Momma doesn’t want flowers or a card this year. Nope, she wants Mother’s Day Sheet Cake. Trust us! A nice, big slice of this moist strawberry cake smothered with a creamy, rich, vanilla, and strawberry frosting will be the best gift she’s ever received… well, aside from you, of course. So, save yourself some searching because this Mother’s Day Sheet Cake is actually all she really wants. Seriously! She actually means it this time. And once you taste it, you’ll understand!
For the cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour
- 2 tablespoons strawberry-flavored gelatin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk, well shaken
- 2/3 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
For the frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar, divided
- 2/3 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and then line it with parchment paper, allowing the sides to extend 2-3 inches from the sides, and coat again with cooking spray.
Step 3 –In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy.
Step 4 –Slowly add 2 cups of the sugar to the butter and beat until it is fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
Step 5 –Add the eggs to the butter mixture, one at a time, and beat after each addition until they’re incorporated.
Step 6 –Mix 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice and the vanilla into the butter mixture.
Step 7 –In a small bowl, combine the flour, the strawberry gelatin, the baking soda, and the salt.
Step 8 –Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and mix until it is just combined.
Step 9 –Gently stir 2/3 cup of the strawberries into the batter.
Step 10 –Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-40 minutes.
Step 11 –Cool the cake completely and lift it out of the pan using the parchment paper extensions.
Step 12 –In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1/3 cup of the sugar until the mixture is smooth.
Step 13 –Fold the remaining strawberries into the frosting mixture.
Step 14 –In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream and the remaining lemon juice until it is frothy.
Step 15 –Beat the heavy creamy mixture on medium-high speed and add the remaining sugar.
Step 16 –Beat the heavy cream mixture until stiff peaks form.
Step 17 –Fold 1/2 of the whipped cream mixture into the cream cheese mixture until just incorporated.
Step 18 –Fold the remaining whipped cream mixture into the frosting mixture.
Step 19 –Immediately spread the frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
Step 20 –Slice and serve.
