Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake Recipe has perfect layers of moist pound cake, decadent strawberry hinted cream cheese filling, fresh whipped cream and perfectly in season fresh strawberries create the perfect spring dessert!!
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The Perks and Highlights of the Best Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern
Primary Cooking Method: Layering is the name of the game!
Dietary Info: This dessert is vegetarian-friendly and can easily be adapted for gluten-free diets
Key Flavor: Strawberries take center stage in this scrumptious symphony
Skill Level Required: This recipe is straightforward and forgiving,
Sweet Highlights:
- Strawberry Spectacular: The fresh strawberries bring a burst of natural sweetness and a touch of tartness that’s utterly irresistible.
- Creamy Layers: Each spoonful includes a heavenly dose of creamy goodness
- Cakey Perfection: The cake provides a fluffy foundation, soaking up all the flavors
- Easy Assembly: No need for fancy equipment or techniques here
- Make-Ahead Marvel: This is a dessert that gets even better with time, making it perfect for prepping ahead for parties or family gatherings. Just layer, chill, and let the flavors meld together into something truly special.
What is a Punch Bowl Cake?
Yes, itโs as good as it sounds. This Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake contains layers of fresh Spring strawberries, moist pound cake, strawberry cream cheese filling and whipped cream. It is the perfect spring dessert.
The strawberries are fresh and crisp without being overwhelmingly sweet. Although the strawberry cream cheese layer might sound interesting, it offers a creaminess and added tang that balances out all the sweet flavors. Both the whipped cream and pound cake create textural elements that play with one another and create a journey on the taste buds. Buckle your seatbelts people.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- Half Batch Cream Cheese Pound Cake: A rich and buttery foundation that sets the stage for deliciousness.
- Splash of Orange Juice: Adds moisture and a burst of citrus to brighten up the cake.
For the Berries:
- Sliced Strawberries: The main attraction, bringing sweetness and a juicy burst to every bite.
- Granulated Sugar: Amps up the strawberriesโ natural sweetness.
- Citrus Juice (Lemon or Lime): Adds a zesty balance to the sweet berries.
For the Filling:
- Cream Cheese Blocks: Creates a creamy and smooth layer thatโs utterly delightful.
- Sifted Powdered Sugar: Ensures a smooth blend, adding a touch of sweetness.
- Melted Strawberry Preserves: Infuses the filling with a berry-licious twist.
For the Topping:
- Whipped Cream: The creamy, fluffy finale that tops off this show-stopping dessert.
How to Make Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake
For the Cake:
- Start by ensuring your cream cheese pound cake is completely cool; patience is key!
- Cut the cake into uniform cubes to ensure each bite is as perfect as the next.
For the Berries:
- Combine sliced strawberries, a touch of sugar, and a splash of lemon or lime juice in a bowl.
- Let the mixture sit to allow the berries to release their natural juices and intensify in flavor.
For the Filling:
- Whip together cream cheese, powdered sugar, and melted strawberry preserves until you achieve a blissfully smooth mixture.
- Feel free to add a drop or two of food coloring for a playful pink hue, then fold in some whipped cream for an extra luxurious texture.
To Assemble:
- Grab your largest Pyrex Deep baking dish and start layering! Begin with a base of cake cubes, followed by a sprinkle of orange juice for a citrusy zing.
- Next, add a generous spread of your strawberry-cream cheese filling, followed by a layer of macerated strawberries, and finally, a dollop of whipped cream.
- Repeat these layers, building your way up to the top, finishing off with a final flourish of whipped cream and a garnish of fresh strawberries.
- Pop it in the fridge to chill, letting all those fabulous flavors meld together.
How to Store
Simply cover your baking dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, ensuring no air gets in to maintain its freshness, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. While this delightful dessert is best enjoyed fresh, keeping it chilled ensures the layers stay sumptuous and the flavors continue to meld beautifully.
Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake Recipe
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Ingredients
For The Cake:
- 1/2 Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe (halved)
- 1/4 cup orange juice
For the Berries
- 1 pint strawberries sliced
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or lime juice
For the Filling
- 2 cream cheese blocks 16 ounces total
- 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
- 4 tsp strawberry preserves melted
For the Topping
- 1 1/2 cups whipped cream
Instructions
For the Cake
- Once cake has cooled to room temperature in pan, cut cake into cubes and set aside.
For the Berries
- In a large bowl, add sliced strawberries, granulated sugar and lemon or lime juice.
- Toss together and set aside until natural juices develop.
For the Filling
- In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and the melted strawberry preserves; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until blended and smooth.
- Add food coloring if you desire it to be a pink color. Stir in a 1/2 cup of whipped cream. Set aside.
To Assemble
- Add cubes of cake to bottom of large Pyrex Deep baking dish and sprinkle with some of the orange juice.
- Spread a layer of the filling next then add mascerated strawberries then top with whipped cream layer. Repeat the steps as much as possible until you reach the top of the dish then top with whipped cream and garnish with fresh strawberries then refrigerate until serving.
Can you use this with angel food cake?
Absolutely! This is a very adaptable cake.
Was I suppose to add the orange juice to the cake mix?
Nope the orange juice is for the assembly at the end when you bring all the ingredients together. I hope this helps.
I made this recipe to a tee for thanksgiving. My family LOVED it. I will be adding it to my dessert list from now on. Thank you so much for sharing.
I prefer that you not use my last name in your comments.
What size Pyrex is this made in?
It is a 9×13 sized deep baking Pyrex.
Whatโs the melted strawberry preserve?
You can use any seedless strawberry preserves or jellies found in grocery stores.
Looks so yummy! Is it best to make it in advance or assemble it closer to dessert time?
Hooray Deborah. You can make everything ahead and then assemble closer to dessert time for sure!!
Donโt like strawberries what other fruits would you use.
You can definitely try this with other berries that you enjoy.
We’re spending a week on the beach, so I cheated with store bought vanilla cake and cool whip (which I’ve never even used before!) and this dish was still phenomenal. I can’t wait to get home and try it with authentic ingredients. Wine, waves, kids giggling and this for desert? That’s a great way to end a day!
That’s so awesome!!
This strawberry dessert looks fabulous!! I must try this recipe.