Strawberry Jello Cake – Oh Sweet Basil

This delicious strawberry Jello cake is the perfect summer dessert! Made with a white cake mix and strawberry Jello, this dessert is sure to be a hit at your next gathering. It is quick and easy and a moist cake with a hint of strawberries and cream!

Years ago our friend Sarah gave us her family recipe for Lemon Jello Cake (I know you’re supposed to write, Jell-O, but no one actually follows that rule, right??) and it’s been one of the most popular recipes on our site year after year. We’ve experimented with Pineapple Crush Jello cake, orange Jello cake, strawberry lemonade jello cake, even a festive 4th of July Jello cake and now a strawberries and cream jello cake!

It’s important to use a white cake mix and strawberry jello for this recipe as it will tone down the strawberry flavor and allow you to taste that “strawberries n creme” thing.

What Does Adding Jello to Cake Do?

There are several reasons to add Jello to a cake. Jello enhances the flavor and color of a cake. It also helps the cake be more moist and dense in texture. I highly recommend it!

Ingredients for Strawberry Jello Cake

I hope you’re sitting down because you aren’t going to believe that you only need 7 ingredients to make this jello cake recipe! Keep in mind that when you make the glaze, you have a few different options. I’ll explain that more below. Here is what you will need:

CAKE

• White Cake Mix: A vanilla cake mix is our preferred flavor, but yellow works fine too. The color will just be a little more orange with a yellow cake mix. We use Duncan Hines brand.
  • NOTE: You will use just the box cake mix powder when making the batter for this cake. You will not follow the directions for making the cake on the box.
• Eggs: Gives the cake structure and richness.
• Water: Adds needed moisture to create a perfectly moist cake.
• Oil: Canola oil or vegetable oil both work great and don’t alter the flavor of the cake while still keeping it moist and fabulous.
• Strawberry Jello: You just need the small box (3 oz) and you will only be using the jello powder. Don’t use the sugar free jello. It doesn’t set up the same.

ICING

• Heavy Cream: Helps bind the icing together and adds richness to the flavor and texture. Save some extra cream to whip up and spread on top of the cake after cooling.
• Powdered Sugar: Acts as the base for the icing and provides all the sweetness.

The measurements needed for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Strawberry Jello Cake

This cake recipe is so easy that my youngest makes it all on his own. Here are the basic steps:

CAKE

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9×13 cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with flour.
2. Mix: Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer and mix to combine.
3. Bake: Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 27-30 minutes.
4. Poke: When the cake is done, poke holes all over with a 2-tined fork while it is still hot. Pour the icing (see instructions below) all over the top.

ICING

1. Whisk: Add the cream and powdered sugar together in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

You will also find these instructions in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Jello Cake Glaze

Jello cakes are a little different than a classic cake, so you’ll need to know how to make jello cake frosting which is really just a simple glaze. Our Strawberries and Cream Jello Cake recipe calls for heavy cream so that it’s a creamier glaze, but milk would work to make a glaze and in fact, water would totally work as well though remember that it will get thin even faster.

No matter what kind of liquid you use, it will be a matter of watching it to make sure that it ends up runny but not so thin it’s like a simple syrup. You want the glaze to be slow but runny when you hold up your whisk with the glaze on it so that it won’t seep into the cake too quickly.

After you add the glaze and let the cake cool completely, top with sweetened homemade whipped cream or Cool Whip for that extra strawberries and cream flavor! You could also add some sliced fresh strawberries on top too if you want!

Pretzel Jello Cake

We get so many requests for the infamous pretzel jello cake, and we now have posts for those!! We have a strawberry pretzel jello salad and a raspberry pretzel jello salad!

Frozen Jello Cake

Oh my goodness, or Frozen Jello Cake!! How could I forget the summer we got requests for a frozen jello cake. I need to do some serious pinterest searching but in the meantime, someone email us a recipe!

Variations on Strawberry Jello Cake

You can make strawberry jello poke cake a few different ways. You can use a white, lemon or strawberry cake mix and then the jello flavor depends on what overall flavor you want. For our Strawberry Lemonade Jello Cake we chose lemon jello to really emphasize the lemonade bright flavor. You could totally do a strawberry cake with strawberry jello as well and it’s not too much, I promise. My current favorite though is our Strawberries and Cream Jello Cake which is the recipe below. It’s a perfect balance.

Storage Tips

Jello strawberry cake is a great make ahead cake option. You can make the cake a day ahead of time and then store either at room temperature of in the fridge. If you top the cake with whipped cream, don’t add the whipped cream until right before serving.

This cake will store great at room temp or in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You can also freeze the cake by wrapping it in plastic wrap and then foil.

Indulge in a delicious and refreshing dessert with this easy Strawberry Jello Cake recipe. Perfect for summer gatherings or a sweet treat any time of year!

More CAKE RECIPES You Have to Try:

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This Lemon Jello Cake is perfect for anytime of the year. The fresh tastes of summer or to brighten the winter holiday meals.

Still looking for a delicious fruit packed cake? Try this banana pudding poke cake!