High Altitude Strawberry Sheet Cake

A from scratch, high altitude strawberry sheet cake made with fresh strawberries. This pretty strawberry cake is finished with creamy strawberry cream cheese frosting and the cutest sprinkle mix.

You might also love these brown butter strawberry crumb bars, strawberry coconut layer cake, and strawberry galette.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Completely From Scratch. I make my strawberry sheet cake with only fresh (or frozen) strawberries to flavor the cake and the frosting. No strawberry gelatin, no boxed cake mix and no freeze dried strawberries. This cake is incredibly soft, moist, light and fluffy, and has received so many 5-star ratings from those who have made my original strawberry layer cake recipe. Today’s sheet cake is based on the same recipe.

Just One Layer. If you like the option of an easy-to-decorate one layer cake or sheet cake, this strawberry sheet cake is perfect for you. While I made a smaller size in an 8-inch cake pan, you can also double the recipe for a 9×13 sheet cake. Sheet cakes don’t have to look boring, either. You can decorate the frosting with some cute sprinkles, or just swirl in some of the strawberry reduction.

High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

Strawberry Reduction

• Strawberries. You can use either fresh or frozen strawberries for the reduction. By simmering the strawberries, you’ll be cooking off some of the water for a more concentrated strawberry flavor in your cake.

Cake

• Whole Milk. Adds moisture and fat for a tender, flavorful cake crumb.
• Lemon Juice. The acidity in the lemon juice enhances the flavor of the strawberries and also makes the cake more tender.
• Strawberry Reduction. The strawberry reduction gives the cake its strawberry flavor.
• Egg + Egg White. Gives the cake strength and structure.
• Vegetable Oil. Makes the cake moist, light and fluffy.
• Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
• Cake Flour. Flour gives a cake structure, and the lower protein content of cake flour makes a softer, fluffier cake than if you used all-purpose flour.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar adds sweetness and moisture.
• Baking Powder. Leavening agent to help the cake rise.
• Salt. Enhances flavor and balances sweetness.

Buttercream

• Butter + Cream Cheese. I like to use a combination of butter and cream cheese in my cream cheese frosting. You can replace the butter with cream cheese for more cream cheese flavor, but the frosting will be softer.
• Strawberry Reduction. Adds flavor and a pretty blush color.
• Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
• Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and thickens the frosting.

Instructions

Strawberry Reduction

• Wash and hull the strawberries, then use a small food processor to puree the strawberries.
• Scrape the pureed strawberries into a small saucepan. Over medium low heat, simmer the strawberries, stirring frequently to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan, until reduced to between 1/3 – 1/2 cup. This may take up to 20-30 minutes.
• Once reduced, transfer the strawberry reduction to a container, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until needed. You can make the reduction up to 2 days in advance. You’ll be using the strawberry reduction in both the cake and the buttercream.

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan with non-stick baking spray, if you’ll be serving the cake from the pan. If you’ll be removing the cake from the pan to frost it on a plate, then line the pan with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, whisk together the milk, lemon juice, 1/4 cup strawberry reduction, egg, egg white, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well combined. Whisk in the food coloring, if using. I added 1 small drop super red gel food coloring; without the food coloring, the cakes will be a paler pinkish tan color.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, then whisk until everything is evenly distributed. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and whisk briefly, just until combined.

• Spread the batter into the prepared pan, then bang the pan on the counter a few times to pop any large air bubbles.
• Bake the cake until the top springs back when gently touched, or a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean, about 28 minutes.
• Set the pan on a cooling rack, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream

• In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and cream cheese for 1 minute until smooth. Add the strawberry reduction, powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Increase speed to medium (#6 on a Kitchen Aid mixer) and beat for several minutes, until smooth and creamy.

• Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Scatter the sprinkles over the frosting. Instead of sprinkles, you can also dollop any remaining strawberry reduction (or strawberry jam) on top of the frosting and swirl it around for a pretty finish.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I adjust the recipe for a 9×13 sheet cake?

You can double the cake and frosting recipe (or refer to the full size recipe here) for a 9×13 inch strawberry sheet cake.

Will this work as a layer cake?

The cake recipe makes a wonderful layer cake. You can make the small size in today’s recipe card, and divide the batter between two or three 6-inch cake pans. Or make the full (double) recipe in two or three 8-inch cake pans.

The cream cheese frosting recipe is far too soft for a layer cake, though. See my buttercream post for tips on making cream cheese frosting for layer cakes.

Where did you get the strawberry sprinkles?

I used a variety of sprinkle mixes, including red, green, white and gold sugar pearls, nonpareils, and these cute strawberry sprinkles.

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