Sourdough Strawberry Sheet Cake
Sourdough strawberry sheet cake is an easy and delicious way to use leftover sourdough discard. Made with fresh strawberries and topped with a luscious strawberry cream cheese frosting, this cake is moist, flavorful, and perfect for any occasion!
This sourdough strawberry sheet cake is easy to make and perfect for birthdays, potlucks, or any special occasion!
Just like our sourdough vanilla cake and sourdough carrot cake, this quick sourdough dessert has a moist, tender crumb and has the perfect fluffy texture!
We've topped it with a rich, homemade strawberry cheese cream frosting to double the strawberry flavor, but you can use any frosting you'd like.
Carmyn's notes
Strawberry season is here and I'm so excited to share one of my favorite desserts with you!
This strawberry cake is full of fresh strawberry flavor as opposed to the artificial strawberry-flavored desserts from the store. There are no artificial flavors, colors or cake mixes in this recipe!
I love to turn this sheet cake into the most adorable strawberry cupcakes! You can make 18-24 depending on how big you like them. Just scoop the batter into muffin liners and bake for 20-25 minutes. Easy, cute, and super delicious!
Enjoy! xx
Ingredients & Equipment Needed
- Dry Ingredients: You'll need all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Wet Ingredients: You'll need vegetable oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, fresh strawberries, and sourdough starter discard. Butter can be used in place of vegetable oil.
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting: This delicious homemade frosting is made with full-fat cream cheese, butter, fresh strawberries, powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt.
Step by Step Instructions with Photos
Set the oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Lightly grease a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray or butter and line with parchment paper.
Step 1
Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a mixing bowl and set aside.
Step 2
Add the eggs, sugar, pureed strawberries, oil, and sourdough discard to a separate mixing bowl and whisk until fully combined.
Step 3
Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix until just combined and there are no visible lumps of flour.
Step 4
Pour the batter into the baking dish and gently tap it onto the countertop to release bubbles.
Step 5
Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 6
Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed for about 2 minutes until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, strawberry puree, and a pinch of salt.
Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 minute.
Step 7
Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the strawberry cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. If you’d like to frost the sides, simply invert the cake onto a serving platter or cutting board.
Step 8
Slice into 12 squares and enjoy!
How to Store
Store the cake in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Transfer it to a freezer-safe container for extended storage and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze the cake unfrosted.
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Sourdough Strawberry Sheet Cake
Before You Begin
INGREDIENTS
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) fine sea salt (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup (150 g) oil
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups (450 g) fresh strawberry puree (about 1 lb., see notes)
- ¼ cup (62 g) sourdough discard
Strawbery Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 8 oz. (226 g) cream cheese (room temperature)
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (60 g) strawberry puree (less than a pint)
- pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Set the oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Lightly grease a 9" x 13" baking dish with cooking spray or butter and line with parchment paper.
- Remove the stems from the strawberries and wash them. Place them in a food processor and pulse to puree them. Divide the puree. You will need 2 cups (450 g) for the cake batter, and ¼ cup will be used to make the frosting.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon (5 g) fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking powder, and 1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda and set aside.
- Add 1 ¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar, ⅔ cup (150 g) oil, 3 large eggs, 2 cups (450 g) fresh strawberry puree, and ¼ cup (62 g) sourdough discard to a seperate mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix until just combined and there are no visible lumps of flour.
- Pour the batter into the baking dish and gently tap it onto the countertop to release any bubbles. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Using a hand held mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter and 8 oz. (226 g) cream cheese until smooth. Add 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar ¼ cup (60 g) strawberry puree, and a pinch of salt and beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium- high speed and beat for 1 minute. If the frosting is too thin, add 2-3 tablespoons more confectioners' sugar. If it's too thick, add another 1-2 tablespoons of strawberry puree.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the strawberry cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. If you’d like to frost the sides, simply invert the cake onto a serving platter or cutting board. Slice into 12 squares and enjoy!
NOTES
- Strawberries: For the cake and the frosting, you will need 1-2 lbs. of fresh strawberries. If you want a stronger strawberry flavor, add 1-2 teaspoons of strawberry extract.
- Adjusting salt: We use Redmonds fine sea salt weighing 5 grams per 1 teaspoon. If using regular table salt, use ¾ teaspoon. If using flaky sea salt, use a heaping 1 ¼ teaspoon.
- Long-ferment: A portion of the cake batter can be long-fermented. Combine the sourdough starter, flour, and strawberry puree in a bowl. Let it sit at room temperature overnight or up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, mix the remaining wet ingredients, the dry ingredients, and the sourdough mixture. Beat until smooth, but avoid overmixing.
- Discard Recipes: This recipe is designed to use leftover sourdough discard for added flavor and to reduce food waste. However, you can use an active starter if that's what you have on hand.
- Flour Substitutes: This recipe is developed with all-purpose flour, but you can substitute bread or cake flour if needed. The texture may be slightly different.
- 2 Cake Pans: Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and coat with flour to prevent sticking. Bake 8" and 9" cakes for 30-35 minutes.
- 24 Cupcakes: Line two 12-count muffin tins with cupcake liners. Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes.
- How to Store and Freeze: Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container for extended storage and freeze for up to 3 months. For best results, freeze the cake unfrosted.
Is there any way you can long ferment this recipe? Super excited to try it gluten free (brown rice starter and gf flour blend) but I love to long ferment all my stuff on the counter overnight or longer. I usually leave egg and baking soda /powder plus inclusions out and add next day/before baking. Would that work here?
Hi Jane, we recommend it cold fermenting in the fridge for up to 2 days!
Please tell me how you make the strawberry puree.
Hi Nora, just blend it in a food processor or blender.
I am going to try this recipe!! Where did you get your bowls?
Hi Gena, we hope you love it! We thrifted those bowls 🙂
New family favorite! Enjoyed using fresh strawberries versus a boxed cake mix. Always appreciate yummy recipes that utilize discard. Cream cheese frosting was a new twist for me and I couldn’t be happier with the results. Thank you!
This cake is epic
Can you use butter instead of oil?
Yes
This was absolutely delicious!
My cake turned out like a thick glue. Don't know what I did wrong but I did use bread flour because that is all I had. The taste was good but not like a cake.
Hi Billie, it sounds like you may have over mixed the batter and over developed the gluten.
Hello! I made this for Easter and while it tasted good, the texture was very dense. I tried not to over-mix so I did it by hand. Any ideas on what happened? I did choose to have it long ferment over night so maybe that did it?
The cake was delicious, with a spongy and moist texture, and you can taste the strawberry flavor. But I have to ask about the amount of sugar for the topping. You used 4 cups, which I think is too much. I used less than 1, and it was perfect. Thank you for all your recipes and your time make us happy 😊🩷
Hi Martha, thank you! We're so thrilled to hear that you love the cake! Yes, you can absolutely reduce the sugar if you prefer a less sweet frosting. Everyone's taste is different, so it's an easy adjustment to make! 😊
We had to make this recipe as soon as you posted it because my son LOVES strawberries. It turned out perfect. The cake has a moist sponge texture and the frosting compliments it so well.
Thank you, Kimberly! So excited to hear you loved the cake!