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This Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Cake is perfect in every way! With two layers of strawberry cake and a creamy layer of vanilla cheesecake in the middle, this cake is no joke.
If you like this cheesecake recipe, you’ll also love my Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake!
Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Cake
So you may or may not have noticed that I added a new little section to the blog towards the end of last year. If you view the site on a desktop computer, it’s easier to find (top left). If you view it on mobile it’s more difficult, but I’m working on fixing that. It’s a new lifestyle section. It’s what I’ve been calling my section. It’ll ebb and grow with time, but for now it’s my place to share all the other things I’d like to share. Life beyond the baking, so to speak. So if you’ve ever enjoyed reading my Stitch Fix posts, or getting the newest update in our journey to try and start a family, or want to follow any other shenanigans, that is now where you will find those things. In fact, the most recent update on our [in]fertility journey went up yesterday, so be sure to check it out if you’re into that sort of thing. š You can even sign up to get emails for those new posts now.
And if all you want are the cakes and recipes, then you are already in the right place! This cake today is two cakes in one – cake and cheesecake. Does it get any better than that?!
When I decided to make this cheesecake cake, I looked back to see what other cheesecake cakes I had on the blog and to my dismay, I found only ONE – this Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake! There’s even two of them in my cookbook! How are there not more on the blog?! Well today we fix that, my friends. Starting with this fabulous combination of strawberries and cream.
How to Make This Strawberry Cake
This cake really isn’t hard to make, but it does take some time because of the two different cake elements. I usually make my cheesecake layer first and let it set overnight. Then the next day I bake the cakes and put everything together. You could do it all in one day, but waiting for the cheesecake to set can take a bit.
One thing you want to be sure of when making the three layers is that they are all the same size. If you have a springform pan that doesn’t leak (they are hard to come by for me), then bake all the layers in that. If not, or if you just would prefer a regular cake pan, you can also use 9 inch cake pans. I did that this time around and it was a breeze. To set the pan up for the cheesecake, I just pressed aluminum foil into the bottom of the cake pan and had it sticking up over the sides of the pan. I used the foil to lift the cheesecake out of the pan once it was cool and firm. Easy peasy and the perfect size to make the cake layers.
To frost the cake, I used a cream cheese whipped cream. Because the cake is fairly heavy with the cheesecake layer in the center, I decided to go lighter on the frosting. The whipped cream is super light and has a subtle cream cheese flavor to it. It’s nice and stable, so no worries about it “melting”. It can soften when it sits out though, so when applying it to the cake, don’t let it sit out for an extended period of time or it’ll be a little harder to work with.
Because the frosting is a whipped cream and therefore is softer than my normal frostings, I wasn’t able to use my typical paper towel method of smoothing a cake. I used my offset spatula to apply the cream to the sides of the cake and smoothed it with my icing smoother. I finished the cake off with some fresh slices of strawberries. If you are going to be serving the cake at a later time after putting it together, you may want to add the strawberries shortly before serving so they don’t dry out.
This cake was a HUGE hit! Not only did the hubs and I love it, my mom was dying over it. My nieces also came over and dug right in. We were all big fans and found it hard to resist! The strawberry cake paired with the creamy vanilla cheesecake and cream cheese whipped cream was delicious! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Watch How To Make It
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Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Cake
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 14-16 Slices
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Cake is perfect in every way! With two layers of strawberry cake and a creamy layer of vanilla cheesecake in the middle, this cake is no joke.
Ingredients
VANILLA CHEESECAKE
- 24 oz (678g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (207g) sugar
- 3 tbsp (24g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (230g) sour cream
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
STRAWBERRY CAKE LAYERS
- 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (310g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (173g) sour cream
- 2 tbspĀ strawberry extract
- 6 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups (325g) all purpose flour
- 4 tsp (18g) baking powder
- Ā½ tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
- 1/2 cup (120ml) strawberry puree*
- 7–8 drops pink food color
CREAM CHEESE WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING
- 16oz (452g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 cups (720ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1 1/4 cups (144g) powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 6–10 strawberries, sliced
- 3 strawberries, cut in half
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 300Ā°F (148Ā°C). Line the entire inside of a 9-inch (23cm) cake pan with aluminum foil. Press it into the pan to get it as flat as you can. Youāll use the aluminum foil to lift the cheesecake out of the pan when itās baked and cooled.
2. In a large mixer bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar and flour together until combined. Use low speed to keep less air from getting into the batter, which can cause cracks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add the sour cream, and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until well combined.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.
5. Pour the cheesecake batter into the lined cake pan.
6. Place the cake pan inside another larger pan. I use a larger cake pan, but you can use a roasting pan or any other larger baking pan. Fill the outside pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake for 1 hour.
7. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for 30 minutes. Do not open the door or youāll release the heat.
8. Crack oven door and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 30 minutes. This cooling process helps the cheesecake cool slowly to prevent cracks.
9. Remove cheesecake from oven and chill until firm, 5-6 hours.
10.Ā To make the cake layers,Ā preheat the oven to 350Ā°F (176Ā°C). Line the bottoms of two 9-inch (23cm) cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides.
11. In a large mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
12. Add the sour cream and strawberry extract and mix until combined.
13. Add the egg whites in two batches, mixing until well combined after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is combined.
14. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the milk and strawberry puree in a measuring cup.
15. Add half of the flour mixture to the batter and mix until combined.
16. Add the milk mixture to the batter and mix until combined.
17. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is being combined. Stir in the food coloring.
18. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 27-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs.
19. Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then remove from pans to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
20.Ā To build the cake, make the frosting. Add the cream cheese to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth, then set aside.
21. Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to another bowl and whip until soft peaks form.
22. Add the cream cheese to the whipped cream and whip until stiff peaks form. It will happen fairly quickly. Set whipped frosting in the refrigerator.
23. Use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the cakes.
24. Place the first layer of cake on a serving plate or a cardboard cake round. Spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly on top of the cake layer.
25. Use the aluminum foil to lift the cheesecake out of the cake pan, remove the foil and place the cheesecake on top of the cake.
26. Spread another cup of frosting evenly on top of the cheesecake, then add the second layer of cake on top. If the sides of the cake donāt line up, use a serrated knife to trim off the excess cake or cheesecake.
27. Frost the outside of the cake.
28. Pipe swirls of the whipped frosting around the top edge of the cake. I used theĀ Ateco 844 icing tip.
29. Place sliced strawberries around the bottom edge of the cake. Place strawberry halves on top of the cake around the inside of the swirls.
30. Pip a small shell border around the bottom edge of the cake.
31. Store the cake (in an airtight containter, if possible) in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Cake is best for 2-3 days.
Notes
* If you’ve never made a strawberry puree before, don’t worry, it’s very easy. All you need to do is place them in a food processor and pulse them until the berries are smooth.Ā
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
- Calories: 700
- Sugar: 48.2 g
- Sodium: 403 mg
- Fat: 41.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 69.6 g
- Protein: 14.8 g
- Cholesterol: 168 mg
Categories
Enjoy!
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Good evening,
I am going to be making the Strawberry Cheesecake Cake tomorrow for a friends birthday. My question is when baking the cheesecake does it have to be cooked inside of another pan, is that a must? And what is the purpose of putting the pan inside another pan while baking?
Baking the cheesecake in a water bath is very recommended. Without it, the cheesecake will brown around the edges, likely fall in the center while it cools, and most likely crack. If those things don’t bother you and you don’t mind filling in the center/cracks of the cheesecake with frosting or something when you stack the cake, then you could bake it without the water bath. If you do that, you’ll probably need to knock 15-20 minutes off the baking time for the cheesecake.
Ok great! I’m an extremely visual person and I want it to be beautiful. I’ve seen that recommended before and just wanted to know why. Thank you so much for you response and this wonderful recipe
Good evening, I just want you to know that I made the cake and it turned out wonderfully and delicious. It was a big hit among my friends and family. I have received so many request from them for this cake. Thank you again for the wonderful recipe and sharing it with myself and the world. I am truly a fan and I can’t wait to try many more of your recipe’s.
Thanks Again!
Looks wonderful! I was wondering for the cheesecake layer, if you use a cake pan do you end up with more batter than will fit in the pan? Thanks
I used a cake pan and it turned out great. It was a regular 9×2 inch cake pan.
In the recipe it doesn’t specify weather you should beat the egg whites before adding them, and I was wondering if that was necessary.
I do not beat or whip the egg whites before hand.
Just wondering how Long it takes to make?Ā
I’m not sure exactly. I did it over a couple of days. The cheesecake has some prep time involved and has a total baking and cooling time of about 2 hours, plus cooling in the fridge. When you add the cake layers and putting it all together, it’s quite a bit of time.
Do u have any video on this recipe?thanks
There is a video just above the pink box with the recipe. It should the decorating of the cake.
I will be making this cake next week! I have made several of your cakes so far and they have all been fantastic! I just ordered the strawberry extract so it will arrive in time!
Awesome! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the recipes you’ve tried – I hope you enjoy this one too! š
This cake was very good, and quite impressive! But, I am wondering if you have any ideas on why my strawberry cake was so dense? I’m not sure what I did wrong, since it seems like the cake should have been lighter.
Typically I see that happen when the butter and sugar aren’t fully creamed. Other than that, it’d be hard to say without seeing it.
This cake looks to die for!!! I can’t wait to make it. I am having a hard time finding strawberry extract where I live in Canada. Could I just replace it with strawberry jam in the same amount to get a good strawberry flavor?
Thanks š
I haven’t tried it with jam. I don’t think the flavor would be as strong, but it’d be worth a try.
Hi can you use LorAnn Strawberry Bakery Emulsion in place of the strawberry extract? I am having a hard time finding strawverry extract.
Thank you!
Ricki
I havenāt ever tried the emulsions so I canāt advise. Iām sorry.
I usually use strawberry powder jello for it. May work?Ā
Then u don’t need food coloring added either.Ā
Not sure how it’d affect this cake. You could try it.
Hi, Watkins is available in Canada they carry a strawberry extract. Also Lorann’s is available through most online shops and they have a strawberry emulsion.
I purchased a strawberry flavor, Looks just like extract but say’s it is stronger ,at Micheal’s in Nova Scotia Canada . I’m sure you will know the store š I haven’t tried it yet but I’m about too.
I bought mine from bulk barn. I live in AlbertaĀ
The cake looks great!
Do you think it’ll be suited for a sugar past coating?
It’s a relatively heavy cake and should hold up ok.
Oh my God! wish i can have a slice right now.
Hi, I need a gluten free recipe for the strawbeÅry cake. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you.
Michelle
I haven’t experimented much with gluten free. Would a gluten free flour work or are there other ingredients that need to change?
I plan to make this recipe gluten free by using Bob’s red mill gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour in place of the all purpose flour. I have made several cake from this blog by doing that and they have all turned out great! Just double check that all your other ingredients are g-free.
What tip do you use for your swirls on the top?
Ateco tip 844.
Hi, Thank you for sharing the recipe. I’m thinking of making this for my friend’s birthday. Is it possible to color the Whipped Cream Cheese? Will they be easy to color like buttercream or any special techinique required? I understand that to color whipped cream we have to drop the food coloring before whipping it, to prevent bleeding. But how about whipped cream cheese?
I usually use gel icing color to color whipped cream. You just want to be careful not to deflate it.
That is one amazing looking cake! I am going to try this for our next special occasion!Ā
Your photos are amazing too!Ā
Thanks so much Patricia!
My cheesecake cracked how do i fix it
What strawberry puree recipe do you use? Just puree your strawberries in a food processor or blender? Or do you use a recipe that calls for sugar? Thanks.
I just puree the strawberries right in the food processor – no added sugar.
Thank you
This cake is amazing! I love cheesecakes of any kind but I’ve never tried a cake AND a cheesecake in one š I’ve just put the cheesecake in the oven and later on I’ll be doing the cake layers. I hope everything will turn out great š Can I use frozen strawberries for the puree?
I hope you enjoy it! Frozen strawberries would be fine and would bake ok. Just keep in mind that they should be thawed and patted dry before pureeing them. If they have extra water, it’ll water down the flavor of the strawberry in the cake. The better the strawberries, the better the strawberry flavor.
Thank you for the reply! š I’ve just tried the cake and it is really good, I also added a layer of strawberry puree under every layer of frosting, it enhanced the strawberry flavour and since I didn’t have strawberry extract it helped with the flavour š
Hi Lindsay. I am making this cake in the morning for my daughters baby shower which is on sunday. I was not able find any fresh strawberries so i am opting for frozen. I am making a two tired cake. Two 9 in cakes with the cheesecake center, and then two 6 in strawberry cakes on top. I have found another recipe for the icing, a decorator cream cheese icing, because I want to use the “rose swirl” technique on the bottom layers and i know the whipped cream frosting wont hold up for what i want to do. Are there any suggestions you might have for my idea ? I only have one 6 in cake pan so I will have to make the batter and then make one cake wait for it to cool then make the other. Being as the recipe calls for only egg whites do you think this will be a problem ? Thanks for any ideas you may have.
š
Monika,
I am wondering how the puree between layers was for you? I am not too keen on extract. How was the strawberry flavor? Also did it make the cake layers too wet?
This looks yummy. what tip did you use for the bottom border please?
It’s Wilton tip 10.
For the extract both vanilla and strawberry you put tablespoon. Is that correct or was it supposed to be teaspoon. And same for flour is it 3 tablespoon or 3 teaspoon
Yes, all are correct.
Oh my word, this cake is truly spectacular. I love anything strawberry + cheesecake so this is definitely my dream cake. So pretty and perfect for Valentine’s day, or any day for that matter. Thank you for this epic recipe!
Ohhhh I am DEFINITELY a true cake lover – and I love the way this looks! Perfect layers, and I always appreciate the videos as I’m a complete noob when it comes to baking. It’s my birthday in less than two weeks, and I’ve been thinking about baking a cheesecake-cake!