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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.
This is one of my go to dessert recipes for any occasion and anyone who tries it absolutely loves it!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thankfully the nutrition information is not correct so I will try this recipe this summer. You can put all of the ingredients in an analyzer and it’s about 236 calories per serving, 1/12th of the finished dessert. 💕
Absolutely delicious
Thank you for saying that!
Wondering how long to bake the shortbread if Im cutting the recipe in half, using a 9×9 square or pie pan?
It might be double the time, since they are way thicker. I personally have not tried, but just keep an eye on it.
if i make thEcake ahead of time, do i have to store it in the fridge?
When I make ahead, I don’t really assemble it (frost it or put strawberries on top), until I am ready to take somewhere or serve. If you do, then I would keep in the fridge.
I made this and OMG!! I didn’t know I was capable of making something so amazing. My kids and I demolished this!
LOL..of course, you are!! So happy you all liked it!!
My daughter (13 yrs) loves baking and was able to make these for the family. They weRe delicious! The cake base was soft and paired well with the toppings.
These are beautiful bars! And, they taste amazing!
These are the perfect treat to bring to a party or shower. I love that you can add any kind of berry too!
My family loves these!!! They are so soft & pretty! We love the thickness of the frosting..no skimpy frosting there!