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Strawberry crunch cake with Golden Oreo topping

Strawberry Crunch Cake

Soft strawberry crunch cake with creamy cream cheese frosting and a buttery Golden Oreo strawberry topping inspired by strawberry shortcake ice cream bars.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430

Ingredients
  

  • For the Strawberry Cake:
  • 1 box strawberry cake mix
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • For the Strawberry Crunch Topping:
  • 24 Golden Oreos
  • 3 tablespoons strawberry gelatin powder
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Equipment

  • 2 8-inch cake pans For baking the cake layers
  • 1 Mixing bowl For mixing the cake batter
  • 1 Electric mixer For mixing cake batter and frosting
  • 1 Food processor For crushing Golden Oreos
  • 1 Spatula For spreading frosting
  • 1 Wire rack For cooling cake layers
  • 1 Cake stand or serving plate For assembling and serving
  • 1 Parchment paper For lining the cake pans

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the strawberry cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth, but do not overmix.
  3. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  4. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  5. Add the Golden Oreos to a food processor and pulse until they become coarse crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl.
  6. Add the strawberry gelatin powder and melted butter to the cookie crumbs. Stir until the crumbs are evenly coated and slightly clumpy.
  7. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
  8. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then beat until combined.
  9. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
  10. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a layer of frosting over the top.
  11. Add the second cake layer, then cover the top and sides with frosting.
  12. Press the strawberry crunch topping gently onto the top and sides of the cake until coated.
  13. Refrigerate the cake for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Notes

Let the cake layers cool completely before frosting, otherwise the frosting may melt. Keep the Golden Oreo crumbs slightly coarse for the best crunchy texture.
For the crunchiest topping, add the strawberry crunch close to serving time. Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can bake the cake layers one day ahead and frost the cake the next day.