Strawberry Shortcake Cake Inspired by Ice Cream Bars

This Strawberry Shortcake Cake is a tribute to the classic strawberry shortcake ice cream bars many of us remember fondly. It begins with tender buttermilk vanilla cake layers, is filled and coated with a strawberry cream cheese frosting, and finished with a crunchy, sweet crumble made from crushed Nilla wafers and freeze-dried strawberries to recreate that nostalgic coating. The result is a layered cake that balances creamy frosting, bright strawberry flavor, and a nostalgic crunch.

This cake is composed of three main elements, each contributing texture and flavor:

• Strawberry cream cheese icing: A rich cream cheese-based frosting flavored with fresh strawberry puree and powdered freeze-dried strawberries for an intense, natural strawberry taste.
• Vanilla buttermilk cake layers: Moist, tender layers made with three kinds of vanilla and buttermilk for depth of flavor and a soft crumb.
• Strawberry crumble: A sweet, crunchy coating made from crushed Nilla wafers combined with powdered freeze-dried strawberries and melted butter to mimic the iconic ice cream bar coating.

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Prep Time
1 hour 30 minutes

Cook Time
1 hour

Cooling
1 hour

Total Time
3 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients

Strawberry Icing:

• 1 stick cream cheese 8 oz
• 1 ½ sticks butter 170 g
• 4 cups powdered sugar 480 g
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 10 ml
• ½ teaspoon almond extract 3 ml
• ½ teaspoon salt 3 ml
• 1/4 cup strawberry puree 60 ml see Strawberry Puree section
• 20 g freeze-dried strawberries, ground to a powder

Strawberry Puree:

• 1 pound fresh hulled and sliced strawberries (16 oz)
• 2 tablespoons water 30 ml
• 2 tablespoons sugar 25 g
• ⅛ teaspoon Diamond Kosher salt 1 ml
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Total yield: about 1 cup

Cake:

• 4 cups cake flour 480 g
• 2 teaspoons baking powder 10 ml
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 5 ml
• 1 teaspoon salt 5 ml
• 170 g coconut oil, room temperature
• 170 g butter, room temperature (1.5 sticks)
• 2 ½ cups granulated sugar 500 g
• 8 egg whites
• 2 tablespoons vanilla bean paste
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon imitation vanilla extract (optional, for nostalgic box-cake note)
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 2 cups buttermilk 480 ml

Strawberry Crumble Coating:

• 50 Nilla wafers
• 1 ounce freeze-dried strawberries
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Instructions

Vanilla Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream the butter, coconut oil, and sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 4–5 minutes. Scrape the bowl once to ensure even mixing.
• With the mixer running, slowly add the egg whites and beat for 1–2 minutes until incorporated and smooth.
• Add the vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract, and optional extracts, mixing until evenly distributed.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add one-third of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined, then add half the buttermilk. Repeat, alternating dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Do not overmix.
• Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans and smooth the tops. (See photo for reference.)
  
• Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10–15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Strawberry Puree:

• Place the sliced strawberries, water, sugar, and salt in a blender and puree until smooth.
• Transfer the puree to a medium saucepan and simmer over medium heat until reduced to about half the original volume, roughly 20 minutes, yielding approximately 1 cup of concentrated strawberry puree. Stir in the lemon zest at the end of cooking.
• Cool the puree completely before using it in the frosting to prevent melting or thinning the icing.
  

Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing:

• In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and cream cheese. Beat on medium-high until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Add the salt, almond extract, vanilla, and the cooled strawberry puree. Mix until well combined.
• On low speed, add the powdered freeze-dried strawberries and the powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, until fully incorporated.
• Increase the speed and whip the frosting on medium-high until light and airy, roughly 2 minutes. Adjust consistency by adding a little more powdered sugar for a stiffer frosting or a splash of milk for a softer texture.
  

Strawberry Crumble Coating:

• Place all the Nilla wafers into a heavy-duty zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin until most pieces are small, about the size of a dime.
• Pulse the freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until they become a fine powder.
  
• Combine the wafer crumbs, strawberry powder, and melted butter in a bowl and stir until the mixture is evenly moistened and crumbly. Set aside to cool slightly before using.
  

Assembly:

• Level the cooled cake layers by trimming any domed tops so the layers stack evenly.
• Spread a generous layer of strawberry cream cheese icing between each cake layer and stack. Once assembled, coat the entire outside of the cake with a thin crumb coat of icing, then chill briefly to set.
  
• Press the prepared crumble gently into the top and sides of the frosted cake until the surface is evenly coated. Work carefully to avoid compressing the crumb too firmly—retain some of the crunchy texture.