Description
Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake is a delightful layered dessert combining moist, pink strawberry cake, a smooth and creamy cheesecake layer, and a luscious vanilla frosting. Topped with a crunchy strawberry-infused Oreo crumb, this cake offers a perfect balance of textures and flavors. Ideal for special occasions, it requires some preparation and chilling time but promises a stunning, delicious result.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry Puree:
- 1 1/2 cup strawberries, chopped
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 (3 oz) box strawberry Jell-O
- 1/3 cup water
Strawberry Cake Layers:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into pieces
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup strawberry puree from recipe above, cooled
- Pink gel food coloring, as desired
Cheesecake Layer:
- 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Vanilla Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
Strawberry Crunch Topping:
- 30 golden Oreos, crushed
- 1/3 cup whipped topping, thawed
- 1 (3 oz) box strawberry Jell-O
Instructions
- Prepare Cheesecake Layer: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of 8” springform pan with parchment and spray sides and bottom. Beat softened cream cheese in stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed for 5 minutes until light and creamy, scraping bowl sides. Add sugar and cornstarch, mix on low until combined, scrape bowl again. Beat on medium for 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time on low speed until incorporated, then vanilla extract; scrape bowl. Whisk 1-2 minutes more. Add heavy cream and mix 2-3 minutes on medium. Pour batter into pan, tap to release air bubbles. Bake 10 minutes at 350°F, then reduce oven to 200°F without opening door and bake 55-60 minutes until edges set and center slightly jiggles. Turn off oven, cool 15 minutes in oven, remove and cool completely on wire rack, then refrigerate 2+ hours or overnight.
- Make Strawberry Puree: Combine chopped strawberries, sugar, strawberry Jell-O, and water in small saucepan. Bring to boil and cook 2-3 minutes until strawberries soften and mixture melts completely. Transfer to food processor and puree. Cool completely before using.
- Prepare Strawberry Cake Layers: Line bottoms of two 8” cake pans with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray. In stand mixer with paddle, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Add butter, mix on low until incorporated. In separate bowl whisk Greek yogurt, eggs, vanilla, and cooled strawberry puree. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix on low-medium speed until combined. Add pink gel food coloring drops to desired shade; mix a few minutes on medium speed. Divide batter evenly into pans, tap to remove air bubbles. Bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer cakes to wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Vanilla Frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter in stand mixer with paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and mix briefly. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time on low speed, mixing thoroughly and scraping bowl occasionally. Add heavy whipping cream, gradually increasing speed from low to high, beat 2-3 minutes until fluffy. Chill frosting for 30 minutes before assembly for easier handling.
- Make Strawberry Crunch Topping: Pulse golden Oreos in food processor until coarse crumbs form. Split crumbs into two bowls. Add whipped topping and strawberry Jell-O to one bowl and mix thoroughly to coat crumbs. Combine with remaining plain crumbs; toss well to mix evenly.
- Assemble the Cake: Place one strawberry cake layer face-down on cake stand. Spread about 3/4 cup frosting evenly on top. Remove springform ring from chilled cheesecake, flip cheesecake layer face-down onto frosted cake layer, remove pan bottom and parchment. Spread another 3/4 cup frosting over cheesecake layer evenly. Add second strawberry cake layer on top, spread with 3/4 cup frosting evenly. Cover entire cake with remaining frosting. Gently press strawberry crunch topping crumbs around cake sides and sprinkle and lightly press on top. Chill assembled cake at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
- Garnish and Serve: Before slicing, garnish cake with fresh whipped cream and fresh strawberries as desired. Slice carefully and serve chilled.
Notes
- Make cheesecake and cake layers a day ahead to simplify assembly and enhance flavors.
- If gel food coloring is unavailable, liquid food coloring can be used for the cake.
- Place a baking sheet under cake stand to catch crumbs while decorating.
- Use a hand mixer if a stand mixer is not available; mixing times may vary.
- Add the strawberry crunch crumble right after frosting to ensure it sticks while frosting is soft.
- Freezing cheesecake layer overnight helps maintain stability during stacking.
- Avoid overmixing cheesecake batter to prevent sinking after baking.
- For a quicker version, substitute boxed strawberry cake mix and store-bought frosting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
