Strawberry Shortcake Fluff Salad Recipe

This Strawberry Shortcake Fluff recipe is a delicious way to highlight the taste of strawberries in a light and fruity dessert with a retro flair. With simple ingredients like shortcake, whipped topping, and mini marshmallows, it’s an easy recipe that is sure to be one of your favorite things!

Strawberry No Bake Dessert 

I just love this easy take on a classic, creamy dessert, strawberry shortcake. Is it strawberry shortcake? Is it a salad? Yes!

This creamy fruit salad is a scoopable, pudding-like dessert that is fluffy, bright, and delicious. Much like my Orange Jello fluff salad.

With the juicy punch of fresh berries, the buttery loaf cake, and fluffy whipped cream, this creamy salad is an ideal side dish, delicious dessert, and the perfect treat for summer.

Delectable enough to feel like a special occasion, but so quick and easy that it’s the perfect dessert for any time and sure to be a potluck favorite.

Other reader favorite recipes include Creamy Ambrosia Salad, Cherry Dump Cake, Cherry Pretzel Salad Dip, and this Peanut Butter Fluff!

Ingredients Needed

Cream cheese – Substitute full fat, reduced fat, or fat free cream cheese. Pro tip: pureed cottage cheese works well too. 

Powdered sugar – Sift it first for best texture. Substitute instant vanilla pudding or sweetened condensed milk for additional creamy sweetness here.

Whipped topping – I suggest using good ol’ Cool Whip, but you can also make your own using whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar.

Vanilla – Substitute maple syrup, almond extract, and even bourbon for vanilla. Now that’s what I call a superior substitution!

Strawberry pie filling – Strawberry pie filling couldn’t be any easier. It comes ready to use, just open, pour, and voila! It can be found in the baking section with the cans of fruit pie.

Shortcake – The shortcake gives this fluffy recipe some richness and texture. Cut into cubes so it’s in bite size pieces. You can also use pound cake, store-bought angel food cake, or you can make your own shortcake.

Miniature marshmallows – Mini marshmallows are a staple in fluff recipes, providing that signature light and airy texture that makes this such a special recipe.

Fresh strawberries – Slice strawberries for garnish, if desired.

How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Fluff Salad

First: In a large bowl, blend the cream cheese and powdered sugar to make the cream cheese mixture. Use an electric hand mixer and mix until fully blended. Stir in the whipped topping and vanilla and blend together until smooth.

Second: Incorporate the following ingredients with a rubber spatula: strawberry pie filling, shortcake pieces, and miniature marshmallows. Making sure to combine until all ingredients are evenly distributed within the mixture.

Third: Transfer to a an airtight container or serving bowl. Cover and chill for 30 minutes before serving.

Fourth: Garnish with mini marshmallows, shortcake pieces, whipped topping, and fresh strawberries if desired.

For the full recipe and detailed baking instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post.

How do I store strawberry shortcake fluff?

Store any leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.

Can I use yellow cake mix?

Using a regular cake mix or homemade cake in this strawberry fluff salad recipe may cause the cake to take on too much moisture and the cake turn mushy.

Shortcake, angel food cake, and pound cake are all good options since they are denser.

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What makes shortcake short?

“Short” is an old English word that means crisp. It refers to the addition of fat, such as butter or lard, to make something crisp.

Instead of the light and airy consistency of cake, shortcake is crumbly, crisp, and dense.

Can I use other fruit besides strawberries?

While strawberries lend themselves quite perfectly to this dish, any other fresh fruit would most certainly work here.

This easy dessert salad would be delicious with fresh raspberries or fresh peaches. You could also experiment with other pie fillings.

When should I serve this recipe? 

This strawberry shortcake fluff salad is perfect for anytime! Using strawberry pie filling creates a versatility and allows this dish to be served year-round without sacrificing that strawberry flavor.

Because of the bright pink color, it’s a perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day or a little girl’s baby shower.

If you’re using fresh strawberries, it’s a great recipe for the summer months and would be a lovely way to celebrate Mother’s Day.

It’s also a great dessert for any gathering, as it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

Is Strawberry Shortcake Fluff a dessert or a salad?

With ingredients like shortcake, whipped topping, and marshmallows, this is most definitely a dessert.

But it’s often called a salad as a callback to the vintage Jell-o salads that have a similar consistency.

Tips for No Leftovers

• Be sure to cut off any dark edges on your cake before cubing and folding into the mixture.
• Feeling adventurous? You can make your own pie filling using fresh strawberries… an especially good idea during strawberry season when that strawberry flavor is optimal. Just make sure that your homemade pie filling is room temperature when you’re ready to combine. 
• Make sure that all ingredients (cream cheese, homemade pie filling if making, and whipped topping) are at room temperature before combining. 
• After you’ve finished making this strawberry shortcake fluff, be sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap before chilling and serving. 
• You could also use instant strawberry pudding mix instead of powdered sugar or the other substitutions for even more strawberry flavor.
• Love strawberries? Check out my homemade strawberry lemonade popsicles!

If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!

If you love the flavor of fresh strawberries, rich and buttery cake, and fluffy whipped topping as much as I do (and who doesn’t??). I know you’ll love this recipe the first time you make it! This quick, tasty dessert is way more than the sum of the ingredients and an easy way to find a new family favorite.

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