Description
A soft, thin vanilla cake layer drizzled with chocolate and topped with tangy freeze-dried strawberries. Perfect for snacking, gifting, or piling high on a dessert table!
Ingredients
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1 box vanilla or strawberry cake mix (plus eggs, oil, water as directed)
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1 cup chocolate chips (white, dark, or a mix), melted
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½ cup freeze-dried strawberries, lightly crushed
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Optional: edible glitter or shimmer dust
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Parchment paper
Instructions
1. Prep & Preheat
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
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Line a rimmed baking sheet (about 13×18 inches) with parchment paper.
2. Mix & Spread Batter
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Prepare the cake batter according to the box instructions.
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Pour batter onto the parchment-lined pan and spread thinly (~¼ inch thick). Rustic edges are fine!
3. Bake & Cool
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Bake 10–12 minutes. Watch carefully: the top should be set and lightly golden.
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Cool completely on the pan before adding chocolate.
4. Drizzle & Sprinkle
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Melt chocolate chips in 20-second bursts in the microwave, stirring in between.
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Drizzle chocolate over the cooled cake in fun patterns.
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Immediately sprinkle crushed freeze-dried strawberries and optional edible glitter.
5. Chill & Set
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Refrigerate 15–20 minutes until chocolate is firm.
6. Break & Enjoy
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Lift the sheet from parchment and break into jagged pieces.
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Serve in a bowl, bag as gifts, or pile on a dessert board.
Notes
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Thin batter = tender bark; don’t overbake.
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Use freeze-dried strawberries for crunch; fresh berries will make it soggy.
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Slightly under-baked cake gives a soft, chewy base.
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Store in airtight containers at room temp or in the fridge to prevent humidity from softening the bark.