Description
A mash-up of strawberry shortcake and cheesecake, layered with fluffy strawberry cake, a creamy cheesecake core, tangy cream-cheese frosting, and a nostalgic strawberry-cookie crunch.
Ingredients
- 36 vanilla sandwich cookies, coarsely crushed
- 1 (3-oz) box strawberry gelatin
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted, divided
- 5–6 drops red gel food coloring
- 1 (16.5-oz) box Strawberry Supreme cake mix
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 (3-oz) box strawberry gelatin
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Bake the Crunch: Toss half the crushed cookies with gelatin, tint the rest with buttery red food gel, spread both on a tray, and bake 10 minutes at 350 °F. Let the crumbs cool while making the cakes.
- Strawberry Cakes: Beat cake mix, eggs, melted butter, milk, and gelatin until smooth. Divide into two 9-inch pans and bake 24–28 minutes at 350 °F. Cool completely.
- Cheesecake: Lower oven to 325 °F. Whip cream cheese, cream, vanilla, eggs, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth. Pour into a parchment-lined 9-inch springform pan and bake for 40 minutes. Let rest in the turned-off oven for 20 minutes. After cooling 30 minutes, freeze the cheesecake for 1 hour.
- Frosting: Beat cream cheese, cream, and butter until light, then blend in vanilla and powdered sugar to make fluffy, spreadable frosting.
- Assembly: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread ¼ cup frosting, add the chilled cheesecake, top with a thin layer of frosting, then place the second cake layer. Frost the entire cake, press the strawberry and vanilla cookie crumbs onto the sides and top. Refrigerate until serving.
Notes
- The cheesecake layer should be chilled in the freezer for at least 1 hour to ensure it is firm for stacking.
- For best texture, assemble the cake the day after baking the cakes and cheesecake.
- To keep the cheesecake from cracking, avoid overmixing and bake at a low temperature (325 °F).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
