Strawberry Shortcake Cake isn’t just another dessert—it’s a celebration of flavor, texture, and nostalgic comfort. Whether you’re planning a backyard BBQ, birthday bash, or just want to impress with a crowd-pleasing treat, this cake delivers every time. We’re taking the classic shortcake concept and transforming it into a rich, moist cake soaked in a sweet tres leches blend, layered with fresh strawberries and airy whipped cream. This is the kind of recipe that makes people ask for seconds—and then the recipe.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Quick & Easy: Uses a box mix base with custom upgrades—perfect for beginners or busy bakers.
Fresh Flavors: Bursting with ripe strawberries for a juicy, summery twist.
Moist & Creamy: The tres leches soak makes every bite melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Crowd-Pleaser: Ideal for gatherings, potlucks, or special occasions.
Comforting & Impressive: Tastes like home, looks like it came from a bakery.

This Strawberry Shortcake Cake stands out thanks to its genius tres leches infusion—an unexpected twist that turns a traditional favorite into something truly indulgent.

Ingredients Needed

For the Cake Base:

1 box (15.25 oz) vanilla or French vanilla cake mix
½ cup whole milk – adds extra richness
½ cup vegetable oil – keeps the cake tender
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup sour cream – boosts moisture and flavor

For the Tres Leches Strawberry Soak:

¾ cup sweetened condensed milk
¾ cup evaporated milk
¾ cup half and half
½ lb fresh strawberries, hulled
1 tbsp granulated sugar – helps macerate the berries

For the Whipped Cream Topping:

3 cups heavy whipping cream – very cold
1 cup powdered sugar – sweetens and stabilizes
1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
½ lb fresh strawberries, chopped – for garnish

How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Cake

1. Prep and Bake the Cake

Preheat your oven to 350℉ and grease a 13×9” baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, milk, oil, eggs, and sour cream until smooth—about 2 minutes on medium speed.
Pour the batter into the prepared dish, smoothing the top.
Bake for 30–34 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Once out of the oven, poke holes all over the cake with a skewer or the handle of a wooden spoon while it’s still warm. This helps it absorb the tres leches soak beautifully.

2. Prepare the Strawberry Tres Leches

While the cake bakes, mash strawberries and sugar in a bowl using a fork or masher until mostly smooth.
Whisk in sweetened condensed milk until blended with the berries, then stir in evaporated milk and half and half.
After poking holes in the baked cake, pour the tres leches mixture slowly over the entire surface, allowing it to seep in evenly.

3. Make the Whipped Topping

In a chilled bowl, whip heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla using a hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form (about 3–5 minutes).
Once the cake is completely cool and fully soaked, spread the whipped topping over the top.
Garnish generously with chopped strawberries.

4. Chill and Serve

Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours before serving—overnight is even better for full flavor absorption.
Slice and enjoy cold for the most refreshing experience.

Serving and Storage Tips

Serving Tips:
- Serve chilled for the most refreshing texture.
- Add extra strawberries or mint leaves on top for a beautiful finish.
- Perfect with a cup of coffee, tea, or lemonade.
Storage Tips:
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Avoid freezing once topped with whipped cream—however, the cake base can be frozen (wrapped) before soaking.
- If prepping ahead, bake and soak the cake a day in advance and top with cream just before serving.

Helpful Notes

Use room temp eggs and sour cream for the smoothest batter.
Let the cake cool completely before adding the whipped cream, or it’ll melt.
Try infusing the whipped cream with lemon zest or almond extract for a twist.
No strawberries? Try with blueberries, peaches, or raspberries for seasonal variations.
Don’t skip the chilling time—it allows the flavors to meld beautifully and gives the cake its creamy, dreamy texture.

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

This Strawberry Shortcake Cake is a moist, creamy, and flavorful twist on a classic dessert. Infused with a luscious strawberry tres leches soak and topped with fluffy whipped cream and fresh berries, it’s the ultimate crowd-pleasing treat for any celebration or gathering.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 34

Total Time 59

Servings: 12 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 220

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Cake Base

1 box vanilla or French vanilla cake mix (15.25 oz)
0.5 cup whole milk
0.5 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs room temperature
1 cup sour cream

For the Tres Leches Strawberry Soak

0.75 cup sweetened condensed milk
0.75 cup evaporated milk
0.75 cup half and half
0.5 lb fresh strawberries hulled
1 tbsp granulated sugar

For the Whipped Cream Topping

3 cups heavy whipping cream very cold
1 cup powdered sugar
1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
0.5 lb fresh strawberries chopped, for garnish

Method

Preheat oven to 350℉ (175℃) and grease a 13×9” baking dish.
In a large bowl, mix cake mix, milk, oil, eggs, and sour cream until smooth (about 2 minutes on medium speed).
Pour batter into prepared dish and smooth the top. Bake for 30–34 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
While still warm, poke holes all over the cake using a skewer or spoon handle to help it absorb the soak.
Mash strawberries and sugar together in a bowl until mostly smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk, then stir in evaporated milk and half and half.
Slowly pour the strawberry tres leches mixture over the warm cake, letting it absorb evenly.
In a chilled bowl, whip cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on high speed until stiff peaks form (about 3–5 minutes).
Once the cake is completely cooled and soaked, spread whipped cream on top and garnish with chopped strawberries.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours before serving—overnight for best results. Slice and serve cold.

Notes

Use room temperature eggs and sour cream for the best batter texture. Chill thoroughly for a fully absorbed, creamy result. Try lemon zest or almond extract in the whipped cream for a flavor twist. Substitute with blueberries or peaches if strawberries are unavailable.

Conclusion

This Strawberry Shortcake Cake is everything you love about the classic dessert, taken to the next level. It’s moist, creamy, fresh, and guaranteed to impress—perfect for summer, holidays, or whenever you need a sweet escape.

Tried it out? We’d love your thoughts! Leave a comment and a star rating below.
Share your version on social media and tag us—we love seeing your delicious results.
What berries or toppings did you add? Let us know in the comments!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?

Yes, but make sure they’re thawed and drained well to avoid excess moisture in the tres leches soak.

How do I make this recipe gluten-free?

Substitute the cake mix with your favorite gluten-free vanilla mix. Double-check all other ingredient labels for gluten.

Can I make this recipe dairy-free?

It’s challenging due to the tres leches and whipped topping, but you could experiment with coconut cream and dairy-free condensed/evaporated milk options.

Why is my cake too soggy?

It’s likely too much soak or insufficient chilling. Make sure to chill at least 2 hours—preferably overnight—and pour the soak gradually.

Can I prepare this cake a day in advance?

Absolutely. This cake actually tastes better the next day once all the layers have melded together!