Strawberry Sheet Cake, mini size
This Mini Strawberry Sheet Cake is soft, airy, and made with roasted strawberries and freeze-dried strawberry powder for the best flavor! And for the ultimate in strawberry goodness, enjoy it with this creamy, house-made strawberry buttercream frosting!
Why this bake works
- The Strawberry Flavor. This mini strawberry sheet cake uses pureed roasted strawberries and freeze-dried strawberry powder! Combining the two brings an intensified flavor to this mini strawberry sheet cake. No strawberry mixes or extracts are used in this strawberry sheet cake recipe! The strawberry buttercream frosting also uses the same two key ingredients!
- The Texture. What you may like about this strawberry cake—besides the flavor—is the soft, airy texture! And when you top it with the creamy strawberry buttercream frosting, it's a match made in heaven!
- The Perfect Amount. This small strawberry sheet cake is a strong match for up to 6 people when a regular-sized sheet cake is just too much. It can be made using an 8.4 x 6.4-inch small rectangular baking pan (like the one I found at ALDI) or a 6 x 3-inch round cake pan!
What goes in
Below are all the ingredients you'll need to make this deliciously soft mini strawberry sheet cake. Items noted in the bulleted list are key ingredients that need a bit more explanation.
- Cake Flour. Use the Pillsbury Softasilk brand of cake flour. Using cake flour gives you a light, airy, and tender crumb due to its lower protein content (8-9%).
- Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder. Most stores carry freeze-dried strawberries, which can easily be ground into a smooth powder using a Ziploc bag and a rolling pin. But you can also find the freeze-dried strawberry powder at some select grocery stores and online.
- Unsalted Butter. Room temperature is best.
- Granulated Sugar. Or you can use organic cane sugar.
- Whole Milk. If in a pinch, you can also use 1% or 2% milk. I did not test this method with any non-dairy milk.
For quantities and instructions, please see the method card below.
How it comes together
Below is a brief overview of how to make this mini strawberry cake with strawberry buttercream frosting. For the full printable recipe, which can be made using US customary or metric measurements using the toggle switch, visit the method card below.
Roasted Strawberry Puree
Step 1. Add the cut strawberries, lemon juice, and granulated sugar to a bowl. Toss to combine.
Step 2. Transfer to the lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
Step 3. Add the cooled roasted strawberries to a food processor.
Step 4. Pulse to combine into a puree.
Recipe Tip: Use the roasted strawberry puree immediately or keep it in a well-sealed container for up to a week.
Mini Strawberry Sheet Cake
Recipe Tip: Before starting, use a food processor to pulverize the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder.
Step 1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 2. In a separate bowl, combine the freeze-dried strawberry powder, butter, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed.
Step 3. Add the egg, vanilla, milk, and roasted strawberry puree.
Step 4. Combine the whisked dry ingredients with the wet ingredients over low-medium speed until just combined.
Recipe Tip: The cake batter will have a medium consistency (not too thin, not too thick) and is easily scoopable and spreadable in the baking pan. It will be a light pink with visible red bits of strawberry puree and flecks of strawberry powder.
Step 5. Transfer the strawberry cake batter to the prepared baking pan.
Step 6. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350ºF. Cool to room temperature on a wire cooling rack.
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Step 1. Add the roasted strawberry puree, freeze-dried strawberry powder, butter, and salt to a large bowl.
Step 2. Mix until well combined.
Step 3. Add in the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 4. Frost the cooled mini strawberry cake, then enjoy! Optionally, you can add sliced strawberries to the top.
Storage
Any leftover strawberry sheet cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer (double-wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in a freezer bag).
Leftover strawberry buttercream frosting can be kept in an airtight container for up to a week or frozen for up to one month.
Questions on this bake
What baking pan did you use to make this mini strawberry sheet cake?I used a small rectangular baking pan from ALDI that is 8.4 x 6.4 inches, but you can also use a 6 x 3-inch round cake pan. Here is a similar-sized rectangular baking pan I found online.
Where can I find freeze-dried strawberry powder?You can find it at some select stores and also online.
Can Use freeze-dried strawberries instead?Yes. I have found small bags of freeze-dried strawberries from ALDI, Trader Joe's, and Wegman's.
How do you crush up freeze-dried strawberries into a powder?Place them in a Ziploc bag and roll a rolling pin over the bag until the freeze-dried strawberries are crushed into a fine powder. The powder can be kept in the bag until ready to use. You may need to break up the powder again after a day or two, as it can clump together.
What should the consistency and look of the strawberry cake batter be?The strawberry cake batter will have a medium consistency (not too thin, not too thick) and is easily scoopable and spreadable in the baking pan. It will be light pink with visible red bits of strawberry puree and flecks of strawberry powder.
- Yield 6 servings
- Prep 20 minutes
- Cook 30 minutes
- Total 50 minutes
- Calories 607
Ingredients
Roasted Strawberry Puree
- 1 lb Fresh Strawberries, hulled and cut in half
- 2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
- 2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
Mini Strawberry Sheet Cake
- 1 cup Cake Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3 tsp Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder
- 5 tbsp Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/3 cup Whole Milk
- 1/4 cup Roasted Strawberry Puree
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- 1/4 cup Roasted Strawberry Puree
- 2 tsp Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder
- 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar
Method
Roasted Strawberry Puree
- Heat the oven to 250ºF. Line a medium-size baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the freshly cut strawberries, lemon juice, and granulated sugar to a medium-sized bowl. Toss to combine. Transfer to the lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. When done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
- Add the cooled roasted strawberries to a food processor, and pulse to combine into a puree. Keep the roasted strawberry puree in a well-sealed container for up to a week.
Mini Strawberry Sheet Cake
- Heat the oven to 350ºF. Generously spray a small rectangular baking pan (approx. 8.4 x 6.4 inches in size) or a round 6 x 3-inch baking pan with a flour-based baking spray. If you'd like, you can add a parchment paper sling to the rectangular pan or a parchment paper circle to the round baking pan. Set to the side.
- Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
- In a separate medium-size mixing bowl, combine the freeze-dried strawberry powder, unsalted butter, and granulated sugar with a hand mixer on medium-high speed.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, whole milk, and roasted strawberry puree. Mix until well combined.
- Combine the whisked dry ingredients with the wet ingredients over low-medium speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the cake batter. The cake batter will have a medium consistency (not too thin, not too thick) and is easily scoopable and spreadable in the baking pan. It will be light pink with visible red bits of strawberry puree and flecks of strawberry powder.
- Transfer the strawberry cake batter to the prepared, small rectangular or round baking pan and bake at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes. The cake is ready when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream the roasted strawberry puree, freeze-dried strawberry powder, unsalted butter, and salt until well combined.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy. Apply the strawberry buttercream frosting to the cooled strawberry cake, then enjoy!
- Any leftover strawberry sheet cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or kept in the freezer (double wrapped and kept in a plastic freezer bag). Leftover strawberry buttercream frosting can be kept in an airtight container for up to a week or frozen for up to one month.
Baker notes
For this method, you can use an 8.4 x 6.4-inch rectangular baking pan or a round 6 x 3-inch round baking pan.
Any leftover strawberry puree can be kept in an airtight container for up to a week.
The freeze-dried strawberry powder can be purchased in powder form, or you can get freeze-dried strawberries and grind them in a Ziploc bag with a rolling pin. Freeze-dried strawberries can be found at Aldi, Trader Joe's, and Wegmans.
Any leftover strawberry sheet cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer (double wrapped and kept in a plastic freezer bag).
Leftover strawberry buttercream frosting can be kept in an airtight container for up to a week or frozen for up to one month.
