Strawberry Sheet Cake

Everything is bigger in Texas—and a Texas sheet cake is no exception. Instead of leaning into the classic chocolate flavor profile, this sheet-pan dessert is a celebration of strawberry. From the brightly hued, fluffy cake to the creamy berry mascarpone frosting, our strawberry sheet cake is the ultimate strawberry dessert. And it’s perfect for large gatherings, because this sheet cake is the size of Texas!

What is Texas sheet cake?

A classic Texas sheet cake features a thin, ultra-moist chocolate cake baked in a rimmed sheet pan (similar to a jelly roll pan but bigger!), then topped with a cooked, fudgy icing and chopped pecans or walnuts. Our sheet cake with strawberries replaces the chocolate base with a strawberry-flavored cake using a simple box of white cake mix, strawberry gelatin and chopped strawberries. It’s finished with a light mascarpone frosting made with fresh pureed strawberries and just enough confectioners’ sugar to draw out all the natural sweetness of the berries.

Ingredients for Strawberry Sheet Cake

• White cake mix: Our Test Kitchen experts tested a ton of different brands to find the best white cake mix. If you don’t have a go-to, consider one of their favorites!
• Strawberry gelatin: Adding gelatin to cake batter both flavors and colors the cake in one shot. It also impacts the cake’s overall texture, making it ultra moist, tender and lighter than air.
• Sugar: We need to sweeten this strawberry sheet cake recipe with a few tablespoons of granulated sugar to counter some of the tartness in the strawberry gelatin.
• All-purpose flour: Because the gelatin adds so much moisture, we include a few tablespoons of all-purpose flour so the cake bakes through properly.
• Water: Water hydrates the gelatin and the cake mix. It may be tempting, but avoid swapping in milk or cream, which will create a heavier cake texture than we want here.
• Canola oil: Instead of butter, we use canola oil to enrich the cake. Canola oil is liquid at room temperature, keeping the cake softer and more plush over time.
• Eggs: We always recommend baking with room-temperature eggs for easier mixing and better volume in the cake. Let your eggs sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before using them, or speed up the process by placing them in a bowl and covering them with warm (not hot!) water for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Strawberries: Right before using them, clean the strawberries thoroughly, then hull the strawberries to remove their white core and leafy top. You’ll need finely chopped berries for the cake, plus additional strawberries to puree for the frosting.
• Frosting ingredients: The light and fruity frosting combines softened butter, creamy mascarpone, pureed strawberries, confectioners’ sugar and a little bit of salt for balance.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the sheet pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet with parchment, then coat it with cooking spray.

Step 2: Make the batter and fold in the strawberries

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, gelatin, sugar and flour. Pour in the water, oil and eggs. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and beat for two minutes.

Fold in the chopped strawberries. Pour the cake batter into the prepared sheet pan.

Editor’s Tip: Use a mini offset spatula to evenly spread the cake batter into all four corners of the pan quickly and easily.

Step 3: Bake and cool the cake

Bake for 15 to 16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Step 4: Start the frosting

For the frosting, pulse the strawberries in a food processor until smooth, then set them aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and mascarpone until light and fluffy, three to five minutes. Beat in the salt and strawberries.

Editor’s Tip: If you don’t have mascarpone, use cream cheese instead.

Step 5: Finish the frosting and spread on the cake

Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until fluffy.

Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.

Recipe Variations

• Use another gelatin flavor: Make this a mixed berry cake by using raspberry or cherry gelatin instead of strawberry.
• Change up the frosting: No need to stick to our mascarpone strawberry frosting. Feel free to use cream cheese frosting, on-theme strawberry frosting or even chocolate buttercream frosting for a chocolate-covered strawberry dessert.
• Have fun with garnishes: This gorgeous pink cake doesn’t need a garnish, but I can’t resist giving my baked goods a final flourish, from a scattering of assorted sprinkles to chocolate curls or edible flowers. Even taking a moment to swoop and swirl the frosting will give it a bakery-worthy look.

How to Store Strawberry Sheet Cake

You can store frosted strawberry sheet cake in the refrigerator, covered tightly, for 7 to 10 days. Remove the cake from the fridge 30 to 60 minutes before serving to allow the cake and frosting to warm and soften slightly. If you are baking ahead of time, the unfrosted cake can be stored at room temperature, well wrapped, for three to seven days.

Can you freeze strawberry sheet cake?

You can freeze strawberry sheet cake, but only the cake! The mascarpone-based frosting won’t hold up well to freezing and thawing. Since the cake is thin, it’s best to freeze it in its pan to prevent it from breaking or you can buy cake boards to support it. To avoid freezer burn when freezing cakes, wrap them tightly to keep air out.

Don’t forget to label and date the cake. It can be frozen for up to eight months. Allow the cake to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then unwrap and add the frosting.

Strawberry Sheet Cake Tips

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh ones?

You definitely can use frozen strawberries in place of fresh ones. Allow the frozen strawberries to thaw completely in a colander set over a bowl to catch the excess liquid so the cake and frosting don’t end up soupy. Skip frozen strawberries in syrup so the dessert doesn’t end up overly sugary.

Can I bake this in a different pan?

You can absolutely bake this in a different pan by using our baking pan conversions guide to calculate the area of the pans you would like to use to ensure the batter fills them correctly. This recipe would also fit into two 11×7-inch baking pans, two 10-inch round cake pans or three 8-inch round cake pans. Don’t forget to adjust the baking time!