What I always advise during the beginner phase tbh, milk the newb gains dry
How much fat have you actually put on, rough bodyfat% currently?
Your lifts will be affected when you cut, no escaping that. People seem to forget though that once you raise the calories and carbs again, you'll bounce back in the weeks to come. You'll lose more strength from cutting more aggressively but then the duration of the cut will be shorter, so it balances out.