Healthy Gluten-Free Strawberry Crunch Cake

Cakes, Desserts

healthy gluten-free strawberry crunch cake

if you grew up loving those nostalgic strawberry shortcake ice cream bars, this cake is for you — but it’s made with better-for-you ingredients and still tastes like summer in every bite.

meet the healthy gluten-free strawberry crunch cake — light, fluffy, sweetened naturally, and layered with the most dreamy frosting and crunchy strawberry-cookie topping.

taste + texture

this cake is incredibly light and moist thanks to a blend of almond flour and oat flour, which gives it a soft, tender crumb without feeling too dense or heavy.

the flavor is delicate and naturally sweet with honey and date sugar, while the two strawberry layers add subtle berry flavor and the prettiest light pink hue.

the frosting is ultra creamy with a tangy, lightly sweet cream cheese base, and the strawberry-cookie crumble adds the perfect crunchy contrast.

it’s like your favorite childhood treat… but all grown up.

inspired by strawberry shortcake bars

this cake was completely inspired by the iconic strawberry shortcake ice cream bars — the ones with a creamy vanilla and strawberry center and crunchy coating.

the idea here is to recreate that same layered flavor and texture: soft vanilla and strawberry cake, creamy frosting, and a sweet crumble topping made with freeze-dried strawberries and crushed vanilla cookies.

made with amazing ingredients + naturally sweetened

this isn’t your average cake — it’s made with nutrient-rich, whole food ingredients like:

almond flour and oat flour for a gluten-free base
avocado oil for healthy fats
eggs and greek yogurt for protein and moisture
honey and date sugar as natural sweeteners
freeze-dried strawberries and gluten-free vanilla cookies for a crunchy topping

you get a cake that’s satisfying and sweet without being overly sugary — perfect for feeling good while indulging a little.

how to make it dairy free

want to keep it dairy free? easy:

use your favorite dairy-free cream cheese for the frosting
swap greek yogurt in the cake for a thick dairy-free yogurt like coconut
use plant-based milk (like almond or oat)
make sure your vanilla cookies are dairy free — there are great options from simple mills or annie’s

macros per slice (based on 10 servings)

each slice is balanced with nutrients and indulgence:

calories: 340
protein: 10.8g
carbs: 37.5g
fat: 17.9g

that’s a seriously solid macro profile for a dessert that tastes like a bakery cake.

when to serve it

this cake is truly the ultimate healthy summer dessert. it’s perfect for:

birthday parties
cookouts or bbqs
summer brunches
fourth of july
a fun weekend baking project with a nostalgic twist

it travels well and looks beautiful with those vibrant layers and colorful crumble topping.

storage

store the cake in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. you can also freeze individual frosted slices — just wrap tightly and let thaw in the fridge before serving.

if you love Healthy Gluten-Free Strawberry Crunch Cake, then try these other recipes from upbeetandkaleingitblog!

Healthier No Bake Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bars

Dreamy Blueberry Banana Bread Gluten-Free Scones (Plant-Based!)

No Bake Pistachio Cheesecake Brownie Cups

8-Ingredient Banana Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies (No Refined Sugar)

Nourishing No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake With Date Sweetened Crust

No Bake Double Chocolate Bliss Rolls

The Best No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake

No Bake Plant Based Vanilla Cinnamon Crumble Cheesecake

Nourishing Vegan Protein Granola Ice Cream & Cinnamon Coconut Sugar Peaches

Vegan Protein Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

Date Sweetened No Bake Healthy Oreo Sandwiches

You Won’t Believe it’s Vegan Cookie Dough Banana Bread

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Healthy Gluten-Free Strawberry Crunch Cake

Recipe by Mary

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

340

kcal

APPROXIMATE MACROS per serving (10 slices)
calories: 340
protein: 10.8g
carbs: 37.5g
fat: 17.9g

Ingredients

🧁 cake layers (2 strawberry + 1 vanilla)
dry ingredients
2 cups almond flour
1 1/4 cups oat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt

wet ingredients
4 large eggs
3/4 cup plain greek yogurt (or dairy-free yogurt)
1/2 cup avocado oil (or light olive oil)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup date sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1/3 cup dairy-free milk (more as needed to thin the batter)

for the 2 strawberry layers only
1/4 cup powdered freeze-dried strawberries per layer (so 1/2 cup total)
if needed, add an extra splash of milk to keep batter consistency the same
🍪 strawberry cookie crumble filling + topping
24g freeze-dried strawberries
1 cup crushed vanilla cookies of choice (gluten-free if needed — annie’s, simple mills, etc.)

Directions

preheat oven to 350ºf. line and grease three 8-inch cake pans. in a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
in another bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, oil, honey, date sugar, vanilla, and 1/3 cup milk until smooth.
combine wet and dry ingredients and stir until just mixed. add more milk only if needed for a smooth, spoonable batter.
divide the batter into 3 equal parts:
– two parts will be for strawberry layers: fold 1/4 cup powdered freeze-dried strawberries into each.
– one part stays vanilla.
pour each batter into a prepared pan, smooth tops, and bake for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
cool completely before frosting and assembling. for the frosting, beat all ingredients until smooth and fluffy. chill 15–20 minutes if needed to firm up before assembling.
for the topping, pulse both the cookies and freeze dried strawberries in a food processor or blender until a coarse, colorful crumble forms. reserve for layering and topping.
place one strawberry cake layer on a cake stand. spread a layer of frosting on top, then sprinkle a generous layer of the strawberry cookie crumble. repeat with the vanilla layer, frosting + crumble. top with the final strawberry layer and frost the top. press the remaining crumble onto the top of the cake. refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set before slicing.