This was one of those showstopper cakes
that just took me back to my childhood
the first time I laid eyes on it!
It’s a reminder of summer,
the ice cream truck music,
playing in plastic pools in the backyard,
not coming inside until the sun started to go down,
washing the days dirt off,
putting on clean pajamas and
sitting on the front porch and listening to
your parents talk with their neighbors
until bedtime…
memories of times that seemed
much more simple…
And when you bite into the first piece,
you are transported back to that first lick
of the Strawberry Crunch Bar that
you bought from that Ice Cream Truck
that passed by your house every day!
https://www.goodhumor.com/us/en/products/bars/strawberry-shortcake-dessert-bar.html
The cake is a little involved, but oh so worth
making to visit that childhood
memory just one more time and
maybe to share that memory and a
bit of deliciousness with
family and friends!
[ingredients]
[method]
You’ll first make the strawberry cake layers
and the vanilla cake layers…
letting them cool completely…
I usually make the fresh strawberry puree’
one day before so that it
can completely cool…
You will begin the assembly with the
Strawberry Layer, some icing and some puree’…
And repeat with the
vanilla layer..
Like so!
Until every layer is used…
Then frost the top and sides
with the remaining
frosting minus 2/3 cup reserved
for the
strawberries on top!
You’ll need these cookies to
make the crumble…
I have not been searching in
the grocery stores this season, but
I did have to order my second
batch last year from Amazon.
Lorna Doone is a classic
and pretty easy to find…
After pureeing with your food processor,
stream in the melted butter…
set aside 1/2 cup for the
dipped strawberries for the top…
Press the remaining crumble into the sides
and top of cake…
Dip the whole strawberries in the
melted chocolate and roll
in the remaining crumble…
With a large star tip,
pipe the remaining frosting
fluff on the top of the cake
for each strawberry
and top each one with a
dipped strawberry…
Refrigerate the cake at least an hour
before serving.
Slice and enjoy!
PrintStrawberry Crunch Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 box Duncan Hines Strawberry Supreme Cake Mix
- 1 cup water
- 4 eggs
- 2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 c vegetable oil
- 1 tsp almond flavoring, 1 tsp vanilla flavoring
- 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, diced small
- 1/4 cup cake flour
- Vanilla Cake Layers:
- 1 box Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake Mix
- 1 cup water
- 4 eggs
- 2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp almond flavoring, 1 tsp vanilla flavoring
- Strawberry Puree’:
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced in half
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/3 cup water
- Frosting;
- 3 cups whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup prepared and cooled strawberry puree’
- Strawberry Crumble Topping:
- 1 pkg Strawberry Shortcake Oreos
- 1 pkg Lorna Doone Cookies
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- Strawberry Topping:
- 6–8 fresh strawberries
- 1 cup Ghiraridelli White Chocolate Melts
- 1/2 of the Strawberry Crumble Topping
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 4 –8 inch cake pans with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.
Making the Strawberry Cake:
With your mixer, combine the Strawberry Cake Mix, eggs, oil, water, cream cheese and flavorings.
Beat on medium speed until combined, scrape the sides of the bowl, and beat well for another minute or so.
Toss the diced strawberries with the cake flour and add to the batter; beat another 30 seconds.
Bake for 25-35 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.
Place on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes and turn out onto parchment paper to cool completely.
Making the French Vanilla Cakes:
With your mixer, combine the French Vanilla Cake Mix, eggs, oil, cream cheese, water and flavorings.
Again, scrape the sides of the bowl and beat for another minute or so.
Pour batter into the 2 cake pans, sprayed with nonstick spray and lined with parchment paper; tap on counter to remove any air bubbles.
Bake on 325 degrees for 25-35 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes and then turn out onto parchment paper to cool completely.
Making the Strawberry Puree’:
In a small saucepan, add the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and water; bring to boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool completely in the refrigerator; when cool, use an immersion blender to puree’, or use a blender. Store in refrigerator to keep cold.
Making the Frosting:
In your mixing bowl with whisk attachment, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
Add the sugar,cream cheese, vanilla and strawberry puree’; beat until just completely combined; reserve about 2/3 cup to make the fluff to set the dipped strawberries in on top of the cake.
Making the Strawberry Crumble Topping:
With your food processor, puree’ both packs of cookies and then stream in the melted butter; put in bowl and set aside–making sure you keep 1/2 cup to dip the strawberries in.
Assembling the Cake:
On your serving plate or cake board, place one of the strawberry cake layers.
Next add a vanilla layer, some frosting and puree’; repeat with the next 2 layers.
Use the remaining frosting to frost the top and sides.
Next, press the Strawberry Cookie Crumble into the icing on the sides and on top.
Making the Strawberries:
In a microwave-proof bowl, melt the Ghirardelli Melts on high, about 1 1/2 minutes–but stirring each 30 seconds so that the chocolate won’t burn.
Pipe the icing stars on top of the cake to set each strawberry on.
Refrigerate the cake at least an hour before serving.
Enjoy!
Notes