Description
Tender vanilla cake bars topped with whipped cream-cheese frosting and fresh macerated strawberries — a sliceable, shareable take on classic strawberry shortcake.
Ingredients
Cake Base:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
¾ cup whole milk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Whipped Cream-Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberry Topping:
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
2. Beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
4. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake 18–20 minutes until edges pull from the sides and a toothpick shows moist crumbs. Cool completely (at least 45 minutes).
5. Toss sliced strawberries with 2 tablespoons sugar. Let macerate 15–20 minutes.
6. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. In a chilled bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks. Fold whipped cream into the cream-cheese mixture.
7. Spread frosting over cooled cake. Top with macerated strawberries and juice. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
8. Lift slab from pan using parchment overhang. Cut into 16 bars.
Notes
Cool the cake completely before frosting. Warm cake melts the cream layer.
For the most stable whipped cream, chill the bowl and beaters for 10 minutes beforehand.
Wash all berries under cool running water before slicing.
Storage: Airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing: Freeze frosted bars without berry topping, wrapped individually, for up to 2 months. Thaw in fridge overnight.
Serve cold — no reheating needed. Let sit 5 minutes at room temperature if frosting is too firm.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 265 kcal
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg