Strawberry Crunch Cake (Easy Recipe)

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Want to make a yummy cake that’s easy and fun? Try this strawberry crunch cake! It uses boxed cake mix to save time, but still looks and tastes amazing. You’ll make vanilla and strawberry cake layers, then cover them in creamy frosting. The best part is the crunchy topping made from crushed cookies and freeze-dried strawberries.

This recipe serves 12 and only takes about 30 minutes to prep. The rest is just baking and cooling time. You can make it for birthdays, parties, or any time you want a special treat. Your friends and family will love the pretty pink color and sweet strawberry flavor.

Exact Ingredients List

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this yummy strawberry crunch cake:

For the Cake:

• 1 box vanilla cake mix (plus ingredients on box)
• 1 box strawberry cake mix (plus ingredients on box)

For the Frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups softened butter
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoons heavy cream

For the Strawberry Crunch:

• 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
• 1/2 box Nilla wafers, crushed
• 3 tablespoons melted butter

For Garnish:

• Fresh strawberries

You’ll also need some basic baking tools:

• 4 (8-inch) round cake pans
• Parchment paper
• Cooking spray or extra butter
• Electric mixer
• Large mixing bowls
• Spatula
• Wire cooling racks
• Large ziplock bag
• Rolling pin
• Cake plate

Now you’re all set to bake this tasty cake! Get your ingredients ready and let’s start baking.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line four 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and grease them.

Mix the vanilla and strawberry cake batters as directed on the boxes. Pour each batter into two pans. Bake according to package instructions.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then flip them onto wire racks to cool fully.

While cooling, make the frosting. Beat butter and 3 cups of sugar until smooth. Add remaining sugar, vanilla, and 4 tablespoons cream. Mix until fluffy. Add extra cream if needed.

For the crunch topping, crush freeze-dried strawberries and Nilla wafers in a bag. Add melted butter and mix well.

To assemble, put a dab of frosting on your cake plate. Add a strawberry layer, then frost. Top with vanilla layer and frost. Repeat with remaining layers.

Frost the whole cake. Cover it with the crunch mixture. Add fresh strawberries on top.

Chill until you’re ready to serve. Enjoy your yummy creation!

Possible Substitutes List

Want to switch things up? Here are some tasty swaps you can try in your strawberry crunch cake:

For the cake:

• Use lemon cake mix instead of vanilla
• Try chocolate cake mix for a chocolate-covered strawberry vibe

For the frosting:

• Cream cheese instead of butter for a tangier taste
• Coconut cream instead of heavy cream for a tropical twist

For the crunch:

• Graham crackers instead of Nilla wafers
• Oreos for a cookies and cream version

No freeze-dried strawberries? No problem! You can use:

• Strawberry Jell-O powder
• Crushed strawberry candies

Fresh out of strawberries for garnish? Try:

• Raspberries
• Sliced kiwi
• Chocolate-covered strawberries for extra flair

Remember, baking is all about having fun! Feel free to mix and match these subs to create your own unique strawberry crunch cake. Happy baking!

How To Make It Diabetes-Friendly

You can make this yummy strawberry crunch cake more diabetes-friendly with a few simple swaps. Try using sugar-free cake mixes instead of regular ones. This cuts down on sugar and carbs.

For the frosting, use a sugar substitute like stevia or monk fruit sweetener in place of powdered sugar. You can also use low-fat cream cheese to replace some of the butter.

The strawberry crunch topping can be made with sugar-free vanilla wafers. Crush them up with the freeze-dried strawberries as usual. Skip the melted butter to cut extra fat and calories.

Here are more tips to make the cake diabetes-friendly:

• Use smaller cake pans to make thinner layers
• Cut the cake into smaller slices
• Top with fresh berries instead of sugary frosting
• Serve with a dollop of sugar-free whipped cream

Remember to check with your doctor about fitting treats like this into your meal plan. Even with these changes, it’s best to enjoy this cake in small amounts as a special treat.

Tips, Tricks & Storing

Make the strawberry crunch topping while your cakes are baking. This gives it time to cool before you add it to the cake.

For super fluffy frosting, let your cream cheese and butter sit out for 2 hours before mixing. Room temperature ingredients blend much better!

Want to save time? Use premade frosting instead of making your own. It’s a quick shortcut that still tastes great.

Try adding fresh strawberry slices between the cake layers for extra fruit flavor. Just pat them dry first so they don’t make the cake soggy.

To keep your cake fresh, store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Cover it loosely with plastic wrap or put it in a cake container.

If you want to freeze the cake, wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. They’ll stay good for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to eat a frozen slice, let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Bring it to room temp for about 30 minutes before eating for the best taste and texture.