This Raspberry Shortcake Dessert has been a family favorite for years. Almost every one of my six siblings and I would choose this cake for our birthday cake every year. The glaze is made with something called Danish Dessert. For a homemade version of Danish Dessert, click here.
It can be made with strawberries or even mixed berries if you prefer, but my favorite is Raspberry. You can use fresh or frozen berries, which makes this simple dessert the perfect treat no matter what time of year it is.
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The Danish Dessert comes in raspberry or strawberry and can be found near the Jello in your grocery store. When I lived in Arkansas, I couldn’t find it at my local grocery stores, so I had to have my mom send it to me. Today you can order it from Amazon if you had to. It looks like this:
HOW TO MAKE RASPBERRY SHORTCAKE DESSERT
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Lightly grease a large 13×18 sheet pan. Set aside.
- Prepare the white cake mix batter according to package instructions.
- Pour batter into the sheet pan and bake for 12-15 minutes. When a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean, you know it is done.
- Let cake cool completely.
- In a saucepan, combine the contents of the Danish Dessert with 1 3/4 cup cold water. Put on medium-high heat and stir continuously until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute or until mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat and add in fresh or frozen fruit. Transfer hot mixture to the fridge. (I put it on a hot pad in the fridge.)
- While the berry topping is cooling, in a medium bowl combine softened cream cheese and powdered sugar with a hand mixer until completely combined and smooth. Next, mix in Cool Whip until well-combined. The mixture will be thick.
- Place big spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture across the cake and carefully spread them to the edge and towards each other until the whole cake is evenly covered.
- Once the cheesecake layer is evenly spread, check the berry mixture to see if it has cooled off. It’s okay if it is still warm. Don’t leave it in the fridge too long or it will set up.
- Spread the berry topping evenly over the cheesecake layer and put the entire dessert in the fridge for at least two hours or overnight before serving.
- Keep refrigerated.
- Enjoy!
Raspberry Shortcake Dessert is always a huge hit no matter where I take it.
This is the kind of dessert that you have to force yourself to stop eating. The tartness from the berries matched with the sweet creamy layer and the nice texture of the soft white cake…Heaven help me! It’s more-ish…you just want more and more and more.
I savored this last little bite this morning for breakfast….bye bye sweetheart…until next time.
Tips for making Raspberry Shortcake Dessert
- The cheesecake layer is thick and can be hard to spread. I put big spoonfuls evenly across the cake and carefully spread them to the edge and towards each other. That sounds weird, but it really helps the top layer of cake coming up and getting all mixed up in the cheesecake layer.
- When I place the berry mixture in the fridge, I put it on a hot pad. Don’t leave the berry mixture in the fridge too long or it will set up. It doesn’t have to be completely cool to add to the cake. You just don’t want it to be hot or it will melt the cheesecake layer.
- The dessert can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
- 1 white cake mix (prepared according to package instructions)
- 1 (4.75 oz) Package Danish Dessert
- 1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 (8 oz) Cool Whip
- 3-4 cups fresh or frozen berries
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Lightly grease a large 13x18 sheet pan. Set aside.
- Prepare the white cake mix according to package instructions.
- Pour batter into the sheet pan and bake for 12-15 minutes. When a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean, you know it is done.
- Let cake cool completely.
- In a saucepan, combine the contents of the Danish Dessert with 1¾ cup cold water. Put on medium-high heat and stir continuously until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute or until mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat and add in fresh or frozen fruit. Transfer hot mixture to the fridge. (I put it on a hot pad in the fridge.)
- While the berry topping is cooling, in a medium bowl combine softened cream cheese and powdered sugar with a hand mixer until completely combined and smooth. Next, mix in Cool Whip until well-combined. The mixture will be thick.
- Place big spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture across the cake and carefully spread them to the edge and towards each other until the whole cake is evenly covered.
- Once the cheesecake layer is evenly spread, check the berry mixture to see if it has cooled off. It's okay if it is still warm. Don't leave it in the fridge too long or it will set up.
- Spread the berry topping evenly over the cheesecake layer and put the entire dessert in the fridge for at least two hours or overnight before serving.
- Keep refrigerated.
- Enjoy!
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I was hoping to see this recipe on here! I couldn’t stop eating it either, and I’m not a huge dessert person. My husband’s family would love this- going to have to make it for them this summer!
You’ll have to try it with Strawberries and see which you like better. It’s a toss up, but I have always loved raspberries so raspberry gets the slight edge for me. 🙂 I have also used the bag of frozen mixed berries before and that comes out yummy too.
It looks very good and i bet it taste even better.
Thanks Cynthia!
I really love strawberries cheeze cake and I also love raspberry shortcake and I love all kind of fruit plums watermelon peach “s pears apples I could live on Fruit a lone
That looks sooooooooooooooo delicious! Can´t wait to try it!
It’s one of my absolute favorites! I hope you love it!
Can you use raspberry pie filling instead.
I haven’t ever tried it, but I can’t see why not. I am sure it would be yummy with that too.