Strawberry Sheet Cake Remix

Name: Strawberry Sheet Cake Remix
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 53 min
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 1 box white cake mix; 3 large eggs; 3/4 cup melted coconut oil (can sub vegetable oil, but coconut adds better crumb); 2 cups fresh strawberries washed and hulled; 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder; 1 1/4 cups water divided; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4 tablespoons cream cheese softened; 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened; 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar sifted

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 24 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

A strawberry sheet cake with a twist—swapping vegetable oil for melted coconut oil for added moisture and subtle flavor. Fresh strawberries pureed but kept slightly chunky to maintain texture. Gelatin split between batter and an icing with cream cheese and butter base, whipped to lightness. Adjusted baking and mixing times, with tips on reading the cake by smell and feel; not just clock-watching. Icing thickened as needed with powdered sugar, balanced against puree for color and tang. Substitutions considered for common pantry misses. Tips on puree consistency, preservation, and troubleshooting dense or soggy cakes included.

Prep: 25 min

Cook: 28 min

Total: 53 min

Servings: 12 servings

#American #sheet cake #strawberry #gelatin #coconut oil #dessert #baking tips #cream cheese icing

Juicy strawberries smashed but chunky, not pure mush. I’ve learned the difference by a dozen trials—the softness of puree means everything; too wet and the cake turns gummy. Coconut oil swap gave a moist crumb that I swear beats veggie oil every time, subtle nutty whisper beneath sugary notes. Gelatin’s role previously underplayed—split between batter and icing, it keeps everything firm but tender. Watch cakes, not clocks. Smell slicing through the kitchen, that fruity burst. Icing? Cream cheese and butter, whipped airy with a punch of strawberry. More powdered sugar equals stiffer peaks; don’t dump blindly. Keep frost spreadable but sturdy. Refrigerate; patience yields the best slice. 12 pieces, each rich but worth every bite.

Ingredients

1 box white cake mix
3 large eggs
3/4 cup melted coconut oil (can sub vegetable oil, but coconut adds better crumb)
2 cups fresh strawberries washed and hulled
2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder
1 1/4 cups water divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons cream cheese softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
3 to 4 cups powdered sugar sifted

About the ingredients

Strawberries: ripe but firm, no bruises, washed well. Use fresh; frozen intended only if thawed and drained thoroughly to avoid watery batter. Gelatin: unflavored, buy small packets—they last long and keep stable frosting and crumbs. Substitute coconut oil with vegetable oil but remember moisture impact. Cream cheese: full-fat for best taste and texture, softened to room temp avoids lumps. Powdered sugar: sift every time; lumps ruin smooth frosting. If you struggle with too-thin icings, add sugar a bit at a time. Vanilla helps smooth sharpness of cream cheese; leave out only if allergic. If out of fresh strawberries, use fresh frozen thawed but reduce added water. Pan: nonstick spray; butter also works but clean carefully after baking. Avoid metal spatulas for frosting; use offset knives or silicone.

Method

For the strawberry puree

Roughly chop strawberries first. Blitz in blender or food processor but don’t liquefy—should look chunky, not juice. Measure 1 cup puree for cake; reserve 2 tablespoons for icing. If short, add cold water slowly until you hit 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons total. Puree consistency critical—too thin means runny batter, too thick, dry cake.

For the cake

Preheat oven to 345 F. Spray 9x13 pan with nonstick spray or grease thoroughly with butter. Melted coconut oil speeds up crumb formation—trusted my gut on this switch from plain veg oil.
In mixing bowl, whisk cake mix, eggs, and melted coconut oil till blended but don’t overmix—should be velvety, slightly thick but pourable. Gelatin time: remove 1 teaspoon from total gelatin, reserve for icing.
Sprinkle rest of gelatin over 1/2 cup warm water (not hot), let bloom 5 min, then stir into batter with 1 cup strawberry puree. Fold gently but completely blended; watch texture closely, too much agitation can toughen gluten bearer.
Pour batter into pan, spread evenly, tap pan lightly on counter to remove air pockets. Don't overlevel—the cake rises better with texture variation. Bake 28–32 minutes. But smell likely tells more—the warm strawberry aroma intensifies nearing doneness. Toothpick test still gold standard; dry crumb bits mean done but moist center still stays (no wet batter).
Cool at room temp 30 min, then move to fridge if you want firm base before icing; warm cake will melt frosting messily.

For the icing

Beat softened butter and cream cheese with electric mixer until creamy, pale. Add vanilla. Slowly beat in 3 cups powdered sugar in increments, ensuring no lumps.
Bloom reserved gelatin teaspoon in 1/4 cup cold water 5 minutes; microwave 10 seconds to melt, stir smooth, then add 2 tablespoons strawberry puree to gelatin mix.
Pour strawberry gelatin mixture into frosting; whip at medium speed to combine fully, slight pink hue appears. Check consistency: if too thin, add powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating well after each. Frosting texture should hold peaks but spread easily without sliding.
Spread on cooled cake using offset spatula or butter knife bands. Chill at least 1 hour before slicing.
Store covered in fridge up to 5 days; let reach room temp 15 minutes before serving for best texture.

Cooking tips

Puree: rough chop first to keep texture instead of pure juice—learned from overblending disasters that flatten flavor and moisture balance. Gelatin: split into two, don’t skip blooming—cold water first then heat gently dissolves fully, avoids grainy lumps. Mixing: fold strawberry puree and gelatin into batter carefully to avoid tough gluten forming; handle batter like fragile silk. Baking: 345 F, watch airflow and oven hot spots if possible—listen for gentle crackle from hot fruit, catch faint strawberry scent emerging—best cues for doneness. Cool cake fully before icing, or frosting melts into cake. Icing steps: cream butter and cheese fully for lump-free frosting. Add sugar slowly; texture changes dramatically. Incorporate strawberry gelatin puree last to avoid thinning too early, whipped just right for airy but spreadable. Chill cake once frosted to set. Keep leftovers refrigerated; warm gently before slicing to prevent crumbles but don’t microwave—messes texture.

Chef's notes

💡 Chop strawberries chunky first; puree too smooth kills texture and moisture balance. Use blender pulses, not full blend. Add cold water to reach exact volume if short but watch purity—too watery thins batter, dries cake.
💡 Bloom gelatin at room temp in warm water; never hot or it clumps. Split gelatin dose—reserve some for icing or risk weak set. Warm gelatin mix gently after blooming—microwave briefly, stir constant until smooth—avoids grainy frosting.
💡 Use coconut oil melted, not warm melting coconut oil still hot, or batter heats prematurely. Sub coconut oil with veg oil okay but expect more crumb, less moist feel—fats matter here for crumb softness and aroma changes.
💡 Don’t overmix batter once liquids hit dry cake mix. Velvety, thick but pourable texture best. Fold puree and gelatin carefully; rough gluten forms if stirred hard—results in tough, heavy crumb. Watch batter though; thin means overwatered puree or too much agitation.
💡 Bake temp steady 345 F, watch oven hotspots. Listen for subtle crackling from warm strawberry bits—fragrant fruity aroma peaks near doneness. Toothpick test fine but smell and crumb feel better cues—dry crumbs mean done but moist center remains, no wet batter.

Common questions

Why split gelatin between cake and icing?

Keeps both firm. Gelatin in batter stabilizes crumb but too much ruins texture if all in cake. Frosting benefits from separate gelatin bloom. Blooming separately avoids graininess, lumps in icing. Controls texture both layers.

Can veg oil replace coconut oil?

Yes but expect dryer crumb. Coconut oil adds subtle nutty scent plus moisture. Veg oil less fragrant, thinner crumb. If using veg oil, watch batter texture close. May need less pureed water or adjust baking time slightly.

Cake too dense or soggy?

Usually puree too thin—too much water added or overblended puree breaks down structure. Also overmixing or overbaking can cause tough crumb. Fold gently. Bake until fragrant. Cool fully before icing to avoid meltdown and sogginess.

How to store leftovers?

Cover in fridge up to 5 days best. Warm 10-15 min before slicing hits texture sweet spot. Avoid microwaving—crumb ruins with heat blast. Could freeze but defrost slow fridge overnight to keep moisture balanced.