Got 5 minutes? Make these easy Strawberry Brownies with luscious strawberry frosting – I think of these more as strawberry blondies, soft, fudgy brownies but made with strawberry cake mix instead!
Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C). Line a 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, with a hand mixer or whisk together the eggs (2), oil (½ cup), and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon).
Add the cake mix (15.25 oz box), and mix with a large spoon until combined. The batter will be thick.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking dish, and bake for 18-25 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
Allow the brownie to cool completely before frosting.
Strawberry Frosting
Add the freeze dried strawberries (¼ cup) to a food processor and pulse until they become a fine powder.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk the powdered sugar (1 cup) and milk (2 tablespoons) and vanilla extract (½ teaspoon) together until smooth. Add the freeze-dried strawberry powder and mix until combined. You can save 1-2 teaspoons of powder to sprinkle on top. If too thick, stir in a teaspoon at a time of additional milk/cream.
Pour the icing over the brownie and spread into an even layer. If super clean slices are desired, freeze 15 minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift from the pan onto a cutting board, slice and enjoy.
Notes
Variations & Substitutions
More decadent strawberry blondies use melted butter in place of the oil.
Lower Fat Strawberry Blondies - Replace the oil with 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce. Reduce baking time 1-2 minutes.
Gluten-Free Strawberry Blondies: Use a gluten-free vanilla cake mix (I haven’t found a GF strawberry cake mix) and add ¼ cup powdered freeze-dried strawberries (ground into powder) into the mix, if desired, add ½ teaspoon of strawberry extract and proceed with recipe.
High Altitude Strawberry Brownies For altitudes over 3,500 feet preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Stir 2 tablespoons of flour into cake mix add oil and eggs, bake 1-2 minutes less than the recommended time. For altitudes above 6000 feet, add a tablespoon of water or milk to the batter and bake at 375° F (190° C) and start testing for doneness at 16-17 minutes.
Storage Tips
Refrigerate Leftovers - Store leftover strawberry cake mix brownies in a single layer in an airtight container and use parchment paper tor wax paper o separate the layers. If the frosting is on the brownies, keep them in the refrigerator for about five days. Or keep them in the baking pan and cover with plastic wrap.Room Temperature - Strawberry blondies may also be stored on the kitchen counter in an airtight container for about 3 days, longer if they haven't been iced. Freezing Brownies - You can also freeze these strawberry brownies by placing them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to three months, they will thaw quickly on the counter.