This Strawberry Shortcut Cake is one of the easiest bakes I've ever made, no fancy steps, just mix, layer, and bake. Everything goes into one pan, and it comes out soft, sweet, and ready to serve.
As the strawberry shortcut cake bakes, everything finds its place on its own: the marshmallows melt into a soft base, the strawberries bubble into a jammy topping, and the vanilla cake rises right in between. There's no swirling or layering needed.
It's the kind of dessert I make when I want something quick but still fun to serve. You can dress it up with whipped cream, or just enjoy it warm with a spoon straight from the pan.
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⭐Why You'll Love This Strawberry Shortcut Cake
- Simple and Easy: This recipe comes together with basic pantry ingredients and just a few quick steps; perfect for when you want a homemade dessert without the fuss.
- Great for Sharing: Whether you serve it warm with whipped cream or pack it up for a picnic, it's always a hit with friends and family.
🧾Strawberry Shortcut Cake Ingredients
You'll find the exact measurements in the recipe card, but here's a closer look at a few of the ingredients and why I use them.
- Base Layer: I start with a generous layer of miniature marshmallows across the bottom of the pan; they melt into the cake and create the softest, stickiest base that's honestly my favorite part.
- Strawberry Topping: I use thawed frozen strawberries tossed with strawberry gelatin. It turns jammy and glossy in the oven and settles right on top of the cake as it bakes; no need to mix it in.
- Cake Batter: A simple mix of flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs, and vanilla. I use softened butter and whole milk to keep the texture fluffy and moist. Everything comes together quickly and easily.
- Finishing Touch: I always serve this cake with freshly whipped cream. It's light, cool, and balances the sweet strawberry topping perfectly.
👩🏻🍳How to Make Strawberry Shortcut Cake
You can find the complete printable Strawberry Shortcut Cake recipe with measurements below, but for now, here's a quick overview of how it goes:
1. Grease a 9.5 x 7.5 inch (24 x 19 cm) baking pan and spread marshmallows evenly in the pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a bowl, mix sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk, then blend on medium speed until smooth.
4. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ones and beat for 2 minutes until smooth.
5. Evenly pour the batter over the marshmallows.
6. Combine the thawed strawberries with the dry gelatin.
7. Spread the strawberry mixture evenly over the batter.
8. Bake strawberry shortcut cake in a preheated oven at 175°C (347°F) or 155°C (311°F) fan-assisted for 40-45 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
📖Variations
- Use Fresh Strawberries: Dice fresh strawberries, toss them with a little sugar and strawberry gelatin, and layer them on the cake. It gives a fresh, fruity flavor with a firmer texture.
- Try Other Berries: Add raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries for a colorful mix. Use mixed berry gelatin or stick with strawberry to tie it all together.
💭Tips for Recipe Success
Don't Overmix the Batter: I like to beat it just until smooth; overmixing can make the cake too dense and keep it from rising evenly.
Let it Cool Before Slicing: The marshmallow base is very soft straight from the oven. I wait 15 minutes so the layers stay neat and don't fall apart.
Store Leftovers in the Fridge: I keep the strawberry shortcut cake covered in an airtight container and reheat slices for 10 seconds in the microwave; it softens beautifully without losing texture.
🍓More Strawberry Recipes to Try!
If you love using strawberries when you are cooking, then check out the following recipes for inspiration:
🍰More Dessert Recipes!
Here are more of my favorite dessert recipes! Try these:
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Recipe
Strawberry Shortcut Cake
Ingredients
- 60 g Miniature Marshmallow
- 280 g Frozen Strawberries
- 85 g Strawberry Gelatin - 1 Packet
- 270 g All-Purpose Flour
- 200 g Sugar
- 3 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 113 g Butter
- 300 ml Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 3 Eggs
- 300 g Heavy Cream
Instructions
- Generously grease a 9.5 x 7.5 inch (24 x 19 cm) baking pan.
- Evenly spread the miniature marshmallows across the bottom of the prepared pan.
- In a bowl, mix the thawed strawberries with the dry strawberry gelatin and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, combine sugar, softened butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Beat at medium speed until smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat for 2 minutes until well combined.
- Pour the cake batter evenly over the marshmallows in the pan.
- Spoon the strawberry-gelatin mixture evenly over the cake batter.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 347°F (175°C) or 311°F (155°C) fan-assisted for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool slightly before serving. Top with whipped cream, ice cream, or fresh strawberries.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Sandra says
This is the perfect recipe for busy bakers. The strawberry shortcut cake ingredients make it so easy to whip up a delicious cake without spending hours in the kitchen.