Strawberry Jam Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Strawberry Jam Sheet Cake is a light, fluffy, and delicious homemade cake recipe! Complete with a rich strawberry cream cheese frosting and fresh strawberries on top … this easy tender cake is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth craving. Full of sweet strawberry flavor in every bite, this simple recipe is perfect for summer entertaining!

A Must Make Cake This Strawberry Season

Strawberry season is upon us and let me tell you – I could not be happier about it! Strawberry season means it is June and June means it is summer. And let’s be honest … summer is the best time of year!

It’s full of delicious berries, longer nights, warmer days, and tons of barbecues, potlucks, and picnics. Strawberry jam sheet cake is the perfect way to use that fresh fruit, to enjoy those nights, and to impress everyone at your next gathering!

This homemade cake is full of sweet strawberry flavor, has a rich & creamy cream cheese frosting, and is topped with beautifully juicy fresh strawberries. It’s light, fluffy, soft, and everything you need in a summer cake!

Plus although I absolutely love to enjoy this dessert during the summer months, you absolute do not have to! It can be made and devoured all year long, especially because it gets most of its flavor from jam rather than fresh strawberry puree like many strawberry cakes do.

If you’re looking for more cake recipes, check out my banana cake, cinnamon coffee, or homemade funfetti.

Ingredients

This recipe is made with all your classic baking ingredients! Plus of course the star of the show, strawberry jam. It creates a delicious and sweet strawberry flavor all throughout.

Ingredient Notes

• Strawberry Jam: First up is the most important ingredient in this recipe – strawberry jam! It is used all throughout and really makes that delicious fruit flavor shine through. You will need 1/2 cup in the batter and 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp in the frosting.
• Unsalted Butter: Unsalted butter is also very important! It’s used in both elements of this recipe and adds a creamy, rich flavor. Add a total of 1 1/4 cup!
• Cream Cheese: The base of the strawberry frosting here is of course cream cheese! I love the tang it gives to the otherwise sweet cake. 8 oz is perfect.
• Sugars: Add 1 cup of granulated sugar to the cake batter and 1/2 cup powdered to the frosting. It’s the perfect amount of sweet!
• Eggs: Add 3 eggs for extra moisture and binding.
• Milk: The liquid of choice in this cake is 1/2 cup of milk. I recommend whole!
• All Purpose Flour: For the flour, add 2 1/4 cup all purpose.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract goes in both the cake itself and the frosting here. You will need a total of 2 tsp to get that classic flavor all throughout!
• Baking Powder: Add 3 tsp of baking powder to get the perfect light and fluffy cake texture.
• Salt: Lastly, add a pinch of salt to balance all the sweet. 1/2 tsp to be specific!

Substitutions

Since baking is such a specific science, there are not too many substitutions you could make to this simple cake as I can’t guarantee it will turn out properly.

Strawberry Jam: The store bought jam used in this strawberry cake could be replaced with a homemade strawberry jam or strawberry reduction.

Cream Cheese Frosting: I know, although I do not understand how, that some people do not like cream cheese frosting. Personally it is my absolute favorite! But if it’s not yours try out my whipped cream frosting, simple strawberry buttercream, or classic vanilla buttercream.

Flour: I have not tested the swap in this exact recipe, but I do know that in most instances whole wheat pastry flour is a one-to-one replacement for all purpose. Give this a go if you’re looking for a slightly more nutritious cake!

How To Make Strawberry Jam Cake

Strawberry jam cake is quite easy to make! Because of the use of the jam you do not have to spend any extra time preparing, chopping, or reducing the fresh fruit.

The cake batter is quick to whip up and while that’s baking, you can make the strawberry cream cheese frosting. Just make sure you don’t eat the entire batch before you get to frost the cake with it!

Because trust me, you’ll be tempted.

Step By Step Instructions

Step 1: Set the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Then add the butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.  Beat with an electric mixer or paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Start with a low speed and moving to a medium speed for the best results and less mess. Next add the eggs one at a time to the butter mixture.  Beating until just combined after each addition.

Step 3: In a separate large bowl combine the dry ingredients – all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Then to a separate medium bowl, add the milk and strawberry jam.  Whisk to combine.

Step 4: Add the flour mixture and strawberry milk to the cake batter alternatively.  Start and end with the flour mixture and beat until combined after each addition.  (Flour-Milk-Flour-Milk-Flour). Optional: Add red food dye until the batter becomes a pink color. Next stir in the vanilla extract.

Step 5: Transfer the cake batter to a 9×13 prepared cake pan.  Spread evenly.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Step 6: While the cake is baking, prepare the cream cheese frosting.  Add the cream cheese and butter to a large mixing bowl.  Beat with a hand mixer until combined.  Then add in the strawberry jam, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.  Beat again until smooth.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients get combined evenly.

Step 7: Remove the cake from the oven and let cool completely.  Then top the cake with the cream cheese frosting. Add extra jam and fresh strawberries on top of the cake. Enjoy!

Cake Decorating

When it comes to cake decorating, I am quite the amateur! But I have both seen and enjoyed my fair share of cakes. So I try my best to make mine as beautiful as my favorites!

And for this strawberry sheet cake, I do think I did that! Here are my tips and tricks for a beautiful cake.

Decorating Tips

Spread the frosting smoothly on the top of the cool cake, leaving about a 1/4 – 1/2 inch on the outside sides of cake unfrosted.

Then with a cake frosting tool (technically called an angled spatula) make textured swirls in the frosting.

Next dollop additional strawberry jam on top of the frosting. Swirl it into the existing swirls!

Thinly slice the most beautiful strawberries you have in you container. Place the slices along the outside edge of the cake!

Expert Tips

Use room temperature butter, eggs, and cream cheese in this recipe. You will get the best, most consistent results!

For those ingredients (especially butter!) – set out an hour before baking.

If you want that pretty pink cake color, add a few drops of red food dye to the cake batter.

Line the cake pan with cooking spray and parchment paper! The cooking spray helps the parchment paper stick and stay flat. Then the parchment paper makes for such easy cake removal.

To remove the cake from the pan, I like to place a wire rack on top of the cake pan. Then flip the pan and the wire rack together so the pan is on top. Press down slightly on the bottom of the pan, lift it carefully, and the cake should come right out!

Let the cake cool completely before frosting it. You don’t want your frosting to melt and slip right off!

Use a sharp knife to get the most even and clean cut slices.

Frequently Asked Questions

Love this recipe? Check out more strawberry desserts & breakfasts…

• Strawberry Shortcake Cookie Cups
• Strawberry Banana Baked Oatmeal
• Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
• Strawberry Almond Crumble Cake Bars

Connect with me!

If you make this strawberry sheet cake recipe or any of my other recipes, I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on Instagram so I can see and share your recreations.

Love this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating! I love to see and it helps me continue to develop delicious recipes for this blog.

Print