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Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake is the pink-on-pink showstopper that hides a creamy cheesecake layer inside a tender strawberry bundt, and my girls Maddie and Lizzie ask for slice #2 the *first second* their forks hit the cheesecake middle. If you love our Easy Strawberry Earthquake Cake, this is the bundt-pan cousin you need.
One bundt pan, a strawberry cake batter layered around a simple cheesecake filling, and 50 minutes in the oven turns into the dessert table centerpiece next to our Golden Oreo Strawberry Cheesecake Bars.
Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake Quick Look
- 🕐 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🍴 Cook Time: 50 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- 🍽 Serving: 12 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 380kcal per slice
- 🌶 Flavor Profile: Sweet, tangy, creamy (strawberry cake meets pure cheesecake center)
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our No Bake Key Lime Eclair Cake
Quick Answer
Mix a strawberry cake batter and a simple cream cheese filling. Pour half the cake batter into a greased bundt pan, dollop the cheesecake filling in a ring around the middle of the batter (keep it off the pan walls), then top with the remaining batter. Bake at 350F for 50 to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake portion comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in the pan, then invert and dust with powdered sugar.
Jump to:
- Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake FAQs
- Other Recommended Strawberry Dessert Recipes
- Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Boxed cake mix + strawberry Jell-O = pink shortcut. The cake mix gives you a reliable structure while the dry strawberry Jell-O powder amplifies both the color and the strawberry flavor without watering down the batter the way fresh berries would.
- Keep the cheesecake filling off the pan walls. Dollop the cream cheese filling in a ring INSIDE the cake batter, never touching the bundt pan sides. If it touches the pan, it sticks during inversion and tears the cake apart.
- Bake until the CAKE portion is set, not the filling. The cream cheese stays creamy mid-bake. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the pink cake portion only, never the white middle.
- Cool exactly 15 minutes before inverting. Less and the cake is too hot to hold its shape, more and steam pulls the cake away from the pan and breaks the top crust during inversion.
- Grease the bundt pan thoroughly. Use baking spray with flour OR butter + flour every ridge. A bundt pan has so much surface area that any missed spot will be the spot the cake sticks.
- Powdered sugar dusting hides minor imperfections. If the top inverts with a crack or chip, a generous dust of powdered sugar covers it AND adds a finished bakery look.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Pink-on-pink cheesecake surprise. Every slice of this Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake reveals a creamy cheesecake middle that nobody expects. It is the showstopper at every baby shower, birthday, and bridal brunch.
- Boxed cake mix shortcut. No from-scratch cake batter required. Strawberry cake mix + strawberry Jell-O does the flavor heavy lifting, and you get bakery-quality results with weeknight prep time.
- Holds beautifully for a day or two. The cheesecake center keeps the cake moist for 48 hours, which means you can bake this Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake the day before your party and skip the morning-of stress.
Key Ingredients
- Strawberry Cake Mix: Pillsbury or Duncan Hines strawberry cake mix is the easiest path. The mix already has the right ratio of dry ingredients for a tender bundt crumb. Avoid white cake mix with strawberry extract substituted in, the color and flavor will not match.
- Strawberry Jell-O Powder: 1 small box of dry strawberry Jell-O stirred into the cake batter doubles down on the strawberry flavor AND the pink color. Do not prepare the Jell-O, use it dry straight from the box.
- Cream Cheese: Full-fat Philadelphia, softened to room temperature 30 minutes before mixing so it whips smooth without lumps. Light cream cheese works but the filling will be looser and not hold its shape as cleanly through the bake.
- Eggs and Oil: Standard cake mix add-ins. Use room temperature eggs so they incorporate evenly into the batter without deflating the leavening.
- Powdered Sugar: Both in the cheesecake filling (sweetens without grit) AND as the finishing dust on the inverted cake. Buy an extra bag, you will use both.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Glaze: Skip the powdered sugar dust and whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar + 2 ounces cream cheese + 2 tablespoons milk + 1 teaspoon strawberry extract for a pink glaze that drips down every ridge of the bundt.
- Lemon Cheesecake Filling Swap: Add 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon zest to the cheesecake filling for a bright lemon-strawberry bundt that screams spring brunch.
- Nothing Bundt Cake Copycat Vibe: Pipe thick cream cheese frosting from the center outward to mimic the iconic Nothing Bundt Cake petal pattern.
- Fresh Strawberry Topping: Skip the powdered sugar entirely and top with macerated fresh strawberries (sliced strawberries + 2 tablespoons sugar + 15 minutes to release juice) for a juicier presentation.
- White Chocolate Drizzle: Melt 1 cup white chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon coconut oil and drizzle over the inverted bundt for a fancy finish.
- Pair with our Golden Oreo Strawberry Cheesecake Bars for a full strawberry dessert table.
How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake
- Mix the strawberry cake batter. Combine the cake mix, dry strawberry Jell-O powder, eggs, water, and oil in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium for 2 minutes until smooth and bright pink. No lumps allowed.
- Whip the cheesecake filling. In a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until silky smooth, about 90 seconds. Stop and scrape the bowl once.
- Layer the batter and filling in a greased bundt pan. Pour HALF the strawberry batter into the pan. Spoon the cheesecake filling in a ring around the MIDDLE of the batter, keeping it off the pan walls. Top with the remaining cake batter and smooth gently.
- Bake at 350F for 50 to 55 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the pink cake portion (NOT the white middle). When it comes out clean, the bundt is done.
- Cool 15 minutes, invert, and dust with powdered sugar. Let the cake rest in the pan exactly 15 minutes (set a timer), then invert onto a cake stand. Cool completely, then dust generously with powdered sugar before serving.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Grease every ridge. Use baking spray WITH flour (Pam Baking, Bakers Joy) and hit every ridge of the bundt pan. Missed spots = stuck cake = broken bundt.
- Soften the cream cheese all the way. Cold or even cool cream cheese will leave white lumps in the filling. Pull it out 30 minutes before mixing or microwave the unwrapped block for 15 seconds.
- Use a ring of cheesecake, not a blob. Spoon the cheesecake filling in a circle around the middle of the batter so each slice gets a swirl of filling. A central blob = some slices with no cheesecake.
- Keep the filling away from the pan walls. The cheesecake will stick to the bundt pan during the bake if it touches the side, which tears the cake during inversion. Stay at least 1 inch from the pan walls.
- Set a 15-minute timer for cooling. Inverting too early = hot soft cake collapses. Inverting too late = steam pulls the cake off the pan, breaks the top crust.
- Run a thin knife around the bundt pan center column before inverting if you are worried about sticking. Do NOT run it around the outer ridges, the cake is supposed to release naturally there.
- Store covered at room temperature for 2 days. Or refrigerate for 5 days. The cheesecake middle keeps the cake moist longer than a plain bundt would.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
The simplest move is to invert the cooled Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake onto a white cake stand, dust the top with powdered sugar, and pile fresh strawberries around the base. Slice and serve with a dollop of Stabilized Whipped Cream on each plate.
For a full strawberry dessert spread, build around the bundt with Easy Strawberry Earthquake Cake slices on one side and Easy Cream Cheese Fruit Dip with fresh berries on the other. Pour glasses of cold milk or our Vodka Cherry Limeade Cocktails for the adults.
For baby showers, bridal brunches, and Mothers Day, slice the bundt into 12 wedges in advance, plate each on a white dessert plate with a strawberry garnish, and refrigerate covered until guests arrive. The dramatic pink-and-white reveal hits every time the first guest cuts in.
Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake FAQs
Yes, that is the whole shortcut. Pillsbury or Duncan Hines strawberry cake mix plus 1 small box of dry strawberry Jell-O powder is the easiest path to a tender bundt with bright pink color and amplified strawberry flavor. From-scratch cake batter also works but is not necessary.
Spoon the cheesecake filling in a ring INSIDE the middle of the cake batter, never touching the bundt pan walls. Stay at least 1 inch in from the pan sides. If the filling touches the pan, it will stick during the bake and tear the cake apart when you invert it.
Insert a toothpick into the pink CAKE portion of the bundt (NOT the white cheesecake middle, which stays soft mid-bake). When the toothpick comes out clean from the cake, typically at 50 to 55 minutes at 350F, the bundt is done.
Yes, this is one of the best make-ahead desserts. Bake and cool completely, then store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. The cheesecake middle keeps the cake moist longer than a plain bundt would.
Yes. Wrap the cooled un-dusted bundt tightly in plastic wrap then aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, then dust with powdered sugar just before serving so the dusting stays crisp.
Three moves: (1) add 1 teaspoon of strawberry extract to the cake batter alongside the Jell-O powder, (2) fold 1 cup of finely diced fresh strawberries into the batter (pat them dry first), and (3) top the cooled cake with macerated fresh strawberries instead of powdered sugar.
Other Recommended Strawberry Dessert Recipes
If you make this Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake, drop a star rating and a comment below to tell me whether you went with the powdered sugar dust or the cream cheese glaze finish. Next up on the rebuild slate: our Chocolate Espresso Cake getting the v4.23 treatment. Happy baking!
Build out the dessert table by setting this bundt cake next to our 15-minute Best Sweet Chex Mix Recipe (Muddy Buddy) for an irresistible chocolate-peanut-butter snack mix.
Round out the cookie platter with soft homemade fig newtons next.
Round out dessert with creamy raspberry cheesecake bites next.
Looking for more? Try homemade strawberry butter for another easy family favorite.
Looking for more? Try easy crescent roll cinnamon rolls for another easy family favorite.
Looking for more? Try homemade caramel pecan logs for another easy family favorite.
Looking for more? Try Strawberry Dump Cake for another easy family favorite.
Add a coconut layer by frosting with our homemade coconut frosting.
Round out your dessert table with our bakery style pistachio muffins.
Try our almond torte cake for another bakery-style treat.
Craving more creamy cheesecake? Our lemon blueberry cheesecake bars deliver all the flavor in one easy 8 by 8 pan.
Craving cozy fall flavors? Our snickerdoodle cheesecake bars are a creamy, cinnamon-spiced make-ahead dessert.
Keep the summer baking going with our fresh peach muffins recipe.
Love a from scratch dessert? Bake our banana cupcakes next.
Love a tropical treat? Try our pina colada cupcakes too.
Fruit-and-cake fan? Our peach bars are a quick one-pan dessert with fresh peaches.
Cake fans should add our glazed almond loaf cake to the list, ready with just one bowl.
For a patriotic dessert table, bake a batch of our 4th of July cupcakes with a tender white chocolate cake.
For more crowd-pleasing desserts, do not miss our moose tracks ice cream.
Berry lovers, do not miss our easy strawberry jello pie.
Cheesecake lovers will adore our lemon cheesecake cupcakes.
Bundt pan fans, our banana bundt cake with cake mix is the easiest showstopper in the rotation.
For a brunch spread, pair this with our easy berry danish made on puff pastry.
For a southern classic, bake our old fashioned caramel cake with homemade caramel frosting.
Craving strawberries? Bake our soft strawberry cookies with fresh diced berries.
For an elegant spring dessert, see our berry pavlova with pastry cream.
For a cozy fall treat, try our swirled Mini Pumpkin Cheesecake bites.
Drizzle our Blackberry Sauce over cheesecake for an easy upgrade.
Add our Coconut Icebox Cake to your no bake dessert lineup.
Pair a slice with our creamy Coconut Ice Cream for the ultimate dessert.
Layer this with our Chocolate Whipped Cream for an extra decadent dessert.
For perfectly portioned cheesecake, try our mini Key Lime Cheesecake bites.
For another creamy crowd pleaser, make our easy tiramisu recipe.
Love sweet treats? Our funnel cake recipe tastes just like the boardwalk.
Craving a no bake treat? This creamy no bake cheesecake recipe is a must.
Love easy cakes? This strawberry poke cake is a fruity crowd pleaser.
For another stunning cake, try our chocolate caramel cake.
Strawberry Cheesecake Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3.4 ounce package strawberry jello
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/4 cup milk
- 1 cup strawberries diced
- powdered sugar for topping
Cheesecake Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour a 10 cup bundt pan, set aside.
- In a stand mixer, beat your butter and sugar until light and fluffy.1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- Add in the eggs, one at a time mixing well after each addition5 large eggs
- Then add in the vanilla and beat again until it is combined.2 tsp vanilla extract
- In a large bowl add the flour, jello and baking soda.3 cups all-purpose flour, 3.4 ounce package strawberry jello, 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Whisk this mixture until it is combined really well and jello is spread out evenly among the flour.
- Alternate adding your dry ingredients with the milk until everything is combined.1 1/4 cup milk
- Lastly add in the strawberries and fold in until distributed evenly through the batter, set aside.1 cup strawberries
- In another bowl mix together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, add in the egg, vanilla and flour and beat until all lumps are gone.8 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Pour about half of the cake mixture into the bottom of your bundt pan then spoon your cream cheese in the center of that trying to not let it go out to the sides, pour remaining batter over top and bake for about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes..
- Once baked remove from the oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Remove to a serving platter, set aside.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve.powdered sugar
Video
Notes
- This needs to cool fully to give the cheesecake layer time to set up after baking.
- The brand of jello you use will affect the color you get, you can always use red food coloring if you want it more pink.
- If you want a more potent strawberry flavor you can add in some strawberry extract alongside the vanilla.
- The cheesecake layer will rise when baking, if you want it lower in your cake, place about 1/3 of your cake mixture in the pan then the cheesecake mixture.
- Try to not let the cheesecake mixture touch the sides of the pan or it will bake outside of the cake.
- I highly recommend greasing your bundt pan with shortening and then dusting with flour, perfect turn out every time
- You can make a glaze to put over the top if you want a sweeter flavor.
- This can be frozen, see my tips above.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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For a lighter strawberry option, bake up our airy strawberry angel food cake.
Mine stuck, really stuck. The flavor is too mild for my taste. I suggest using a strawberry flavoring. My cake was dry; and did not look as moist as the picture. I did divide the cake since I read the reviews stating that there was too much batter and found that the cake was more than my bunt cake pan.
It would work, even more strawberry flavor
If I am using a boxed cake mix, do I still put the jello in it?
My son won “Best of Show” with this recipe at the Taste of Texas food show at the Poteet Strawberry Festival!
This was a disaster. Overflowed in my oven and took almost 1-1/2 hours to bake. I guess this recipe needs a 12 cup Bundt pan.
Delicious! Followed the recipe exactly and it came out moist and flavorful. Added a lemon glaze .
One of my top 5 cakes.
I should have read the comments before proceeding, 10 cup pan is WAY too small and yes, the cake is stuck to the pan. I faithfully use the Wilton pan spray and haven’t had a Bundt cake get stuck in many years. I’d recommend a 12 cup tube pan, this way you can remove the tube to extract the cake easier. Batter was kind of thin so next time (if there is a next time, ingredients are painfully expensive), I’d cut back on the eggs and milk. Taste is great but I’m not looking forward to scooping this out of the pan to eat it.
Yes
Can a tube pan be used instead of a Bundt?
I made this recipe three times its deliciousness at its best always wanted that beautiful color in a strawberry cake but the puree only leaves it a dark color, the jello gives it the vibrance like a summer day . loved , it does rise way up high but comes right out of the pan in a flash .
Sounds more like a technical issue than the recipe. Did you make sure to spray the pan well in all crevices and flour it, or use something like Baker’s Joy?
This cake smelled wonderful, however it stuck to the pan big time. I cooked it for 1 hour 15 minutes, tester came out clean. Followed directions exactly, half the cake came out, the rest all stuck. Not keeping this recipe!!
I followed the recipe exactly but it over flowed in the oven. And my Bundt pan holds 12 cups. Next time will not use 2 or 2 1/2 cups of the batter. I think there is to much batter.
T made this deliciousness for Easter and the family loved it!!!