We are OBSESSED with strawberry desserts, especially in the summer, and these strawberry shortcake bars are on repeat all season long (let’s be honest, all YEAR long.)
These bars actually taste just like our classic Strawberry Shortcake, but with less hassle! They’re still fresh and fruity but have a butter cake base topped with a fluffy cream cheese and whipped topping mixture, then finished with juicy strawberries for the perfect chilled treat.
Although the steps are super simple, be sure to plan ahead with time, because it needs to be refrigerated for at least 3 hours. That makes it an IDEAL make-ahead dessert and a favorite chilled treat.
If you love the flavors in these shortcake bars, try these other shortcake-inspired desserts: Classic Strawberry Shortcake and Bisquick Strawberry Shortcake!
Why we think you’ll love it:
- A chilled treat. We love that this bar recipe is refrigerated; it makes a delicious warm-weather dessert!
- Just layer and bake. The steps are SUPER simple, just mix and bake the batters, then top with fresh strawberries and Whipped Cream.
- Fresh strawberries. We love treats that incorporate fresh fruit, especially strawberries! It’s just so refreshing and delicious.
Strawberry Shortcake Bar Ingredients
Butter Vanilla Cake
- Butter (½ cup, softened): Adds rich flavor and tender texture to the cake. See How to Soften Butter Quickly.
- Granulated sugar (1 cup): Sweetens the cake and helps create a light crumb.
- Eggs (2): Provides structure and moisture.
- Baking powder (1 teaspoon): Helps the cake rise.
- Salt (¼ teaspoon): Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
- All-purpose flour (1½ cups): Forms the structure of the cake. See How to Measure Flour.
- Milk (¾ cup): Adds moisture and softness.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Gives classic vanilla flavor. Or ½ teaspoon almond extract.
- Strawberries (1 pint): Adds fresh, juicy sweetness. We prefer just using strawberries, but to mix it up, you could tryraspberries, blueberries, sliced bananas, or sliced kiwi.
Frosting
- Cream cheese (8 ounces, softened): Creates a tangy, creamy frosting base.
- Powdered sugar (¼-½ cup): Sweetens the frosting.
- Cool Whip (8 ounces, thawed): Makes the topping light and fluffy. Thaw if frozen. We love using Cool Whip to keep it simple, but you could also make our favorite Homemade Whipped Cream.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Bars
PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the Cool Whip from the freezer to thaw. Hull and slice the strawberries and set aside.
CAKE LAYER. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter until creamy. Mix in eggs, baking powder, and salt. Alternate between adding in the flour and milk, beating after each addition. Beat until all ingredients are combined. Stir in vanilla extract.
Pour batter evenly into a greased and floured 9×13-inch baking dish.
BAKE. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake, the cake should be flat and light in color. Let cool completely and set aside.
CREAM CHEESE LAYER. In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and thawed Cool Whip. Evenly spread cream cheese mixture over top of cooled cake. Top with sliced strawberries.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Let the cake cool completely before adding the frosting. We’ve made this mistake before, and the frosting will melt right into the layers!
- Slice strawberries evenly for a prettier topping. Ripe strawberries are a vibrant, deep red color from stem to tip, with a sweet aroma, and will have the BEST flavor. We love to pick up fresh strawberries from a farmer’s market.
- Do not overbake the cake to keep it soft.
- Chill the bars for several hours for the best texture. This step is a MUST!
Strawberry Shortcake Bar Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Butter Vanilla Cake
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pint strawberries
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼-½ cup powdered sugar
- 8 ounces cool whip, thawed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the Cool Whip from the freezer to thaw. Hull and slice the strawberries and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter until creamy. Mix in eggs, baking powder, and salt. Alternate between adding in the flour and milk, beating after each addition. Beat until all ingredients are combined. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Pour batter evenly into a greased and floured 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake, the cake should be flat and light in color. Let cool completely and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and thawed Cool Whip. Evenly spread cream cheese mixture over top of cooled cake. Top with sliced strawberries.
- Refrigerate for 3 hours.
Notes
- Let the cake cool completely before adding the frosting. We’ve made this mistake before, and the frosting will melt right into the layers!
- Slice strawberries evenly for a prettier topping. Ripe strawberries are a vibrant, deep red color from stem to tip, with a sweet aroma, and will have the BEST flavor. We love to pick up fresh strawberries from a farmers’ market.
- Do not overbake the cake to keep it soft.
- Chill the bars for several hours for the best texture. This step is a MUST!
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
The frosting and the cake can be made a day ahead of time and stored separately until you’re ready to assemble the cake.
Store leftovers, covered, in the fridge or divided into airtight containers. The bars will last for 2-3, but the strawberries will only last for 1-2 days. The frosted cake can be frozen without the strawberries for up to 3 months.
More Like This
Fruit Dessert Bars
Strawberry Desserts
Easy Strawberry Shortcake
20 mins
Strawberry Shortcake Trifle
10 mins
Classic Strawberry Shortcake
34 mins
Collections
This recipe was originally published May 2017.
Recipe adapted from Divas Can Cook.
When making this, I noticed you recommend the same size pan whether it’s 1x, 2x, or 3x and the same baking time… Please advise. I make this often but have never needed to double it til today. I love this cake and it’s always a hit!! Thanks
When using the 2x or 3x button it will automatically adjust the ingredients, but the system doesn’t have the ability to change the steps. Your best bet is to divide the batter into two or three pans depending on how much you increased it.
I love your recipes! Tasty and so easy. Looks like it takes hours, not minutes!
Can I put this on a 8×11 dish? Thanks
This cake is so good and refreshing. It’s my go to dessert for gatherings.
Simply delicious!! And easy to make!
This was such a simple and easy recipe to make and it was light and delicious. Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe. Will definitely make this again for family gatherings and for my family.
W.hat a marvelous improvement on the good old “fruit pizza!” However, this is vastly more elegant.
Can I use buttermilk instead of milk? Looks so good. Thanks sandy
This is my all time favorite to make in the summer! My family loves it and it goes fast!
I love to try this – looks refreshing to me.my family would love it.
I love, love, love anything with strawberries!!!
They are so refreshing to me in the summer!
These bars are perfect for summer events! I might even make them year round!!!
Thanks for a delicious dessert that makes my mouth water just making it!!!