Strawberry Shortcake Sheet Cake (Printer-Friendly)

Light vanilla cake topped with fluffy whipped cream and macerated strawberries. Perfect for gatherings and easy to serve.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake Base

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Strawberry Topping

10 - 1.5 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
11 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
12 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice

→ Whipped Cream Frosting

13 - 2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
14 - 1/3 cup powdered sugar
15 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease with butter or cooking spray.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
04 - Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in three alternating additions with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix on low speed just until incorporated, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, approximately 1 hour.
06 - While cake cools, combine sliced strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl. Toss gently to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until strawberries release their juices.
07 - In a chilled bowl, beat cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until medium-stiff peaks form, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
08 - Once cake is completely cool, spread whipped cream evenly over surface. Spoon macerated strawberries and their accumulated juices over whipped cream layer. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The way strawberry juices naturally seep into the whipped cream creates pockets of intensely sweet flavor you cant get from frosting alone
  • Feeds a crowd without the fussy assembly of individual shortcakes
  • The cake stays incredibly moist even after a day in the fridge thanks to those macerated berry juices
02 -
  • The cake must be completely cool before adding whipped cream or it will melt into a sad puddle
  • Letting strawberries macerate for the full 20 minutes makes all the difference between fresh fruit and strawberry syrup
  • Assembly works best within a few hours of serving though leftovers are still delicious the next day
03 -
  • Pat strawberry slices dry with paper towels before macerating if they're especially wet from washing
  • Spread a thin layer of strawberry jam on the cooled cake before the whipped cream for an extra punch of strawberry flavor

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