Strawberry Cheesecake Crunch
A delightful dessert that combines rich cheesecake with a moist strawberry cake base and a crunchy topping of strawberry shortcake cookies, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups strawberry cake mix
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 large eggs
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 1 cup cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
For the Topping
- 1 cup crushed strawberry shortcake cookies or crumbles
- Fresh strawberries for garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter or cooking spray, dusting them with flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, blend the strawberry cake mix, melted butter, and eggs thoroughly until you achieve a smooth batter.
- Pour half of this mixture into each prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cooling and Filling
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually incorporate the sugar and vanilla extract until combined.
- In another bowl, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to maintain lightness.
Assembling the Cake
- Place the first layer of strawberry cake on a serving plate and spread a generous layer of the cheesecake filling over the top.
- Place the second cake layer on top, then spread the remaining cheesecake filling across the top.
- Sprinkle the crushed strawberry shortcake cookies generously over the top of the cheesecake filling.
- Chill the assembled cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
- Garnish with fresh strawberries on top before serving.
Notes
For best results, chill the cake to allow flavors to meld. It can also be made ahead of time and frozen for later enjoyment.