Homemade Strawberry Cake
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the full disclosure here.
This soft and fluffy homemade strawberry cake is made with fresh strawberries and topped with a creamy strawberry buttercream. With more than 150 five-star reviews since its publication in 2017, this cake is sure to be a favorite in your kitchen, too! If you really love this cake, check it out as cupcakes and a Bundt cake.
This cake is so darn good. There is just no other way to describe it.
After years of being incredibly disappointed with strawberry cakes that tasted too artificial because they were made with strawberry gelatin or ones that were too wet because they didn’t take care to prepare the fresh strawberries properly, I settled on the perfect combination and ratio of ingredients as well as the perfect strawberry buttercream.
This is hands down the most popular cake recipe that exists on my site, and if you give it a shot, I know you’ll be doing a happy-strawberry-cake dance like I do every time I make it.
Why this is the Best Strawberry Cake Recipe
Long ago, around 2010, when I started baking and decorating custom cakes for people, I took to Google and Pinterest to find a homemade strawberry cake that was made with actual fruit. Can you believe it was super difficult to find?
Have you ever tried to search for a fresh strawberry cake recipe from scratch? Or a strawberry cake recipe without gelatin? I found a lot of recipes were made with strawberry jelly, strawberry jam, or even strawberry Jell-O, but that’s not at all what I was looking for.
I wanted soft, fluffy cake dotted with actual bits of real strawberries, and a strawberry cake without gelatin. I found strawberry cupcakes from Brown Eyed Baker that I figured I could turn into a cake, and after a few tries, I settled on this lovely little number that has been gracing people’s kitchens since I published the recipe in 2017.
THE PROBLEM WITH OTHER STRAWBERRY CAKE RECIPES
Since the publication of this recipe in 2017, I see a lot of the same remarks over and over in comments and reviews. Home bakers like you are so happy to find a delicious strawberry cake that doesn’t have any extra steps (like making a strawberry reduction), doesn’t use any strawberry extract, and doesn’t have you reaching for a box of strawberry gelatin.
While there’s certainly nothing wrong with those recipes and I am confident they all have people who use them as their go-to strawberry cake recipe, this strawberry cake has stood the test of time in my as well as my readers’ kitchens, and I am confident that if you give my recipe a try, you will be a believer, too!
Homemade Strawberry Cake ingredients
This easy strawberry cake recipe uses very simple ingredients. The only odd ball is probably the freeze-dried strawberries, but see my note below or in the recipe card about where to find them.
For this strawberry cake, you will need:
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• butter
• granulated sugar
• vanilla extract
• eggs + egg white
• milk
• fresh strawberries
For the strawberry buttercream, you will need:
• freeze-dried strawberries
• butter
• powdered sugar
• milk or cream
• vanilla extract
• salt
WHERE DO I FIND FREEZE-DRIED STRAWBERRIES?
Freeze-dried strawberries are typically found in the dried fruit section of your grocery store. If you can’t find them there, check the aisle with bulk candy, if your grocery store has one.
Make sure you are buying freeze-dried strawberries and not just dried strawberries. Dried strawberries are more of a gummy texture. You are making strawberry powder, so you’ll want to buy the ones with zero moisture in them.
How to make Strawberry Cake from Scratch
In the recipe card below, you’ll find detailed instructions as well as a video for how to make this cake. Here is an overview of the steps:
Prepare the strawberries: be sure they’re chopped into small pieces. For my strawberry cupcakes, pureeing them works best because of the smaller nature of cupcakes vs a big cake. While you can do that here, too, I like the larger chunks of strawberries in my bites. No need to flour them to keep them suspended! If they’re small enough, they’ll stay put.
Cream the butter + sugar + vanilla: unlike my white layer cake that uses the reverse creaming method, this cake gets mega lift from the air incorporated into the butter and sugar. Be sure you’re using room temperature butter and no warmer.
Add the eggs/egg white one at a time: adding eggs one at a time ensures they incorporate evenly and smoothly into the batter. You’ll want these at room temperature, too.
Add the flour mixture + milk in two parts: why in two parts? Because adding all of the flour mixture or all of the milk at one time can “overload the system” and encourage clumping and/or separating. This doesn’t need to be exact! Aim for about half of the flour mixture and milk each addition.
Fold in the strawberries: gently! And just until combined.
Bake + cool: the cakes need a pretty significant amount of time in the oven but keep an eye on your layers as overbaking them can lead to a dry crumb since this cake is made entirely with butter and no oil.
Trim + stack: I have kept this 2 layers and I’ve also cut each layer in half to make 4 layers. Either works just fine as this cake is sturdy enough to handle being split.
The secret to Fresh Strawberry Cake Buttercream
I spent a whole lot of time trying to make strawberry frosting in my past cake baker life, and I always failed miserably. I never got the right ratio of strawberries to sugar and butter in order to get great flavor and also avoid making a shloopy, drippy mess.
I even tried using strawberry puree, but still didn’t love the result. And it wasn’t until I had a lightbulb moment and wondered if freeze-dried strawberries might do the trick. Spoiler alert: they were perfect.
We can get freeze-dried strawberries in the dried fruit section of our grocery store, so if you aren’t sure yours carries them, check that section carefully! I was surprised to find them there.
You’ll need to blend up approximately 1 cup of the freeze dried strawberries, winding up with about ½ cup of strawberry powder.
That will go directly into your basic buttercream (which is my classic vanilla buttercream recipe) and it will lend the most wonderful strawberry flavor while also keeping the integrity of your sturdy buttercream intact. Win win!
Strawberry Cake Recipe substitutions
If all you have are frozen strawberries, you may use them. Thaw and blot or squeeze dry as much as possible, then proceed with the recipe. You can also use any milk that you prefer, but I always test my recipes with full fat cow milk.
How to serve Homemade Strawberry Cake
This cake can be served as is, or with fresh strawberry compote spooned on top. Garnish the cake with fresh strawberry slices for an extra punch of fresh strawberry flavor and texture.
The second you have a taste of this homemade strawberry cake with strawberry buttercream, you’ll wonder where this cake has been all of your life so far. It is, hands down, the best strawberry cake recipe I have ever had. Ever.
You can also turn this layer cake into a Bundt cake or cupcakes!
MORE FROSTING IDEAS
Consider my Swiss meringue buttercream (you can add ¼ cup of freeze-dried strawberry powder if you want!), chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream, cream cheese frosting (again, consider adding ¼ cup of strawberry powder to turn it into strawberry cream cheese frosting), classic vanilla buttercream, or the lemon buttercream from my blueberry lemon cupcakes.
How to store Fresh Strawberry Cake
Store this cake covered tightly at room temperature up to 5 days, but cake will start to lose its moisture after about 3 days, and strawberries will start to get soggy. Store the cake in the refrigerator to maintain freshness longer.
Homemade Strawberry Cake FAQs
Strawberry Cake from Scratch
Ingredients
STRAWBERRY CAKE
- 3 and ¼ cups (390g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 large egg white room temperature
- 1 cup (240g) milk any though I prefer whole cow; room temperature
- 2 cups finely chopped strawberries1 approximately 16 large strawberries
STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM
- 1 cup (20g) freeze-dried strawberries2
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 4 to 5 cups (480-600g) powdered sugar
- ¼ to ⅓ cup (60-80mL) milk or cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
STRAWBERRY CAKE
- Place oven rack on the middle setting and preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Grease and flour (or use homemade cake release) two 8" or 9" round cake pans.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.3 and ¼ cups (390g) all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until the color is light and the texture is fluffy (approximately 2-3 minutes). Add the vanilla then beat again to incorporate.1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar, 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the eggs and egg white one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next one and scraping the. Scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary.3 large eggs, 1 large egg white
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 2 parts, alternating with the milk.1 cup (240g) milk
- Blot the strawberries dry (you don't need to wring them out, just blot them), then gently fold in the strawberries by hand.2 cups finely chopped strawberries1
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake cakes for about 40-44 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops are lightly browned. Remove cakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pans on a wire rack before removing and assembling.
STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM
- Using a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Set aside.1 cup (20g) freeze-dried strawberries2
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.1 cup (227g) unsalted butter
- With the mixer on low, add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk or cream. Add the strawberry powder and salt, increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until completely smooth, about 3 minutes. If frosting is too stiff, add more milk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar.4 to 5 cups (480-600g) powdered sugar, ¼ to ⅓ cup (60-80mL) milk or cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE
- Trim cooled cake layers to create a flat surface. You can do this with a large serrated knife or a cake leveler. Place one layer on a plate or cake stand and cover the top with strawberry buttercream frosting. Spread evenly with an offset spatula.
- Place second layer on top, cut surface down. For a sturdier cake, refrigerate at this point for about 10 minutes. When cake is slightly chilled, remove from refrigerator and spread more frosting on the top and around the sides. Serve. Leftovers stay fresh, covered tightly, at room temperature up to 5 days and in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
- Make ahead: prepare cakes and frosting up to 1 day in advance. Cover cakes tightly and keep at room temperature or in the refrigerator until ready to assemble. Refrigerate prepared frosting in an airtight container until ready to use. Unfrosted cake layers may be frozen, wrapped tightly, up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before assembling. Frosted cake can be frozen, wrapped tightly, up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Video
Notes
- Strawberries: you can use frozen strawberries, too. Thaw them first then blot or squeeze some of the liquid out of them before using.
- Freeze-dried strawberries: freeze-dried strawberries are typically found in the dried fruit section of your grocery store. If you can’t find them there, check the aisle with bulk candy, if your grocery store has one.
- Bundt cake: make this cake into a strawberry Bundt cake! The recipe differs only slightly. I paired that one with a white chocolate strawberry ganache, but you can use any frosting you like.
- Cupcakes: while baking this recipe as is will give you 24 delicious cupcakes, see my post for fresh strawberry cupcakes for a recipe specifically developed to make 16 fluffy cupcakes.
- To turn this into a sheet cake: as written, this recipe will make one 9″ x 13″ sheet cake. Bake time will be about 40-42 minutes.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
was going to make this cake for my sister in law. quick question i dont have a paddle for whipping the butter cream can i use a regular hand mixer to make the icing?
Yes— step 2 states hand mixer also works! Enjoy!
What would be the nutritional information for this cake, for example calories, sugar, fat etc per slice or 100grams?
Hi, Mikey– sorry, I don’t provide nutrition information for my recipes! It would all depend completely on exactly what ingredients you used. You’re welcome to use an app to calculate this and let me know what you find!
Hello,
So I actually baked this twice! Well sorta… once correctly. Despite reading the recipe twice, I missed the part about adding the eggs and alternating with the milk so the texture was a bit off the first time. But I loved this cake. I just wanted to know if you had a page for frosting and cake baking tips in general. (I always find my inner layer too thin) and my frosting looking a bit uhhh rustic? 😬 if I’m being kind to myself hehe. Love your blog, your directions and your voice is so friendly!
Thanks for the comment, Elle! Unfortunately, I don’t have a resource for decorating a cake, but I would like to have one in the future.
How could I make these into cupcakes?
Hey, Lauren! This recipe will make about 24-30 cupcakes. Follow the recipe as-is, and bake for about 12-15 minutes. Enjoy!
This is my family’s favorite cake! So delicious! I will say to add the freeze dried strawberry powder gradually to taste, we ended up liking it best using a little less than directed. But this cake is a hit and the recipe is a keeper for sure:)
I love this! Thanks for sharing, Ellie.
I made this cake last night. It was so tasty!!! I’m so glad I found this recipe. Thank you!!!!! So yummy!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Finally, a strawberry cake without using gelatin. I have been searching for one for a couple years. The frosting recipe also helped me with making icing that wasn’t runny.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi! I’m really excited to try this! It’s 3:30am and it just went in the oven… lol
Anyways, I’m making this cake for a friends birthday but I’m making a cake with two 10” round bottoms, and one 8” sat on top. Three cake pans… the trick is I’m putting a bottle in the middle and I’m worried it will fall because everything I read says I need to support it! My batter was very thick so from my Research I am understanding it will be quite light. Is there a way to make the cake a bit more dense so it can hold another small layer cake on top? Should I just find dowels? Maybe the bottle (beer bottle laid flat in second layer lol) will support the top small cake?
Additionally, I’m wondering if you think the cake will be strong enough to stick things in the top without them falling over?
Sorry for these crazy questions. Thank you so much in advance!!
Hey, Rochelle– I never stack cakes without dowels. In fact, a lighter cake is better than a dense cake for stacking. And you should be able to put things in the top of the cake.
I turned this into a bundt cake for Mother’s Day and it turned out amazing! I gave pieces away and everyone is asking when will another one be made. I topped it with a glaze but I’ll definitely try the buttercream icing next time! Thanks for sharing the recipe!! It was delicious!
Hey, Tia! I made it into a bundt cake too, haha! Here’s that recipe. I used a strawberry ganache that might interest you. Enjoy!
Hello I was wondering if this could be baked in one normal size cake pan ?
Like a sheet pan? Yes! This batter will fit in a 9″ x 13″ pan nicely. Add about 4-5 minutes to bake time.
Awesome thank you!
This cake is amazing! Had some strawberries that I needed to use and decided to give this a shot. One of my new favorites!
I made a whipped cream frosting instead of the buttercream. Perfection!
I am so glad you enjoyed this cake!
Just made this and it was AMAZING! I followed all the instructions but I didn’t have round cake pans so I used 9×13 inch pan, in which the batter almost came to the top. It almost overflowed while baking but didn’t thankfully. It took about 46-49 mins to cook doing it this way. It was a tiny bit dense but I’m sure it’s because there was too much batter in the pan. Regardless, the cake was ridiculously delicious! Next time I think I will half the recipe or keep it the same and make a 9×13 cake plus a few cupcakes. Thank you for the wonderful recipe. (After writing this review I just measured my pan and it’s actually 7.5 x 11.75 inches! And all these years I always thought it was 9×13! Thanks Pyrex! Ha ha. Anyways it still came out great. Can’t wait to try it again with the right sizes as I’m sure it will be even more delicious if that’s possible. Ha ha!).
HAHA! This just made me laugh out loud! I was going to say… This should definitely fit in a 9×13 nicely! So glad you liked it and yes, please let me know how next time goes in an ACTUAL 9×13 😉
So I have made this (in correct size pans this time) 2 more times plus did them as cupcakes as well and all of them came out delicious! I have to say very happy to have my go to strawberry baking recipe! Thank you!
This cake looks amazing. My nephew has requested a strawberry cake with chocolate frosting for his birthday. Have you ever tried this combination?
That is a great combo, Amy!
This cake recipe is so delicious! I usually don’t care for homemade cakes that I’ve made, but this was phenomenal! So fluffy! We made it as a sheet cake for the 4th of July and it is amazing! We left the strawberries out of the frosting recipe because we wanted a red, white and blue cake, but would love to try the strawberry frosting sometime.
I love this! Thanks so much for your review, Megan.
Hi I don’t have an electric mixer, can I do this cake by hand?
You should be able to cream butter and sugar without a mixer, but you’ll need a bit of elbow grease! Hope this helps!
fyi – 350 in F is 175 in C (I think you have a typo)
You’re not the first person to tell me this– but the formula I learned in high school and throughout earning my degree and in the workplace (a chem lab) give us 176.6, which rounds to 177. Can you tell me where 175 comes from??
This looks so good! I love all the troubleshooting to get just the right flavors!
Thanks so much, Suzanne 🙂 I hope you’ll try it!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Storage instructions are in the recipe!
Our family is expanding and our son’s future mother-in-law’s favorite cake is strawberry. Local berries were in season so that made life easier but what to do for frosting? How to showcase strawberries throughout without getting a weepy mess? Browsing the web, I came across your recipe. It ticked all the boxes I wanted so, what the heck, I used your whole offering. FANTASTIC!! Hands down the best strawberry cake I’ve ever had. No need to ever look for another recipe. The cake is spot on. And the frosting is brilliant. Thank you for sharing the recipe for a truly great cake. Well done!
Thank you so much for this review, Dave! It makes me so happy to hear this. Don’t miss the strawberry bundt cake, made with the same base recipe but with a strawberry ganache on top. Congratulations on the expansion of your family 🙂