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I was craving a Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream treat, so I decided to make a Strawberry Crunch Cake instead. This Strawberry Swirl Bundt Cake is covered in a delicious Strawberry Crunch topping you won’t be able to resist.
What was your favorite ice cream treat as a kid?
It is coming up at that time of year again when the ice cream parlors and makers are their busiest. This is also the time of year when kids rummage through whatever they can to get some change for the ice cream truck. That was me as a kid all day. When I would hear the ice cream truck down the street, I would stop whatever I was doing and beg my mom for the loose change in her purse. I’m getting ready to sound really old, but “back in my day”, you could get an ice cream treat for as low as .25. Now you would probably get the juice popsicles in that annoying plastic tube, but it was something.
I would envy those who could afford more than a Rocket Bomb Pop or the Push Pops. I also wanted to order an ice cream treat from the top end of the menu. That is where the Klondike Bars, Ice Cream Sandwiches, Choco Tacos, and Strawberry Shortcake ice cream treats were. But very rarely would I get close to getting a dollar for the ice cream truck. Because I know what that disappointment feels likes, my son will always order from the top end of the ice cream truck menu.
Not because I have learned how to make delicious ice cream treats like these Ice Cream Stuffed Cannolis, but I have also created a Strawberry Shortcake Crunch Cake that will always put a smile on my face. Not because of the taste, but because it reminds me of the one treat I could never get, which was the Strawberry Crunch ice cream treat. I have made a Strawberry Crunch Cake that the kids on my block would prefer over their expensive treats any day.
How I made this Strawberry Crunch Cake
I know what you are wondering, “ How did I make the crumble of this Strawberry Crunch Cake?” It’s simple. I used freeze-dried strawberries and Vanilla Cream Cookies. I pulsed those two ingredients together for a little bit, added some melted butter, and mixed until coarse crumbs occurred. As far as the Strawberry Crunch Cake itself goes, I made a simple Strawberry Swirl Cake, which is the same recipe as my Marble Bundt Cake Recipe. You will need Strawberry Extract for this recipe. The extract I used was already colored. If yours doesn’t come in red color. You can use red gel food color to get the red color you want.
You’ll add dollops of the different cake battles and swirl them using a knife or a toothpick and bake for about 40-45 minutes. Once I have let my cake cool, I made a very simple buttercream frosting that acts as the glue for the cake for the Strawberry Crunch topping to stick to the cake. Once I have applied the frosting I then took the crumble and patted it on the sides and top of the cake. That’s it!
My husband and son KILLED this cake! They loved it. I am sure this is one of the best cakes and favorite cakes I ever made if you ask my husband. I must say, it was very moist and easy to want seconds. This Strawberry Crunch Cake recipe is a great cake to make for your spring and summer dinners, especially for cookouts!
Commonly Asked Questions
What is strawberry crunch cake made of?
I made this cake recipe using a simple cake recipe where I separate the batter into two flavors and swirl them together. To make the strawberry crunch crumble, I pulsed together freeze-dried strawberries and vanilla sandwich cookies together in a blender, added some butter, and pulsed until the mixture began to look like coarse crumbs. If you don’t have a blender, you can add the ingredients to a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to hit the bag until everything is crumbly. Finally, add the melted butter.
Can I use fresh strawberries for the crumble?
No. The strawberries will have too much moisture and the crumble will come out more like a paste than a crumble.
Can I use a boxed cake mix for the cake in this recipe?
Yep! You can take a white cake mix, separate the batter and add strawberry extract to half and proceed with the recipe as instructed. Or you can take white cake mix and strawberry flavor cake mix and mix the cakes that way. You won’t need the full batter of both cakes though.
Similar Recipes
If you are a fan of this strawberry recipe, you will like the following strawberry desserts below!
- Strawberry Moscato Tiramisu
- Easy Strawberry Crumble
- Strawberry Shortcake Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry Crunch Cake Recipe
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
4.9 from 11 reviews
- Author: Nicole Nared-Washington from Brown Sugar Food Blog
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 10 1x
Description
Enjoy this Strawberry Crunch Cake that is a Strawberry Swirl Cake coated in a delicious and crumbly topping made With cookies and feeze-dried strawberries!
Ingredients
Units Scale
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 2 c. sugar
- 6 eggs, room temperature
- 3 c. flour
- 2 tsp. Baking soda
- 2 tsp. Baking powder
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 2 tbsp. Vanilla extract
- 3/4 c. warm milk
- 1 c. sour cream
- 1 1/2 tbsp. Strawberry extract
- 20 Vanilla Cream Sandwich Cookies ( I used Golden Oreos)
- 1 oz. Freeze Dried Strawberries
- 4 tbsp. Melted butter
- 4 tbsp. Butter softened
- 1/2 c. powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp. Milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees
- In a large mixing bowl, blend the butter and sugar together using a hand mixer or standing mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time being sure to blend each one into the batter. Add the flour a cup at a time while interchanging it with the warm milk. Mix until creamy and add the vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sour cream. Mix just until no streaks from the sour cream.
- Remove 2 ½ cups of the batter into a separate medium bowl and add the strawberry extract. Mix well together. Spray a bundt cake pan well with nonstick spray. Use an ice cream scoop and start with a layer of the white cake mix and add the strawberry cake batter and continue to layer until all cake batter is used. Use a knife or a large toothpick and swirl the batter until it marbelizes. Bake for 40-45 minutes. A toothpick should be inserted and come out clean. Allow to cool completely.
- While the cake cools, add the freeze-dried strawberries and the cookies in a food processor. Pulse the mixture until crumbly. Pour in a bowl and add the melted butter and mix until medium crumbs appear. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine butter and powdered sugar. Mix until large crumbs occur. Add the milk and it should appear as frosting. Add milk a ½ tablespoon at a time until desired consistency occurs. Add the vanilla extract and salt. Mix well together. Apply to cake being sure to coat evenly. Pat the strawberry crumbs around the cake. Continue to reuse the crumbs that fall off the cake until the cake is completely covered. Serve as desired.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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Reader Interactions
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Comments
Dan from Platter Talk says I have this beauty in the oven right now, only I substitute some blueberries instead of the strawberries and all I can say is that the kitchen is smelling ahhhhhmazing! Thanks for the delicious inspiration!
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- Aleta says
I also remember the days you could get an ice cream for under a dollar. A couple of days ago I bought my daughter a cyclone and it was $4! At the grocery store you can buy a 6 pack for $3.. but it’s the excitement, isn’t it? This crunch cake looks 100 times better than any cyclone or ice cream from the truck. I can’t wait to make it for my family!
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- Carrie | Clean Eating Kitchen says
Such a pretty cake and it’s definitely the weather to be enjoying some strawberries! Look forward to trying this soon!
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- Kylie | Midwest Foodie says
This cake looks perfect for my daughter’s summer birthday! Can’t wait to give it a try!! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe 🙂
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- Marisa F. Stewart says
I don’t think I’ve ever encountered an ice cream I didn’t like. That is my preferred dessert but your strawberry crunch cake is making me rethink my position. I’ve never thought about using freeze dried strawberries to make a cake. My heavens, your cake is gorgeous. I love all of the swirls going through it. A wonderful spring and summer dessert.
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- Nicole Nared-Washington says
Thank you Marisa!
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- Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
My favourite ice cream as a kid would have to be bubblegum. But from an ice cream truck? I think my kid experiences were exactly the same as yours!!
This cake is calling me! Do you deliver? 😉Reply
- Nicole Nared-Washington says
Maybe someday!
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- Nicoletta De Angelis Nardelli says
Look at that pretty color! Love the swirl and it seems so moist and delicious.
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- Natalie says
Oh wow.. what a beautiful cake. I absolutely love it. This will look so good on family table too. I must make this soon. I saved the recipe. Thanks for sharing.
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- Kathryn says
Oh my – that topping looks amazing! I am adding this one to my summer baking list!!
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- Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life says
What a fun idea for a bundt cake! I always loved the ice cream so I’m sure this cake is a real treat!
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- Sara Charvat says
WOW! I have been cooking all my life and even owned a restaurant where I made everything from scratch. Today I found your blog while researching “Texas Sheath Cake” and am blown away by your fresh take on everything I thought written in stone. Thank you! I cannot wait to try this cake, as well as your “White Texas Sheet Cake”. I will definitely let you know how they turn out. You make me want to go in the kitchen and cook again! AMAZING!!!
As an aside, circa 1960, I baked my first cake at 7 years old. It was during the summer when I was home alone and Mama was at work. As Mama walked through the door, my Chocolate-Mayonnaise Cake displayed on the dining table, her mouth open in surprise and eyes wide, peaking into the kitchen. I’m sure you’ve guessed the kitchen was a total disaster. Can you believe she said, “If you can bake a cake by yourself, you can clean up the mess by yourself”? She cut herself a slice, sat down, put both aching feet on a chair (normally not allowed), as she supervised my progress. She made me redo several things before she was satisfied and finally gave me an approval smile. Our Mamas were toughies… lol, but I like to think they helped us become strong, too. Thanks, again.
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- Nicole Nared-Washington says
Thank you for your story Sara! I do hope you get back in the kitchen soon!
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- Sakinah says
May I ask what brand of strawberry extract you prefer?
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- Nicole Nared-Washington says
I can’t seem to recall but I have often used the store name brand and I shop at Kroger’s a lot.
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- Keisha Joseph says
Hello, I’m not sure if I missed it but how did you achieve the red color for the swirl? Strawberry Jello or red food coloring…???
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- Nicole Nared-Washington says
The Strawberry Extract was already red.
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- Katie says
This cake looks amazing! Do you have a problem with the outside getting soft as the cake sits? I have an event coming up soon I’d love to make this for bit I’d have to make it at least a day ahead of time and I wouldn’t have time to add the outside crumb at the last minute.
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- Nicole Nared-Washington says
In your case, I would put it in a cake cover to keep it moist.
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- Nicole says
Im totally trying this for valentines day. The strawberry crunch ice cream bars are my daughters favorite!
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- Ash says
Would this recipe still produce the same results, taste wise, if cut in half? I made the full recipe and it was delicious, just looking for something a little smaller now.
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- Nicole Nared-Washington says
I think it would be fine
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- Sarah says
Where do you get the strawberry color of half the dough?
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- Nicole Nared-Washington says
The strawberry extract I used was red so the color was already there. But you can add red food coloring if yours don’t.
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- Asia says
Can you make this in a loaf pan?
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- Nicole Nared-Washington says
No. A loaf pan is too small.
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- Lara Jackson says
Can you use mini loaf pans? And make several smaller cakes?
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- Nicole Nared-Washington says
You could or even cupcakes. However, the baking time would be different. It won’t take as long to bake.
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- Kevin says
Can you use cake flour?
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- Nicole Nared-Washington says
Yes.
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- Gigi says
Hi can this cake be made into cupcakes as well?
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- Nicole Nared-Washington says
I’m sure it would be fine if you did that!
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- Carmen says
Does the recipe include red food coloring? I don’t see it listed in the ingredients.
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- Nicole Nared-Washington says
I have used two different types of strawberry extract and they both were red. I assumed that was the norm. However, if you come across strawberry extract that isn’t red, adding red food coloring would be appropriate. Thanks for asking. I’ll add that as a note.
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- Devyn says
Looks fantastic! Can you share the brands of strawberry extract you use?
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- Nicole Nared-Washington says
I can’t completely remember unfortunately.
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