Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Salad

Strawberry shortcake cheesecake salad takes the three parts of a classic shortcake (berries, cake and cream) and folds them into one big bowl with a tangy cheesecake pudding base. It makes 10 servings, needs no oven, and suits potlucks, cookouts and anyone who wants shortcake without baking biscuits.

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What goes into the bowl

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 box (3.4 oz) cheesecake flavor instant pudding mix
• 1 cup cold milk
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt
• 8 oz whipped topping, thawed
• 1 lb strawberries, sliced
• 3 cups pound cake cubes (store bought is fine)

Each item has a job. The cream cheese gives the fluff its cheesecake tang and body. The instant pudding mix thickens the milk and yogurt into something close to a no-bake cheesecake filling, and the whipped topping lightens all of it so the salad scoops like a mousse instead of a dense spread. The pound cake stands in for shortcake biscuits, and since the recipe says store bought is fine, there is no baking anywhere in this dish.

Two things that decide the texture

Smooth cream cheese before anything else goes in

The most common complaint with cheesecake fluff is little white lumps scattered through the finished bowl. They come from cream cheese that was still cold or that met the liquid too early. Let the cream cheese soften first, then beat it on its own until it is completely smooth. Only after that should the pudding mix, milk and yogurt join it. Once liquid is in the bowl, cold lumps of cream cheese have very little chance of breaking down.

Hold the cake back until serving time

Pound cake is soft and absorbent, which is exactly why it tastes good here, and also why it can turn to mush. The recipe’s own tip is to add the cake cubes at the end so they stay soft but not soggy. If they sit in the fluff through the full hour of chilling, they soak up moisture from the yogurt and strawberries and lose their shape. Folded in right before serving, they keep a little bite and soak up just a light coating of cream.

For another creamy fruit dessert, try strawberry pineapple fluff salad with strawberry gelatin and mini marshmallows.

How to make strawberry shortcake cheesecake salad

• Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice so no firm pieces hide near the edges.
• Beat in the pudding mix, milk and yogurt until thick and creamy, about 2 minutes. The mixture starts out loose and thickens as the instant pudding works. Keep the milk cold; that is what the recipe calls for, and instant pudding sets the way it should with cold milk.
• Fold in the whipped topping. Switch from the mixer to a spatula here. Use a slow folding motion, cutting down through the middle and lifting from the bottom, so the topping keeps its air and the fluff stays light.
• Fold in most of the strawberries. Set a handful of the nicest slices aside for the top. Folding gently keeps the berries from bleeding too much juice into the cream, which keeps the fluff a soft pink instead of streaky.
• Chill 1 hour. Fold in the pound cake cubes right before serving and top with the rest of the strawberries. The hour in the fridge gives the pudding time to firm up and the flavors time to settle together.

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Serving it at a potluck or cookout

This is a big-bowl recipe built for sharing, with 10 servings in one batch. A wide, shallow bowl shows off the strawberries on top better than a deep one, and it makes scooping easier for a line of guests. A clear glass bowl lets the layers of pink fluff, golden cake and red berries show through the sides.

If you are bringing it to a gathering, the timing in the recipe works in your favor. Make the cheesecake base and fold in the strawberries at home, then chill it for the hour. Carry the pound cake cubes and the reserved strawberry slices separately, and fold the cake in and scatter the berries over the top once you arrive. That way the cake is soft and the topping looks fresh when the bowl hits the table.

Serve it cold with big spoons. It sits happily next to grilled food at a cookout, and it also works as the dessert at a casual dinner when you want something that comes together in about 20 minutes of hands-on time.

If your crowd likes this kind of scoopable bowl dessert, try our strawberry banana cheesecake salad for another party tub, the citrusy lemon blueberry fluff party tray , or the chocolate and cherry Black Forest cherry fluff salad . For something brighter, our mandarin orange fluff with vanilla wafers is just as easy.

Questions about this salad

Why is a dessert like this called a salad?

Folded fruit and cream bowls have long been called salads at American potlucks and church suppers, the same family as fluff and ambrosia. It is sweet and belongs on the dessert table.

Can I make it ahead?

The base needs its 1 hour in the fridge anyway, so building it ahead is part of the plan. Just keep the pound cake cubes and the reserved strawberries out until right before serving.

Why does my fluff look grainy or lumpy?

Almost always the cream cheese was not soft enough or was not beaten smooth before the pudding mix and liquids went in. Start with softened cream cheese and give it a full beating on its own first.

Do I have to bake the pound cake?

No. The recipe says store bought pound cake is fine, which keeps the whole dish oven free. Cut it into cubes until you have 3 cups.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us