The one thing that sets this strawberry cake apart from others? Reduce fresh strawberry puree down and add to the best white cake batter.
This strawberry cake completely blew me away. After years of mediocre from-scratch strawberry cakes, my expectations were pretty low. It was time to taste test my efforts. Biting into the first pastel-pink forkful was the moment of truth…
I cried tears of joy. Or were those actual tears because I just dirtied every dish with all this strawberry cake recipe testing?
I find it challenging to pack real strawberry flavor into cake without the crutch of fake strawberry flavoring. My goal was to create a strawberry layer cake made entirely from real strawberries. We’re talking strawberries inside the cake and in the frosting as well. With the help of freeze-dried strawberries, I tackled strawberry frosting. I’ll get to that below. But for strawberry cake? Things have always been pretty lackluster in the flavor and texture department.
Strawberry Cake Problems
- Chopping up strawberries and folding into cake batter works, but then you’re just eating vanilla cake with chunks of strawberries.
- Pureeing strawberries and folding into cake batter has potential, but the texture is always off. There’s too much liquid. How about adding more flour to make up for that liquid? Then your cake is too dense. And the flavor is always lacking.
- Strawberry jam could work, but I prefer to start with real strawberries.
So how can we pack real strawberry flavor into cake batter without adding too much liquid? REDUCE THE STRAWBERRIES DOWN. Ding ding ding! We have a winner.
How to Pack REAL Strawberry Flavor Into Cake
- Puree fresh strawberries.
- Reduce down on the stove.
- Let cool.
- Stir into cake batter.
Puree 1 pound of ruby red strawberries. You’ll need a food processor or blender for this step, and again when you make the frosting.
Take that strawberry puree—don’t add anything else to it—and reduce it down on the stove. This, my friends, is where all the magic happens. Like I mention above, you want a lot of concentrated flavor within a little amount of liquid. We also do this with champagne in my mimosa cupcakes and champagne frosting. And with Guinness in Guinness chocolate cake, too.
You’ll begin with 1 cup of hot pink puree and reduce down to 1/2 cup. After 30 minutes, it will be very thick and very red. Add this thick and highly concentrated strawberry flavor to your cake batter, instead of the thinner strawberry puree.
The reduced strawberry puree will go into the cake batter. No need to strain the seeds first—they disappear when the cake is baked.
Because the reduced strawberry puree needs to completely cool down, I suggest getting started the day before. Just let the reduced strawberry puree sit in the refrigerator overnight and make the cake batter the following day.
Strawberry Cake Batter
The cake batter starts from my white cake. This vanilla-flavored cake proved to be the best jumping-off point for a strawberry cake. I kept the majority of the recipe the same, but I removed some of the wet ingredients to make room for 1/2 cup of reduced strawberries. The cake is light, springy, soft, and fluffy.
The reduced strawberry puree will tint the cake batter a lovely pastel pink and, if you want, you can add a small drop of pink or red food coloring to brighten that hue. Not necessary, of course. (I added a single drop of pink gel food coloring.) Expect a velvety and slightly thick cake batter.
- No artificial strawberry flavor.
- Nothing from a box.
- Just pure strawberries.
The Strawberry Frosting
You can taste the fresh strawberry flavor in the baked cake, but the flavor is REALLY brought out when you combine it with strawberry frosting. Like strawberry cake, strawberry frosting has always left me feeling a little defeated. Fresh strawberries were the issue. The frosting would always curdle from the added moisture. And no amount of fresh strawberries could get me the strawberry flavor I craved. Instead of settling for artificial strawberry flavoring, I took a trick from Sally’s Candy Addiction: strawberry dust! Grab some freeze-dried strawberries, grind them up, and mix that magic dust into the frosting.
(I actually added freeze-dried strawberries to cake batter as one of my test recipes. This was an awful decision and an epic fail. The cake was atrocious. Texture, taste, and appearance. Just… no. But freeze-dried strawberries are a YES for frosting!)
- Where to buy freeze-dried strawberries? I find freeze-dried strawberries in my regular grocery store in the dried fruit aisle. I’ve also seen them in health food stores. Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Amazon, and Target all carry them, as well. Or, you can order them online.
- Baker’s Tip: Do not use “dried strawberries” which are like raisins, dried apricots, and dried pineapple. They have a gummy texture and don’t grind into a powder. You need freeze-dried strawberries, which have all of the moisture removed. They’re the same strawberries you use in strawberry and cream cookies.
Instead of a thicker strawberry buttercream, I used my silky cream cheese frosting recipe. Added in the freeze-dried strawberry “dust” and milk and was left with a frosting so pink, Barbie would be jealous!
Let’s Review
The tricks to homemade strawberry cake and frosting made with real strawberries? (1) Reduced strawberry puree in the cake batter and (2) freeze-dried strawberries in the frosting. Have fun baking!
PrintHomemade Strawberry Cake
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours
- Yield: serves 10-12
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
The one thing that sets this strawberry cake apart from others? Reduce fresh strawberry puree down and add to the best white cake batter.
Ingredients
Strawberry Puree
- 1 pound (454g) fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
Cake
- 2 and 1/2 cups (285g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (75g) sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, at room temperature*
- 1/2 cup reduced strawberry puree (see step 1)
- optional: 1–2 drops red or pink food coloring
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup (about 25g) freeze-dried strawberries*
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1–2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Make the reduced strawberry puree first, and let cool: Puree 1 pound of rinsed and hulled strawberries. You should have a little over 1 cup. Stirring occasionally, simmer the puree over medium-low heat until you’re left with 1/2 cup or slightly more (you need 1/2 cup for the cake). This takes at least 25–35 minutes, but could take longer depending on your pan or how juicy your strawberries were. Allow to cool completely before using in cake batter. I always make the reduced puree the day before so it has plenty of time to cool down. I cover and place in the refrigerator overnight. Allow it to come back to room temperature before adding to the cake batter. (See Notes for further make-ahead instructions.)
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamed, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. Beat in the egg whites on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Then beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the milk *just* until combined. Do not overmix. Whisk in 1/2 cup of room-temperature reduced strawberry puree, making sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick. Stir in food coloring, if desired. (I use 1 small drop of pink gel food coloring.)
- Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for around 24–25 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting: Using a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries into a powdery crumb. You should have around 1/2 cup crumbs. Set aside. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese for 1 minute on high speed until completely smooth and creamy. Beat in the butter until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, strawberry powder, 1 Tablespoon milk, and vanilla and beat on medium-high speed until combined and creamy. Add 1 more Tablespoon of milk to slightly thin out, if desired. Taste, then add a pinch of salt if needed. Yields about 3 cups of frosting.
- Assemble and frost: First, using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake keep its shape when cutting—it could slightly fall apart without time in the fridge.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly and stored at room temperature overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared, then covered and refrigerated overnight. Let it sit at room temperature to slightly soften for 10 minutes before assembling and frosting. Frosted cake or unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating/serving. See How to Freeze Cakes for instructions. You can also make the reduced strawberry puree ahead of time and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw, bring to room temperature, then use in the recipe.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Food Processor | 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Pink Food Coloring | Cooling Rack | Cake Turntable | Straight Spatula (for frosting) | Round Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Cake Flour: I strongly suggest using cake flour in this recipe. If you can’t find it, try this homemade cake flour substitute.
- Whole Milk: If needed, buttermilk works in its place. I don’t recommend a lower-fat milk.
- Where to Buy Freeze-Dried Strawberries: I always find them in my regular grocery store in the aisle with the dried fruit. Target, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s carry them, and I’ve also found them in some health food stores. You can also buy them online. Do not use the chewy/gummy dried strawberries. You need FREEZE-dried strawberries, which grind into a powder. If you can’t find them anywhere, just leave them out of the frosting and add another 1/2 cup of confectioners’ sugar.
- Can I use frozen strawberries for the puree? You can use frozen strawberries, but they will take longer to reduce even if you thaw them first.
- 9×13-Inch Cake: Simply pour the batter into a greased 9×13-inch pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cupcakes: Fill cupcake pans 2/3 full with batter. Bake for 20–22 minutes. Makes 30 cupcakes. For 14–15 cupcakes, follow my strawberry cupcakes recipe, which is adapted from this strawberry cake.
- Food Coloring: If you want, you can add 1–2 small drops of pink or red food coloring to deepen the pink color of the cake. I add 1 small drop of pink gel food coloring.
- No Cream Cheese in Frosting: If you’d like to skip the cream cheese in the frosting, use my strawberry buttercream recipe instead. You’ll have enough for a thin layer of frosting, or you can 1.5x the recipe for a thicker layer.
Hi Sally! Can I cover this cake with fondant? Your red velvet cake recipe which I covered in fondant was a success. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Yes, sure can!
Hi! I’m making this for my son’s 3rd birthday tomorrow. The strawberry purée is tasting kind of bitter, despite using sweet fresh berries to start. Is this normal?
Hi Hilary! Did you happen to taste the strawberries before you made the puree? When they are in season, sweet summer berries will give you the best flavor, but they can be hard to find right now depending on where you live. The better the berries, the better the flavor of the cake!
I absolutely love this recipe! I have made it twice and will be making it again on Sunday for my husband’s birthday. Sally’s tips on how to make this are pure greatness and so very helpful. I am so glad I found her website!
Why does my batter look broken. I’ve made this cake twice before and today it looks like it’s separating?
Hi Ro, are all of your ingredients at room temperature? Batter can look “broken” when the ingredients are varying temperatures. If you keep mixing, they should eventually come together — mix until just combined, so as not to over mix.
So if making batches do we do something to store cake batter when making second batch, like for it to not like deflate,taste gummy,etc?
Hi Amy, if not baking all the batter at once, you can leave it covered with a clean towel at room temperature until ready to use.
Can this recipe be double, tripled , etc?
Hi Amy! Working with double or triple the amount of batter risks over or under-mixing, which would ruin the texture of the finished cake. Rather, we suggest making the batter twice or three times in separate batches for the best results.
I LOVE this recipe! So full of flavor with a beautiful shade of pink 🙂 Question – is there an approx. weight for the egg whites? I’d like to use some saved egg whites this time around but not sure how to measure that out.
Hi Jessica! Egg weights can vary, but a single egg white from a large egg usually weighs about 30g, give or take.
Do you always use full-fat sour cream?
Hi Amy, yes, unless otherwise noted, full-fat is always best!
Hi Sally-I am going to bake this in a couple days for my boyfriend’s birthday. I always love your cake recipes and am excited to try this one. Question-Can I use boxed egg whites? If so, how many grams? Thanks so much for the great recipes!
Hi Ferrin! You can use carton egg whites if needed. The carton should give instructions for replacement quantities.
This cake is delicious! I made it today for my daughter’s birthday. It was a beautiful color and had such a great strawberry flavor. I will definitely make it again. Thank you for the great recipe!
Hi Sally,
Can this recipe be used to make into a Bundt Cake?
Hi Samantha! This strawberry cake batter fits nicely into a 10 cup or larger Bundt cake pan. We’re unsure of the exact bake time but it will increase due to the large amount of batter in one pan.
Hi! I have yet to try this recipe, I wanted to ask – how much is 1lb of strawberries equal to in grams?
Hi Ariffa! 1 lb is about 454g.
Hi Sally, I’m planning to make this lovely strawberry cake for a friend’s birthday and I would like to make it as a 3 layer cake. Any reason you made it two layers? Will the cake hold up to another layer? I like more layers and have no problems multiplying the recipe. Thank you!
Hi Dyana, you can certainly 1.5x this recipe to yield enough batter for 3, 9 inch round layers. Hope your friend loves this cake!
Thanks so much for this recipe! It was truly delicious and just what we were expecting! Instead of using freeze dried strawberries for the frosting, I used some of the puree that had been left over from the cake. It was delicious and turned out perfectly!!
I made this cake for a friends Birthday last year and it came out amazing! So much so that this year, she has requested the same cake. I chose not to use food coloring after seeing the pink hue in the batter last year but it did fade quite a bit when baked. This year I’ll had that teensy drop! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Can the strawberry puree be frozen for later use?
Hi Sharon, absolutely! You can freeze the strawberry puree for up to three months. When ready to use, thaw, bring to room temperature, and then use in the recipe.
Thank you so much. Our local strawberry patch has the BEST strawberries you’ve ever had and since they have a short growing season I would like to stock up on some puree.
My daughter in law loves this strawberry recipe and I make cupcakes for her birthday with lemon icing, her request.
I made this recipe for a backyard birthday celebration last night (yay, vaccinations!) to rave reviews. The (adult) birthday girl said she had always asked for a strawberry cake as a child because nobody else liked it, and she’d get more for herself – not this recipe! Even the “I’m not really a sweets person” devoured a cupcake. I found the cake to be somewhat dense, but not heavy. (And yes, I used sifted cake flour, weighed.) I was surprised at how long it took to reduce the strawberries to 1/2 cup (but the smell in the kitchen while doing so was divine!). The frosting was particularly delicious, although I used Neuchâtel cheese instead of the full-fat cream cheese specified in the recipe. Next time, I will try this frosting recipe on chocolate cupcakes, subbing dried raspberries for the strawberries.
Thanks so much for the advice! The cupcakes turned out fabulous! I’ve made them with cake flour and now with gf flour and you can’t tell the difference. Both are delicious!
Do I times and a half this recipe if I wanted to make a three layer cake?
Yes, that should work. Happy baking!
Hi Sally! I seem to have run out of all berries, can I make this cake without the purée ? I have the dried for the frosting though
Hi Samira, without the strawberry puree, the cake won’t have a strawberry taste. Instead, we’d recommend making our vanilla cake (as simply leaving out the strawberry puree would make this recipe too dry) and topping with the strawberry frosting if you prefer. Hope this helps!
Hey Sally, does this recipe work with cupcakes? Thanks!
Hi Seema, absolutely! This recipe makes 2 and 1/2 dozen cupcakes. See recipes notes for more details, or for 14-15 cupcakes, follow our strawberry cupcakes recipe, which is adapted from this strawberry cake. Enjoy!
Followed the recipe exactly and mine came out brown and unappetizing looking. I’m it tastes fine, but it was for a 4 yr old who requested a pink cake…I’m going to have to trash So disappointing! Does everyone else use more than the recommended amount of food coloring or something??
Hi Michelle, we’re so sorry you had trouble with the color of your cake. The color will fade a bit when baking and will also depend on the brand of coloring you’re using. You can definitely add some more food coloring next time for a brighter pink. We recommend gel food coloring.
Hi Sally! I’m trying to make this for my bday tomorrow, i just pureed and reduced the strawberries but i’m worried that the reduced one tastes too sour.. the strawberries that I got looked fine though. Would this lose the strawberry taste of the cake itself? Thank you!
Hi Denice, Did you happen to taste the strawberries before you made the puree? When they are in season, sweet summer berries will give you the best flavor, but they can be hard to find right now depending on where you live. The better the berries, the better the flavor of the cake! And while you will be able to taste the fresh strawberry flavor in the baked cake, the flavor is REALLY brought out when you combine it with strawberry frosting, so definitely don’t skip that! Happy birthday 🙂
Hey Sally! I’ve ran into an issue and this cake was one that I had the issue on, I’ve got a density issue. I seem to be making dense cake, this one wasn’t as dense, but still had a packier result. I was careful to measure the ingredients for accuracy and added a smidge more baking power and flour in the event the puree wasn’t cooked long enough. I’ve used both all purpose and cake flower, same results. I did a coconut and it came out fluffy and moist with the same pool of ingredients. So I don’t think I have some that have gone bad. The cakes are all full of flavor, just dense. Any suggestions?
P.S. My office is gaining weight as I test out your stuff, no complaints from anyone on the taste! 😉
Hi Joshua, so happy to hear that you’re enjoying our recipes! If your puree wasn’t cooked long enough, it would be extra wet, which could definitely weigh down your cake. Also be sure you using cake flour and sifting it before measuring. For more troubleshooting tips you can see the post How to Prevent a Dry or Dense Cake.
How can I make enough batter for 3 9″ pans and 2 4″ pans? It’s for my daughter’s birthday.
Hi Anna! Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes. Happy baking!
Ms. Sally, Is it okay to use strawberry yogurt on this instead of plain yogurt? Or even in baking in general, can I use strawberry yogurt? TYSM in advanced! Will make this for a friends birthday!
Hi Rjane, strawberry yogurt should work OK in this recipe, but generally plain yogurt is best. The sweetened strawberry yogurt can change the taste and texture of baked goods.
There are a lot of great instructions for this recipe. Very easy to follow. And it is as delicious as everyone says.
Hi Sally! This isn’t related to the strawberry cake but I was wondering, if I wanted to make strawberry no churn ice cream, could I fold in the reduced strawberry to the mixture to make it work? Or would regular pureed strawberries work? Thank you!
Hi Mariam, You can see how we cook blueberries down to use in our Blueberry Crumble Ice Cream. You can simply swap the blueberries for strawberries in that recipe. Enjoy!
Do we strain the puree or can I, because I don’t like seeds?
Hi Amy, No need to strain the seeds first — they disappear when the cake is baked.
Hi, I wanted to make this cake for a birthday and was planning to make it a 3 layer cake using my 8 inch cake pan. Would I need to double the recipe?
Hi Drea, You can use the recipe as is for three thinner 8 inch layers. The bake time would be less so keep an eye on them and use a toothpick to check for doneness. You can also make 1.5 times this recipe for three layers (doubling would be too much). With 8 inch pans your bake time may be a minute or two longer as your layers will be slightly thicker.