of frosting you can use a store-bought cream cheese frosting, a vanilla frosting, or make this easy marshmallow frosting.
4. Use graham crackers, shortbread cookies, or vanilla wafers instead of the golden Oreos.
How to Make Strawberry Crunch Cake
This recipe will come together in just a few simple steps. Here’s how to make this delightful summery dessert.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, prepare the cake mix as per the instructions on the box. Then, sprinkle one package of the jello mix powder into the batter.
Step 2: Stir to combine until the batter turns deliciously pink!
Step 3: Pour the batter into an 9 x 13 baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or oiled and bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely before adding any frosting.
Step 4: To make the frosting, beat cold heavy whipping cream using an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla then mix to combine. Spread the frosting in an even layer across the top of the cooled cake.
Step 5: Use a food processor to turn the Golden Oreos into a crumble. Pulse a few times and then add the melted butter and the other package of the strawberry jello mix.
Step 6: Once combined, sprinkle the strawberry crunch topping over the top of the cake and whipped topping. Slice it up and serve as is or with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Enjoy!
Tips
- If using freeze dried strawberries, you can find them in many grocery stores usually where you’d find other dried fruit.
- Place the mixing bowl and beaters that you’ll be using for the whipped cream in the fridge or freezer for a little while. The cold will help get stiff peaks faster.
- You’ve reached stiff peaks when you raise the beaters out of the whipped cream and the peaks on the cream don’t budge.
- If you don’t own a food processor, you can easily crush the cookies in a plastic zip-top bag using a rolling pin to crumble them up.
FAQ’s
This cake will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 4 days. Make sure to cover it in an airtight container so it doesn’t dry out. To extend its life a couple of extra days, you can keep it in the fridge.
Keep in mind, the longer it sits, the softer and less crunchy, the topping will be.
You don’t have to but you certainly can if you prefer. I enjoy the added sweetness and binding the creamy center gives the crumble, but it doesn’t need it.
This nostalgic crumble is amazing sprinkled over ice cream, swirled in a bowl of yogurt, or as an indulgent topping for pancakes or waffles!
If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe below. You can also find us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram!
Strawberry Crunch Cake
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounce white cake mix plus ingredients from the back of the box (water, oil, eggs)
- 6 ounce strawberry jello mixes (2) 3 ounce boxes
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream cold
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 22 Golden Oreos
- ¼ cup melted butter
- Optional: whipped cream and a fresh strawberries for serving.
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350° F and spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, prepare the cake mix according to the directions on the box you choose. Then add in one package of strawberry jello mix powder and stir to combine well.15.25 ounce white cake mix
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared dish and bake 30-35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely.
Make the frosting:
- In a large bowl, beat the cold cool whip for several minutes, until stiff peaks begin to form.
- Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, until combined.
- Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake.
Make the strawberry crunch topping:
- Add the Golden Oreos to a food processor and pulse for a few times to crumble. You can also place the cookies in a plastic baggie to crush with a rolling pin or mallet.
- Add the melted butter and strawberry jello mix to the pulsed cookie crumbs and mix to combine well.
- Sprinkle the cookie mixture over the top of the cake.
- Top with whipped cream and fresh strawberries if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Sharing of this recipe to social media is both encouraged and appreciated. Please share the direct link back to the recipe. Copy/Pasting and/or screenshots of the recipe to any social media is strictly prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected
Linda
Great recipe’s but dead rats for your advertisement not to appealing