Cake or cheesecake? Why choose? This strawberries and cream cheesecake cake combines vibrant strawberry cake layers, a creamy vanilla cheesecake center, and fluffy cream cheese frosting for one incredibly indulgent dessert.
Cheesecake lover that I am, I am a BIG fan of sandwiching cheesecake between light, fluffy cake layers and wrapping it all in decadent frosting. I have a few “cheesecake cakes” on my site, including my Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake, my Carrot Cake Cheesecake Cake and this Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Cake, but this vibrant pink strawberry version is one of my favorites.
If you’re a fan of strawberries and cream, get ready to fall in love. This aptly named strawberries and cream cheesecake combines strawberry cake layers, vanilla cheesecake, and whipped cream cheese frosting. The moist strawberry cake layers are full of bold berry flavor, while the silky cheesecake adds a rich, velvety contrast. And that light, fluffy, ever so slightly tangy cream cheese frosting!? I’m obsessed. From first glance to the last crumb, this dessert has it all!
Why You’ll Love This Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Cake
On top of the fact that it’s bright pink and a total crowd-pleaser, this cake’s got a lot going for it. Here’s why:
- Classic flavor combo. With sweet strawberry cake layers, vanilla cheesecake, and a whipped cream cheese frosting, this cheesecake cake will take you right back to sunny days spent dipping fresh berries in fluffy whipped cream.
- Luxurious texture. Biting into this dessert is nothing short of heavenly. The cake layers are wonderfully moist and tender, and the cheesecake is so silky smooth. Then there’s that light and fluffy whipped cream cheese frosting. Hello!
- Endless customization. This recipe is a fabulous blueprint for creativity. You can easily swap out the cake, cheesecake, or frosting flavors to create your own unique masterpiece. See the section below titled “Variation Ideas” for inspo.
Ingredient Notes
Time to grab your ingredients and turn on the oven! Here’s a list for you of substitutions and important tips. (see the recipe card below for precise measurements):
- Cream cheese – Start with room temperature cream cheese. If it’s too cold, it won’t mix as smoothly with the other ingredients and may result in a lumpy filling or frosting. It’s also important to use the brick-style full-fat cream cheese, not reduced fat or the kind in the tub. Those would be too soft for cheesecake.
- All-purpose flour – For the cake layers, I recommend using a scale or spooning the flour into the measuring cup and leveling it off, so that your cake doesn’t end up dry. You can see all my tips for measuring flour here. For the cheesecake layer, the starch prevents the egg proteins from over-coagulating, giving you a creamier texture and helping you prevent any cracks. If you are looking for a gluten free alternative, cornstarch will work too. Use half as much cornstarch as you would flour.
- Sour cream – I love the extra tang the sour cream contributes to the cheesecake. It breaks up the richness of the cheesecake layer beautifully and makes it extra silky smooth. In the cake, it adds wonderful moisture.
- Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large.
- Milk – Whole milk or 2% will work great.
- Strawberry extract – This gives the natural strawberry flavor from the puree a little boost of extra flavor.
- Strawberry puree – Just throw some strawberries in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Pink food color – You could leave this out, but I’m a big fan of the bold color it gives the cake layers.
- Heavy whipping cream – The heavy cream must be chilled. Otherwise, it won’t whip up and hold volume properly.
- Powdered sugar – To add sweetness and volume to the frosting. Don’t try to use a different kind of sugar unless you want a gritty frosting. And don’t try to use less. Your frosting will fall flat.
How to Make Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Cake
Let’s get started! Here’s a look at how to make this delicious cheesecake cake. You’ll find more detailed instructions in the recipe card below.
Make the cheesecake layer
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line the entire inside of a 9-inch cake pan with aluminum foil. Press it into the pan to get it as flat as you can. You’ll use the aluminum foil to lift the cheesecake out of the pan when it’s baked and cooled.
In a large mixer bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar and flour together until combined.
Add the sour cream and vanilla extract, followed by the eggs, one at a time.
Pour cheesecake batter into the cake pan and bake for 55 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes with oven door closed, then 30 minutes with it partially open.
Make the cake layers
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottoms of two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the milk and strawberry puree in a measuring cup. Set both aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
Add the sour cream and strawberry extract and mix until combined.
Mix half of the flour mixture, followed by the milk/puree mixture. Mix in the remaining flour mixture and stir in the food coloring.
Whip the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter in two parts.
Divide the batter between the cake pans and bake for 27-30 minutes.
Cool the cakes in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
Make frosting and assemble
To make the frosting, add the cream cheese to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth, then set aside.
Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to mixer bowl and whip until it begins to thicken. Add the cream cheese and whip until stiff peaks form.
Use the aluminum foil to lift the cheesecake out of the cake pan and remove the foil.
Place the first layer of cake on a serving plate. Spread one cup of frosting on top, then add the cheesecake layer. Add another cup of frosting, then the final cake layer on top.
Frost the outside of the cake, then pipe swirls of the whipped frosting around the top edge of the cake. I also placed sliced strawberries around the bottom edge of the cake, strawberry halves on top of the cake and piped a small shell border around the bottom edge of the cake. Feel free to get creative and make it your own!
Tips For The Best Cheesecake Cake
- Don’t skip the water bath. It might seem like a hassle, but it really is necessary for even cooking. Without it, your cheesecake will fall in the middle, over-brown and likely crack.
- Measure your flour carefully. Too much (or too little) flour WILL negatively impact the texture of your cake layers. So, use a food scale to ensure you’re getting the proper amount. Don’t have one? Use the spoon and level method.
- Don’t skimp on creaming time. It’s important to cream together the butter and sugar for the cake until the mixture has significantly lightened in color and become fluffy. This process incorporates air into the batter, ensuring lighter, fluffier results.
- Don’t over-mix. When combining the wet and dry ingredients for the cake layers, mix only until everything is incorporated. Over-mixing can cause the gluten in the flour to overdevelop, resulting in over-dense cake layers.
- Fold gently. When folding the egg whites into the cake batter, do so gently so as to maintain as much volume as possible.
- Cool/Chill all layers before assembling. While this cheesecake cake is not hard to assemble, it does require some time. The cheesecake needs 4 hours or so to firm up, and the cake layers also need to cool completely.
Make Sure The Layers are the Same Size
The key to making the cheesecake for a cheesecake cake is to bake the cheesecake in the same pan you’ll use for the cakes. Not all 9-inch pans are the same size, so line your cake pan with aluminum foil and press it tightly against the sides. Bake the cheesecake in that pan, let it cool, and use the foil to lift it out of the cake pan. Use the same size pan for the cake layers.
Variation Ideas
There are so many yummy possibilities for cheesecake cakes. Feel free to swap out the cake, cheesecake, and/or frosting flavors. Here are some ideas for you:
- Cake layer swap. Borrow the cake layers from my Carrot Cake, Vanilla Cake, Chocolate Cake, Funfetti Cake, or Lemon Cake (but divide the batter between two nine in pans), and use them instead of the strawberry cake.
- Cheesecake change-up. Whether it’s the filling from my Chocolate Cheesecake, this Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake, my Peanut Butter Cheesecake, Funfetti Cheesecake or my elegant Champagne Cheesecake, swapping the vanilla cheesecake layer out for something different is fine by me. I just typically reduce the eggs to three.
- Consider a different frosting. If you’d like to use a different frosting, you can. You could try chocolate whipped cream or mascarpone whipped cream. My strawberry buttercream and vanilla buttercream would also be good. Just keep in mind that buttercream will be firmer than whipped creams when refrigerated.
How to Store
- Refrigerator. Seal any leftovers in an airtight container. If you don’t have one, you can wrap the cake in a double layer of plastic wrap (use toothpicks to prop the plastic away from the decorations) or arrange slices in a single layer in an airtight container. This cake will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer. Flash freeze the cake for about an hour, and then wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap (you could do this with slices too). I’d recommend not freezing it with fresh strawberries on the outside. Otherwise, arrange slices in a single layer in an airtight container. This dessert will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw in the fridge before serving.
Can I Make This Ahead of Time?
Totally! You can make the cheesecake and cake layers a day in advance. Let the cheesecake set and the cake layers cool, then store the cheesecake in the fridge and the cake layers at room temperature. When you’re ready to put it together, whip up the frosting and assemble the cake.
Watch How To Make It
More Strawberry Dessert Ideas
Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Cake
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Ingredients
Vanilla Cheesecake
- 24 ounces (678g) cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup (207g) sugar
- 3 tablespoons (24g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (230g) sour cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
Strawberry Cake Layers
- 2 ½ cups (325g) all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons (18g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (168g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups (310g) sugar
- ¾ cup (173g) sour cream
- 2 tablespoons strawberry extract
- ½ cup (120ml) milk
- ½ cup (120ml) strawberry puree*
- 7 –8 drops pink food color
- 6 large egg whites (room temperature)
Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Frosting
- 16 ounces (452g) cream cheese (room temperature)
- 3 cups (720ml) heavy whipping cream (cold)
- 1 ¼ cups (144g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 6-10 strawberries (sliced)
- 3 strawberries (cut in half)
Instructions
Make the cheesecake layer
- Preheat oven to 300°F (148°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. You’ll use the aluminum foil to lift the cheesecake out of the pan when it’s baked and cooled.
- In a large mixer bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar and flour together until well combined. Use low speed to keep less air from getting into the batter, which can cause cracks. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until well combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the lined cake pan.
- 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 pan. Fill the outside pan with enough warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
- Bake for 55 minutes. The center should be set, but still jiggly (See how to tell if your cheesecake is done baking).
- Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for 30 minutes. Do not open the door or you’ll release the heat.
- 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.
- Remove cheesecake from oven and chill until firm, 5-6 hours.
Make the cake layers
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line the bottoms of two 9-inch (23cm) cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides.
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the milk and strawberry puree in a measuring cup. Set both aside.
- In a large mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the sour cream and strawberry extract and mix until combined.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the batter and mix until combined. Add the milk/puree mixture to the batter and mix until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is being combined, then stir in the food coloring. Set aside.
- Add the white eggs to another large mixing bowl and whip on high speed with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.
- Add the egg whites to the cake batter in two batches, gently folding until combined.
- 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.
- 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.
Make frosting and assemble
- To make the frosting, add the cream cheese to a large mixer bowl and beat until smooth, then set aside.
- Add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract to another bowl and whip until it just begins to thicken.
- Add the cream cheese to the cream and whip on low speed until the cream cheese is incorporated, then increase speed to medium and whip until stiff peaks form. It will happen fairly quickly. Set aside.
- Use a large serrated knife to remove the domes from the top of the cakes. 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.
- 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.
- 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 don’t line up, use a serrated knife to trim off the excess cake or cheesecake.
- Frost the outside of the cake, then pipe swirls of the whipped frosting around the top edge of the cake. I used the Ateco 844 icing tip.
- Place sliced strawberries around the bottom edge of the cake. Place strawberry halves on top of the cake around the inside of the swirls. Pipe a small shell border around the bottom edge of the cake.
- Store the cake (in an airtight container, if possible) in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Cake is best if eaten within 3-4 days.
Notes
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Categories:
Cakes and Cupcakes, Easter, Holidays, Recipes, Recipes with video, Sweets and Treats, Valentine's Day,
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?
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! 🙂
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 🙂
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 haven’t ever tried the emulsions so I can’t advise. I’m sorry.
I usually use strawberry powder jello for it. May work?
Then u don’t need food coloring added either.
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 🙂 I haven’t tried it yet but I’m about too.
I bought mine from bulk barn. I live in Alberta
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 strawbeŕry 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!
Your photos are amazing too!
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 🙂 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 🙂 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! 🙂 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 🙂
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.
🙂
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!