A fun cake box hack recipe that results in the fluffiest Strawberry Cake you’ve ever tasted, today’s Strawberry Soda Cake is a fun recipe to make with kids! All you need is a box of cake mix and a can of lemon lime soda! It turns out absolutely gorgeous when topped with our homemade strawberry buttercream and fresh, sliced strawberries!

Easy Strawberry Soda Cake

Fluffy, flavorful, fruity strawberry sheet cake topped with a creamy strawberry-infused buttercream frosting — would you believe that all you need is a box of cake mix and a can of Sprite to get started?!

Boxed cake mixes are a staple in my baking cupboard. We use them for so many different things – from making a cheater cobbler to cake mix cookies – and today we’re sharing how we combine a boxed cake mix and a can of soda for a fluffy and EASY sheet cake recipe!

This is such a fun cake mix hack to make with the kids. My daughter loved watching the cake mix bubble up and get all frothy before we whipped it into a gorgeous pink batter.

Literally ANYONE can make this cake — that’s why it’s the perfect starter recipe to make with the kids!

Related: Try the cupcake version too! Our strawberry soda cupcakes are easy and bite-size!

Why Put Sprite in a Cake?

A box cake mix usually requires water, butter or oil, and eggs to bake. But did you know that adding a can of soda will take the place of those three ingredients?

Sprite is a liquid, so it will ensure that the dry powder mix turns into a usable cake batter. The cake mix contains leavening agents that ensure the cake rises as it should.

Plus, the Sprite adds a touch of lemon while also giving the cake a really light, fluffy texture. If you want a denser cake texture, you can always add an egg or two, but this is not required.

Related: Try our Strawberry Dumplings too! They’re also made using a can of lemon-lime soda!

Ingredients

Tip: this cake turns out very light and fluffy, with a bit of a crumbly texture without the addition of the eggs. Add 2 eggs to the cake batter for a sturdier crumb, if desired.

Strawberry Sheet Cake Ingredients:

1 Can Lemon Lime Soda (Sprite, 7up, etc.)
1 Box Strawberry Cake Mix
Eggs, optional

Strawberry Buttercream Ingredients:

Butter, softened
Powdered Icing Sugar
Milk
Strawberry Extract
Pink Food Dye, optional (our strawberry extract dyed the frosting enough that we didn’t use any)
Strawberries, sliced in half

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

9 x 13″ baking dish
Stand Mixer or Electric Hand Mixer
Mixing Bowl, Measuring Cups, and Spoons
Offset Spatula
Piping Bag with a Large Star Tip

How to Make Strawberry Cake with Soda

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9″ x 11″ casserole dish and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the white cake mix and Sprite for 2 minutes.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and powdered icing sugar for 2 minutes, then add the strawberry extract and optional food dye. Beat to incorporate, then add the milk as needed.

Use an offset spatula to spread most of the frosting on the cooled cake.

Scoop the remaining frosting into a piping bag fit with a large star tip and place 12 evenly spaced starburst dollops along the cake to indicate each “serving.”

Place a halved strawberry on top of each dollop of frosting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make this into a Layer Cake Instead?

I prefer this recipe as a sheet cake because it’s so light and fluffy, but if you want to make it into a layer cake be sure to add the optional eggs to make the cake a bit more firm.

How Do I Make My Own Strawberry Extract?

Place 1 cup of strawberry juice or strawberry soda in a saucepan and heat over high until bubbling. Turn down the heat to medium and continue to reduce the liquid until just 1/4 cup of liquid remains. Allow to cool completely before using in the frosting.

You can also use a combination of strawberries, water and sugar, but that involves getting out the strainer and can sometimes not have as much flavor as the soda or juice versions – so stick with those for best results.

Can You Use Canned Frosting to Save Time?

Of course! But if you have time, I definitely encourage you to give our super simple strawberry buttercream a try – it tastes worlds better than anything from a can and is super simple to make with strawberry extract. (And while we get a lot of use out of our strawberry extract, if you don’t want to splurge on a bottle you can boil down a bit of strawberry soda or strawberry juice to make your own extract.)

Pin this Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake for your next baking session with the kids:

More Cake Mix Hack Recipes

Grab your free printable recipe card for our Strawberry Sprite Cake recipe:

Yield: 12-16 servings

2 Ingredient Strawberry Soda Cake

Name: 2 Ingredient Strawberry Soda Cake
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 355mL Sprite; 1-15oz Box Strawberry Cake Mix; 2 Eggs, optional; 3/4 cup Butter, softened; 4-5 cups Powdered Icing Sugar, as needed; 1-2 Tablespoons Milk; 2 teaspoons Strawberry Extract; Pink Food Dye, optional (our strawberry extract dyed the frosting enough that we didn't use any); 6 Strawberries, sliced in half

All you need is a box of cake mix and a can of Sprite to make this fluffy and flavorful Strawberry Soda Cake! It's easy and delicious!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

Strawberry Sprite Cake Ingredients:

355mL Sprite
1-15oz Box Strawberry Cake Mix
2 Eggs, optional

Strawberry Buttercream Ingredients:

3/4 cup Butter, softened
4-5 cups Powdered Icing Sugar, as needed
1-2 Tablespoons Milk
2 teaspoons Strawberry Extract
Pink Food Dye, optional (our strawberry extract dyed the frosting enough that we didn't use any)
6 Strawberries, sliced in half

Instructions

For the Strawberry Sprite Cake

Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease a 9" x 11" casserole dish and set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the white cake mix and Spritefor 2 minutes.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

For the Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and powdered icing sugar for 2 minutes, then add the strawberry extract and optional food dye. Beat to incorporate, then add the milk as needed.
Use an offset spatula to spread most of the frosting on the cooled cake.
Scoop the remaining frosting into a piping bag fit with a large star tip and place 12 evenly spaced starburst dollops along the cake to indicate each "serving."
Place a halved strawberry on top of each dollop of frosting.

Notes

Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary based on exact ingredients used to make the dish and the servings sizes.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 960Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 178mgCarbohydrates: 204gFiber: 0gSugar: 196gProtein: 3g