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Simple, light and refreshing Strawberry Shortcake Bars are a perfect summertime dessert. This is a seasonal favorite, and one tempting treat!
If you love the flavors in these Strawberry Shortcake Bars, you need to try these other shortcake inspired desserts!! Our favorites are No Bake Strawberry Shortcake, Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs, and even this poke cake!
bar version of a favorite!
Is your family like us in that we never need an excuse to make dessert? 😉
It should be no surprise that we love dessert, and one of our favorite summer treats is this recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Bars.
The super soft cake like crust perfectly combines with a light layer of cream cheese and whipped cream, topped with fresh cold strawberries. It’s heavenly!
It tastes just like a classic strawberry shortcake, but with a little less hassle. Plus, it easily feeds a crowd since you just make one pan and cut it into bars!
Simple Strawberry Shortcake Bars
Although the steps are super simple, make sure you plan ahead with time, because it does need to refrigerate for at least 3 hours!
PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F and remove cool whip from freezer to thaw. Slice up strawberries and set aside.
BATTER. In a large bowl, beat together 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.
BAKE. Pour batter evenly into a greased and floured a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Note: Be sure not to over bake. Cake should be flat and light in color. Let cool completely. Set aside.
TOPPING. In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese, powdered sugar and frozen whipped topping.
ASSEMBLE. Evenly spread cream cheese mixture over top of cooled cake. Top with sliced strawberries.
CHILL + SERVE. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
Tips + Variations
Make ahead: The ingredients of the Strawberry Shortcake Bars can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and stored separately until you’re ready to assemble the cake.
STORE covered leftovers in the fridge. The bars will last for a few days, but the strawberries will only last for a day or two. You can easily pick off the old strawberries and top with freshly cut berries.
For a tasty variation, include different fruits such as:
- raspberries
- blueberries
- sliced bananas
- sliced kiwi
- or your favorite fruit!
If you’re a fruit lover, I’m certain you will LOVE this simple but perfectly sweet strawberry bars. See for yourself!
for even more fruity treats, check out:
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Lemon Sheet Cake
- Cherry Sugar Cookie Bars
- Blackberry Cobbler
- White Chocolate Blueberry Lasagna
Strawberry Shortcake Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Butter Vanilla Cake
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 pint strawberries
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4-1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 8 oz cool whip frozen
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and remove cool whip from freezer to thaw.
- In a large bowl, beat together 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 a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Be sure not to over bake. Cake should be flat and light in color. Let cool completely. Set aside.
- Slice up strawberries and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together cream cheese, powdered sugar and frozen whipped topping. Evenly spread cream cheese mixture over top of cooled cake. Top with sliced strawberries.
- Refrigerate for 3 hours.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from Divas Can Cook.
Would like to make this,but wanted to ask. I have whipping cream to use up. Do you think real whipped cream would work in it?
Yes, it would! Hope you enjoy!!
Made this for some ladies at church and was a big hit!
SO glad to hear that!! Thank you for letting me know!
Could you use a jelly roll pan for this?
Sure you can 🙂 Hope you like them as much as we do!!
I have made this recipe several times. It has turned out perfect every time, and is always a huge hit! Highly recommend adding this to your recipe box!
I’m so glad!! Thank you so much for letting me know!
I have made this several (4-5) times since I discovered this recipe. It is wonderful and easy to make. My only comment is my cake takes longer than 20 minutes to bake every time I have made this by at least 10 minutes. It could just be my oven. I just moved and I am trying it in the oven that was already in the house.
So glad you like it!! Thanks for sharing and yes, it could just be your oven. They all vary in baking time. Thanks again!
Made this for dinner at our friends. Everyone had seconds! Thank you ❤️
I am so glad everyone liked it! Thank you for making it & sharing with your friends!
This looks so good, but looks like there are lots more berries than a pint on top.
There might have been more. The recipe just calls for that, but may have added more for the picture 🙂 You can always add more or less! Thanks so much!
I made these for a party and they were a hit. I’m going to make it again for 4th of July at our camper and decorate it like a flag with blueberries and strawberries. 🙂 Great recipe. Thank you.
Good to hear 🙂 That sounds like a delicious and cute idea!! Thanks for letting me know!
I’m planning on making these this week for a party. Could I make the day before and just put the strawberries on the day of?
Yes, I would put the strawberries on last, as well as the cream layer. Unless, you can stick it in your fridge, since it has cream cheese and cool whip:) Hope they’re a hit!!
I made these over the Memorial Day weekend to take to a barbecue and they were a huge hit! Easy and delicious and I will definitely make them again!
So happy to hear!!! Thanks so much for sharing!
Yum! You have some of the best recipes! I’m excited to try this one!
Thank you Holly!! These are delicious..I hope you like them!