This frozen strawberry crunch cake is the perfect summer dessert! It's a light strawberry cream cake with a fresh strawberry filling and a crispy crunchy base and topping. It's easy to make, and it's sure to be a hit with your friends and family.
Contents
🌟 Why this recipe works
This recipe is a breeze to whip up at home for home cooks as long as you have an electric whisker. All you need to do is whip the fluffy strawberry cream mixture together and make a crunchy butter crumb crust mixture.
The creamy strawberry filling gives this cake a lovely sweetness, while the lemon juice adds a tart and juicy contrast. The nuts add a lovely crunchy texture to the base, making this dessert simply irresistible and an all-around winner.
You'll have it ready in 25 minutes from start to finish! You can even get the kids involved with this easy dessert because it's fun and delicious to eat the fresh strawberries and cream mixture at the same time as preparing the strawberry crunch cake. Fan of lemon? You should try my lemoncello tiramisu. So yum!
Homemade frozen cake is great for making ahead of time too, as it's easy to prepare, freeze, and defrost when you have guests over and fancy a delicious piece of cake to go with that coffee.
The best part of this recipe is everything is homemade, so it will taste much better than store-bought frozen cakes.
🍽 Key ingredients
You will need a food processor to make the butter crumb crust and an electric whisker to make the fluffy strawberry cream mixture.
Strawberry filling - The filling is a simple mixture of whisked egg whites with sugar, lemon juice, and fresh strawberries. It's sweet, light, and creamy with a lovely tartness from the lemon.
Bread crumb crust mixture - This is a classic butter crumb crust that's made with flour, brown sugar, and nuts. It's simple to make and gives the cake a lovely crunchy texture.
Whipping cream - This is used in the strawberry filling to create a light and fluffy mixture.
Substitutions
Fresh strawberries
If you don't have any fresh strawberries, you can use frozen ones instead. Just be sure to thaw them before using them so that they're not too icy. 5 tablespoons of strawberry jam also work as a substitute.
You could also use raspberries or blueberries in this recipe instead of strawberries if you prefer.
Nuts
If you're not a fan of nuts, you can leave them out of the recipe or substitute them for another type of seed or grain, like sunflower seeds.
🔪 How to make
My frozen strawberry crunch cake recipe will become a huge family favorite after the first bite. With only 8 ingredients and minimal kitchen equipment, it's perfect for a quick and easy dessert. Follow my step-by-step instructions for best results.
Preparations
Step 1
Wash and dry the fresh strawberries, then cut them into pieces.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Fahrenheit).
Step 3
Grease a shallow baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
Cooking instructions
Step 4
Mix the butter crumb crust mixture of flour, nuts, brown sugar, and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Once the ingredients are incorporated, they should look like different-sized bread crumbs.
Step 5
Spread crumb mixture into the baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until darkened in color.
Step 6
In another mixing bowl, combine eggs whites with the sugar, berries, and fresh-squeezed lemon juice and beat on high with an electric mixer for 10 minutes until stiff peaks form.
Step 7
Take the baking dish out of the oven and allow the crumb mixture to cool. Whisk the cream in a mixing bowl for 5 minutes until almost stiff peaks form, and fold that into the strawberry egg white filling until combined.
Step 8
Pour half of the crumbs into the buttered glass dish you are going to store the frozen strawberry crumb cake in, followed by the strawberry cream mixture. Spread the filling evenly and combine remaining crumbs on top.
Step 9
Freeze it for a minimum of 6 hours, and best results overnight covering with saran wrap.
Step 10
Thaw it for 10 minutes before serving.
💭 Cooking tips
No mixer, no problem!
If you don't have an electric mixer, you can whisk the egg white, sugar, berries, and lemon juice by hand. It will take longer to reach stiff peaks, but it can be done.
Nuts
You can use any type of nut in the crumb mixture, such as pecans, brazil nuts, almonds, or walnuts. They all add that needed crunch to the mixture and a bit of sweetness.
📖 Recipe Variations
Crumb cake is such a versatile dessert that you can play with the texture and flavors using the same recipe and adding to it. Here are a few of my favorite variations.
Cream cheese filling
Whisk 1 package of softened cream cheese with the heavy cream mixture and incorporate the mixture with the strawberry mix. The addition of cream cheese gives this frozen cake a delicious cheesecake texture but without the base.
No-bake strawberry crumb cheesecake
If you want to turn this irresistible dessert into a cheesecake, you can, with 2 simple steps.
Simply pour ⅔ of the crumb mixture into the baking dish, press down until it's compact, bake, and cool. Top with the cream cheese filling (above) and the remaining crumbs and freeze.
Strawberry crumb mousse
If you don't want to wait 6 hours until it's frozen, you could make a quick mousse without the egg whites.
Whisk the cream until stiff peaks, then mix squeezed lemon juice, sugar, and strawberries together. Gently fold the strawberry mix into the heavy cream mixture and pour it over the cooled crumbs in small jars or bowls. Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve.
🥗 What to serve with
Frozen strawberry crunch cake is best enjoyed on its own with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries, but if you're having a kid's party and need some additional easy desserts to whip up, check out these recipes.
Lemon meringue cupcakes
Cupcakes are always a great treat for kids, but combine them with meringue, and you get these zesty lemon meringue cupcakes. They are sweet, tarty, and sure to be a favorite with this strawberry crumb cake.
Chocolate eclairs
These French chocolate eclairs are light and airy with a smooth vanilla pastry cream filling. They are so moreish, and you prepare them days in advance without losing their texture.
No-bake peanut butter chocolate fudge
They're so good! Peanut butter chocolate fudge is in my top 5 treats to make in under an hour, and the recipe is easy to follow. Serve tasty fudge and strawberry cake for a winning combination everyone will fall in love with!
🙋 Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to thaw frozen strawberry crunch cake?
The best way is to take it out of the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before eating it. It needs to be almost frozen, but not frozen enough that you can't cut it with a knife.
Can I refrigerate strawberry crunch cake?
Yes, but the filling consistency will not be as firm as it would be when frozen, and it lasts longer when frozen. You can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
🧊 Storing
Frozen strawberry crunch cake is such an easy recipe to make and store for enjoying again and again.
Freezer - Tightly cover the dish with plastic wrap or use a freezer container to make the cake in, and freeze it for up to 6 months.
🍳 Related Recipes
Check out these fantastic comfort food recipes, including my olive garden giant cheese stuffed shells and my texas chicken spaguetti recipe.
👪 Serving size
This frozen strawberry crunch cake yields 10 servings, which is great for big gatherings, and it's so delicious you'll want to make 2!
It's a creamy frozen treat that can be enjoyed all year round. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a delicious, creamy cake that is sure to please everyone. Bon Appetit!
🎥 Watch how to make it
Love this dessert recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page.
Try one of my comfort dessert recipes for your next meal! And if you have any questions, I'm here to help!
📋 Recipe
Frozen Strawberry Crunch Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour - sifted
- ½ cup brown sugar - packed
- ½ cup nuts - any kind
- 1 cup butter - melted
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 pound strawberries - sliced
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup whipping cream
Instructions
- Stir together the first 4 ingredients and spread evenly in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- In a large bowl, combine egg whites, sugar, berries and lemon juice and beat at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form - about 10 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whip the cream until almost stiff, then fold gently into the berry mixture. Pour this over the crumbs in the baking dish, and spread evenly.
- Top with remaining crumble mixture and freeze 6 hours or overnight. Cut into squares and garnish with whole strawberries.
- Serve almost frozen.
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