Strawberry Sheet Pan Cake With Cream Cheese: Super Moist and Delicious!
The first bite might confuse you, in the best way. Is it a cake? A cheesecake? A fruity breakfast dream you weren’t expecting? This Strawberry Sheet Pan Cake is a little bit of everything. It is fluffy and moist like a good classic bake, with tangy cream cheese and bursts of fresh strawberries that soften and caramelize in the oven.
It’s the kind of dessert that doesn’t wait for a birthday or a dinner party. It belongs on a weekend table, paired with coffee, or maybe in the fridge, calling your name at midnight.
The Story Behind the Strawberry Cake
Strawberries have been flirting with cakes since the earliest versions of shortcake strutted onto English dessert tables in the 1500s. But this strawberry cake owes more to home-baker ingenuity than haute cuisine. This specific version, with cream cheese swirled into the mix, is a cheeky nod to both cheesecake and traditional fruit cake.
While strawberry shortcake relies on whipped cream and scones, this recipe merges creamy cheese with sweet cake, creating a hybrid that feels both familiar and new.
Pro Tips for the Best Strawberry Cake
- Make sure your eggs, milk, and cream cheese are all at room temperature before mixing. Cold ingredients can cause batter separation or weird textures.
- Sift the dry ingredients to avoid flour lumps. It's a small step, but it makes the mixing process smoother and more satisfying.
- Frozen strawberries release too much liquid as they bake. So, use fresh ones as they keep their shape and add bursts of fruity flavor without turning soggy.
- Layer Strategically by dropping the cream cheese mixture in small spoonfuls across the top rather than spreading it. This gives you those delightful little pockets of cream throughout.
- Cakes with creamy toppings can fool you. Insert a toothpick into the cake part, not the cream cheese swirl, to check for doneness.
What Type of Cream Cheese Should I Use?
Full-fat block cream cheese is your friend here. Skip the spreadable kind or anything marked “whipped” that has extra air and moisture that can throw off the texture of your topping.
How Sweet Is This Cake?
It’s gently sweet but not saccharine. The sugar balances the tartness of the cheese and strawberries. If you have a serious sweet tooth, you could dust it with a little extra powdered sugar before serving, or serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Can I Add More Fruit?
Absolutely. Blueberries, raspberries, or even thin slices of peach would work well here. Just don’t overload the batter, too much fruit can make the cake soggy. Keep it to one additional fruit at a time.
Why Is My Cake Sinking?
Overmixing, underbaking, or opening the oven door too early are common culprits. Be gentle with your mixing, patient with your baking, and hands-off while it’s in the oven.
Ingredients
How to Make Strawberry Cake
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy. This takes a few minutes, but the air you’re adding here will help the cake rise and stay light. Add the milk and vegetable oil, and whisk again until fully combined.
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy. This takes a few minutes, but the air you’re adding here will help the cake rise and stay light. Add the milk and vegetable oil, and whisk again until fully combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and vanilla powder. Give it a quick sift if you want extra smooth batter. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix until you have a thick, lump-free batter.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and vanilla powder. Give it a quick sift if you want extra smooth batter. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix until you have a thick, lump-free batter.
Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly and top with sliced strawberry.
Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly and top with sliced strawberry.
In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese with the sugar and egg until smooth. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture all over the top of the batter.
In a small bowl, mix the cream cheese with the sugar and egg until smooth. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture all over the top of the batter.
Bake for about 40 minutes, the top should be golden, the edges set, and your kitchen smelling like you’ve done something very right. Dust with powdered sugar if you’re feeling fancy. Slice and enjoy!
Bake for about 40 minutes, the top should be golden, the edges set, and your kitchen smelling like you’ve done something very right. Dust with powdered sugar if you’re feeling fancy. Slice and enjoy!
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