This amazing Strawberry Jam Sheet Cake has a secret…it’s not made with fresh strawberries. It’s made with strawberry jam. Other strawberry cakes call for a fresh strawberry reduction. A reduction takes a significant amount of time to cook down and then needs to completely cool. This shortcut using strawberry jam is AWESOME!!! For another simply made delicious cake with strawberries, try this Easy Strawberry Shortcake next.
One of the things I noticed right away when moving to Europe is the jams are amazing! They taste so fresh and are ridiculously cheap compared to prices in the states. A jar of really good jam is only 99 euro cents. To get nice quality jam for this recipe in the states, you’re probably going to have to pay a little more than that, but the ease it brings to making a delicious, fresh-tasting strawberry cake is worth it!
I’ve seen other short-cut recipes for strawberry cake that use a package of strawberry-flavored Jello. Using Jello will give your cake more of an imitation strawberry flavor, but the jam tastes very much like a cake made with fresh strawberry reduction. If you have a lemon on hand, using a little bit of fresh zest in the batter will also help enhance the strawberry flavor. I also like to add just a little squeeze, probably 1/4 tsp, of fresh lemon juice to the frosting. SOOOOO GOOD!
I genuinely can’t wait for you to give this recipe a try. It is such an easy, no-fuss way to make a fantastic seasonal favorite! Best of all, you can make it any time of year! I’m excited to try this with other flavors of jam. The possibilities are endless.
More Easy Cake Recipes you will Love
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Step-by-step pictures for making Strawberry JAM Sheet Cake
Frequently Asked Questions for making Strawberry Jam Sheet Cake
Do I have to use Jam or can I make a fresh strawberry Reduction?
You can absolutely sub a fresh strawberry reduction in place of the jam. It will take about 1 lb of fresh strawberries. You will need to puree the strawberries in a blender or food processor. After blending it, you will have about 1 1/4 cups of strawberry puree. Add 1/4 cup of sugar and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn it down to a simmer, and stir it as it reduces to almost half. You need a total of 3/4 cup of reduction for the cake and the frosting. When it is done reducing, add a 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice to bring out the brightness of the strawberries. Let it cool completely before you start making the cake.
Can I use freezer jam in this recipe?
That’s a good question. Freezer jam has such a nice fresh flavor. The taste would be amazing. My only concern is that there is typically more moisture in freezer jam than in cooked jam (the type that you buy off the shelf at the store). It could change the consistency of the cake slightly, and you will most likely need to reduce the amount of heavy cream you add to the frosting, or it will be too runny. Let me know if you try it. I would love to hear how it turns out.
What is a good substitute for Buttermilk?
There are a few different things you can use to substitute for buttermilk. Add 3/4 tsp of white vinegar or 3/4 tsp of lemon juice to 3/4 cup of milk, and let it sit for 5 minutes. You can also make a mixture of 1/4 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup milk. Another option is to use 1/4 cup plain (or strawberry) Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup milk.
Can I make this cake in a 9×13 baking dish?
Yes, you can absolutely make this cake in a 9×13 baking dish. The oven temperature will stay the same, but the baking time will increase. Most likely the cake will take an additional 10-12 minutes. Check it after 10 minutes with the toothpick test. If the toothpick doesn’t come out clean, bake it for an additional 2-4 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
Can I make the cake ahead of time and freeze it?
Yes. If you make the cake ahead of time, you will need to wrap the cake really well with plastic wrap so it doesn’t get freezer burn. You may want to freeze the cake unfrosted, and then frost it once you get it out of the freezer.
More Delicious Strawberry Desserts
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1¾ cup granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- a few drops of red food coloring (optional)
- ½ tsp fresh lemon zest (optional)
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup strawberry jam
- 3 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- STRAWBERRY FROSTING:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ¼ cup strawberry jam
- ¼ tsp lemon juice
- 2-3 tbsp heavy cream
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium or large mixing bowl, use your hand mixer to cream together the vegetable oil, softened butter, and granulated sugar.
- Next, add the eggs one at a time, mixing each egg until just combined before adding the next.
- Add vanilla and food coloring. Mix well.
- In a small bowl or container, whisk together the strawberry jam and buttermilk. You can use a blender if your strawberry jam has large pieces in it. This is a good way to puree it.
- In another small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.
- Alternate adding ½ of the dry mixture and half of the buttermilk jam mixture, blending between each addition, and ending with the second half of the buttermilk mixture. Scrape the sides down and blend one more time to make sure everything is incorporated well.
- Pour cake batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
- FROSTING:
- When the cake is completely cooled, prepare frosting by using a hand mixer to cream together all of the frosting ingredients: powdered sugar, softened butter, strawberry jam, lemon juice, and heavy cream. Start with 2 tbsp of heavy cream and add more until you reach the desired consistency.
- Put large dollops of frosting evenly over the cooled cake and spread them to completely cover the cake with frosting. Cut into squares and enjoy!
- Cake can be stored covered at room temperature or covered in the fridge, depending on personal preference.
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