This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
About This Recipe
This Strawberry Crunch Cake was inspired by my childhood favorite ice cream bar! I could not get enough of that sweet strawberry crunch as a kid. It was my favorite dessert ever, and I am so happy to have made it into this DELICIOUS cake!
What truly makes this cake is the buttery shortbread strawberry crunch. It actually consists of two different flavors: strawberry and vanilla. It’s absolutely addicting and pairs insanely well with the sweet, fluffy strawberry cake and creamy vanilla frosting.
Even cooler is that this Strawberry Crunch Cake tastes so incredibly delicious despite being lightened up. I promise, no one will know for a second. It’s so delicious!
If you’re looking for a more traditional flavored cake, check out my Healthy Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting! Or, you can try my Healthy Carrot Cake or Strawberry Protein Angel Food Cake for more lightened up classics!
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Crunch Cake
- It’s perfectly sweet without being too indulgent
- HELLO childhood throwback!
- STRAWBERRY CAKE + VANILLA FROSTING + STRAWBERRY SHORTBREAD CRUNCH
- Less than 200 calories a slice!
- Packs a little bit of protein
- 10/10! Seriously, everyone will love this!
- Flour – Use all purpose flour. You could also substitute Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour.
- Butter – Use normal butter for this recipe. Light butter won’t bring the same crunch.
- Strawberry gelatin mix – Make sure to use gelatin, not pudding mix.
- Sweetener – I used Swerve. You can use any granular sweetener.
- Vanilla protein powder – I used PEScience Vanilla. Use my code Laurenfitfoodie to save 10% on your purchase. If you need to sub, please make sure it is a protein powder you know bakes well (ideally a whey + casein blend).
- Coconut flour – I recommend Bob’s Red Mill, Anthony’s, or Viva Naturals.
- Baking essentials – Grab some salt, baking powder, and vanilla extract.
- Strawberry gelatin mix – Make sure to use gelatin, not pudding mix.
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Egg whites
- Frosting – I used a jar of whipped vanilla frosting to keep it easy here. The whipped is a little lighter compared to normal frosting. You could also use another frosting of your choice or my Vanilla Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.
How To Make
For The Strawberry Crunch Topping:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the strawberry gelatin mix, 1/4 cup of the flour and 2 tbsp of butter to a small bowl. Then, using a fork, mix together, mashing the mixture down until it is fine and crumbly.
- Add the remaining 1/4 cup flour and 2 tbsp butter, along with the sweetener and vanilla to separate bowl. Using a fork, mix together, mashing the mixture down until it is fine and crumbly.
- Add the strawberry crumbles to the baking sheet and spread out evenly. Then, sprinkle on the vanilla crumbles, ever so slightly mixing them by hand.
- Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Do not stir. Remove from the oven and let cool completely, at least 1 hour. If they feel warm, place the baking sheet in the fridge or wait another 30 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container.
For The Strawberry Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray.
- Add all dry ingredients (protein powder through gelatin mix) to a mixing bowl and mix until combined.
- To the same bowl, add the wet ingredients and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. I used a hand mixer for this.
- Next, pour batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
- Then, bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- Let the cakes cool completely before adding frosting.
To Assemble The Cake:
- Set one of the cakes on a flat plate. Add about 3/4 cup of the frosting and spread out evenly. Then, add the other cake on top.
- Add remaining frosting to the cake and spread out along the top and the sides.
- Sprinkle the strawberry crunch on the top of the cake. Use your hands to add crunch to the sides of the cake.
To maximize the shelf life of the Strawberry Crunch Cake, place it in a covered airtight container or Cake Keeper, or cover with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
- Your cake will keep at room temperature for 1-2 days.
- Your cake will keep in the fridge for 1 week.
- Your cake will keep in the freezer for 4 months.
Can I use something instead of the all-purpose flour?
I would recommend normal all-purpose flour. However, you can substitute Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour if you need to make this gluten-free. You could also use oat flour if you must, but I really think it would bring a strong flavor and take away from the sweet bakery style.
Can I use something instead of the coconut flour?
Coconut flour is much more absorbent than other flours. It allows us to use less to keep calories a little lower. But since it is more absorbent, you would have to 3-4x the amount if you wanted to replace with another flour.
Can I make this without protein powder?
Yes, if you wish to leave out, just replace with more all-purpose flour gram for gram.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Strawberry Crunch Cake
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Crunch:
- 1 tsp sugar-free strawberry flavored gelatin mix (3g)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour (60g) divided
- 1/4 cup butter (56g) cold, divided
- 1/4 cup sweetener (48g) I used Swerve
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
For the Cake:
- 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder (62g)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (60g)
- 1/4 cup coconut flour (28g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sweetener (92g) I used Swerve
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp sugar free strawberry jello gelatin mix* (4g)
- 1.5 cup unsweetened applesauce (360g)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup egg whites (180g)
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup whipped vanilla frosting (192g) 192g
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes. Scroll for macros and MyFitnessPal code.
Instructions
For the Strawberry Crunch:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- To a small bowl, add the strawberry gelatin mix, 1/4 cup of the flour and 2 Tbsp of the butter. Using a fork, mix together, mashing the mixture down until it is fine and crumbly.
- To a separate small bowl, add the remaining 1/4 cup flour and 2 Tbsp butter, along with the sweetener and vanilla. Using a fork, mix together, mashing the mixture down until it is fine and crumbly.
- Add the strawberry crumbles to the baking sheet and spread out evenly. Then sprinkle on the vanilla crumbles, ever so slightly mixing them by hand.
- Bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Do not stir at all. Remove from the oven and let cool completely (at least 1 hour). If they feel warm, place the baking sheet in the fridge or wait another 30 minutes.
- Crumble into an airtight container to store.
For the Strawberry Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 8-inch cake pans with cooking spray.
- To a medium-sized bowl, add all the dry ingredients (protein powder through gelatin mix) and mix until combined.
- To the same bowl, add the wet ingredients and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated. I used a hand mixer for this.
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- Let the cakes cool completely before adding frosting.
To Assemble:
- Set one of the cakes on a flat plate. Add about 3/4 cup of the frosting and spread out evenly. Add the other cake on top.
- Add remaining frosting to the cake and spread out along the top and the sides.
- Sprinkle the strawberry crunch on the top of the cake. Use your hands to add crunch to the sides of the cake.
- I prefer this cake best chilled for a true strawberry crunch bar vibe, but it's still great if you prefer to eat it at room temperature. I would recommend 2-3 hours of chilling before slicing.
Notes
- Your cake will keep at room temperature for 1-2 days.
- Your cake will keep in the fridge for 1 week.
- Your cake will keep in the freezer for 4 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
