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 recipe is such a fan favorite, that it deserved a spot in print! You’ll also find this recipe in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
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.
You’ll need a food processor or blender to puree the fresh strawberries, 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 about 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.
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!
By the way, this frosting would also be a fantastic filling for homemade eclairs or on strawberry cupcakes.
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!
Print
Homemade Strawberry Cake
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours (including cooling)
- 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 it to the best white cake batter. This recipe is also in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients
Strawberry Puree
- 1 pound (454g) fresh strawberries
Cake
- 2 and 1/2 cups (295g) 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 (80g) full-fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120g/ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup reduced strawberry puree (from 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 Tablespoon whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Make the reduced strawberry puree first, and let cool: Hull the fresh strawberries and place them in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. You should have a little more than 1 cup (around 270g). Transfer the puree to a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until it’s reduced to 1/2 cup (about 135g). This usually takes around 25–35 minutes, but could take longer depending on your pan or the ripeness of your strawberries. Remove from heat, pour into a heat-safe bowl, and cool completely before using. I always make the reduced puree the day before so it has plenty of time to cool down. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Allow it to come back to room temperature before adding to the cake batter. (See Notes for additional make-ahead instructions.)
- Preheat the 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: In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg whites and beat on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add the dry ingredients and then, with the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in the milk and beat until just combined. Do not overmix. Whisk in the room-temperature reduced strawberry puree and food coloring (if using), making sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter should be slightly thick. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 24–25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans set on a cooling rack for 1 hour. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the sides, remove the cakes from the pan, peel off the parchment, and place on the rack to finish cooling. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting: In a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. If any larger bits remain, sift the powder through a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the confectioners’ sugar, strawberry powder, milk, and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then gradually increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes until completely combined and creamy. Taste, then beat in a pinch of salt if the frosting is too sweet. Cover and refrigerate it for 1 hour before using. Yields about 3 cups (720g) of frosting.
- Assemble and frost: (For additional help with this step, see this how to assemble a layer cake video & post.) First, level the cakes: 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. Spread 3/4–1 cup (180–240g) of frosting in an even layer on top. Top with the second layer, upside down, and spread 1 cup (240g) of frosting all over the top and sides in a very thin layer to make a crumb coat. Run a bench scraper around the cake to help smooth out the frosting on the sides. Refrigerate the cake until the crumb coat has set, about 20 minutes. Cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Before slicing, refrigerate the cake for at least 20 minutes to set the frosting and help the cake keep its shape when slicing—it could slightly fall apart without time in the fridge.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If the cake has been in the refrigerator for more than 4 hours, take it out 2 hours before serving so it can mostly come to room temperature.
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 and Bench Scraper (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.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Amazing recipe, although took way longer to bake finish in the oven.. the time stated in the recipe didn’t worked for me, it was still liquid form when the timer was up.
But the finish product is amazing! I used strawberry buttercream instead and it’s divine! Best strawberry cake recipe !
Has anyone ever used buttermilk instead of milk/sour cream for the batter- I have extra on hand and was just wondering if it would work?
Hi Don, You could try using buttermilk in place of the sour cream AND the milk. So, 5/6 cup of total buttermilk.
I’m trying to make a three layer cake would I have enough batter for this many layers?
Hi Bob, it would be best to 1.5x the recipe in order to have enough batter for three layers. Hope this helps!
Hello, I just made the strawberry puree and it taste a bit bitter…not much flavor…. Is this normal? Strawberries were flavorful before i started the reduction process.
Does this recipe work for a 10 cup bundt pan?
Hi Katie, 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. Enjoy!
Do you sieve the seeds out of the strawberry puree?
Hi Ashley, No need to strain the seeds first — they disappear when the cake is baked.
I’m thinking of doing this with raspberries for a friends birthday. I’m going to just substitute a pound of raspberries for the strawberries. Any tips or advice?
Hi Kimber! Raspberry puree works like a charm in this recipe! Substitute the same amount for the strawberry puree and reduce it down. You can buy freeze-dried raspberries for the buttercream — they are readily available in most grocery stores these days. Or 1.5x this raspberry frosting recipe. Let us know how it turns out!
I made this cake and it was perfect. Before this I never liked any strawberry cake. For the frosting I used powdered sugar, butter, and I added little puree little at a time and it came out fantastic! Strawberry cake is my new favorite! Thanks for the recipe!
I need to make 3 8′ rounds and 3 6″ rounds, can this recipe be doubled etc? Suggestions on how to accomplish this
Hi Jacqueline, for best results, we recommend making cake batter in individual batches rather than doubling, tripling, etc. This prevents over mixing and guarantees the best taste and texture. Our cake pan sizes and conversions guide will be helpful for determining how much batter you’ll need.
Yes, I have done the chunks of strawberries the jam . Too dense. I like my cakes fluffy and soft.
I will try the puree and reducing. My question is, do I need to or can I add sugar while reducing the puree?
I don’t add sugar to the puree since the sugar is already in the cake. This is my go-to recipe, and my family always comes back begging for more! Just keep stirring to reduce the strawberries and let it cool completely before incorporating into the cake.
Hi Sally, I’ve tried this recipe and it turned out fantastic!! My kids loved it. If I wanted a smaller cake, how would I half the recipe? How would I half the 5 egg whites? Use 2 or 3 egg whites instead for half the recipe? Also, is there any alternative to the pink food gel? I’m trying to not have any artificial food ingredients. Do you think it will work with beetroot powder?
Lovely recipe!!
Thank you!
Hi Joy! The batter from our strawberry cupcakes will work well for a smaller batch of cake! (The batter would fit a three 6 inch cake pans perfectly if you have them!). Otherwise we would try to measure out half of an egg white to halve this recipe. You can leave out the food coloring if desired, we haven’t tested beetroot powder but let us know if you do!
Made these as cupcakes, and they turned out well, a delicious moist crumb! I just found them very sweet, even after reducing the sugar; I omitted 1/4 cup of sugar. I liked the idea of reducing the fruit to maximize the flavour. It still tasted more of a sugary vanilla cupcake to me. I didn’t make the frosting so maybe that would make the difference in flavour. Overall, it’s still a great way to use up ripe berries or summer fruits!
I had to bake mine for longer than the 24-25 min and I followed the recipe to a T. Just something to think about. And yes my oven was preheated and holds at 350 degrees.
At my second attempt.. Finally success! Very good recipe easy to follow. The choice of cream cheese frosting was just right as a normal buttercream would have made it too sweet.. thank you very much Sally!
I love this website and most of the recipes are perfect. This one didn’t hit the mark. I made this into cupcakes and they didn’t rise at all beyond the border of the liner, even though I’d filled them 3/4 full. The cake was light and fluffy though, so big points for that. The biggest thing for me was that the strawberry flavor was faint at best. To be fair, I live in an area where “fresh” strawberries were probably picked a thousand miles away and ripened in a shipping container, so maybe that had something to do with it, but overall, they were just a nice fluffy cake – not a strawberry dessert as I’d hoped.
For the cake flour does it matter if I use bleached or unbleached?
Hi Angelina! We bake with unbleached flour when we can, but either will work!
I’m loving the sound of this recipe! Question though… what would you recommend as a filling between layers? I’m not a fan of just more icing between layers.
Hi Christine! What about a lemon curd or chocolate ganache? Let us know what you try!
Lacking lemons and chocolate (I know, I know, how do you run out of chocolate?) I opted for a banana cream filling
Hi,
I was wondering about the consistency of the Strawberry reduction.
Should it be about the same as the cake batter, or sort of resemble ketchup?
Thanks!
Hi Dawn! The strawberry puree should be pretty thick — if you haven’t already, we recommend taking a look at the video in this blog post page. At about the 1:30 mark, Sally talks about the strawberry puree and shows an example of the desired thickness. Hope this helps!
Hi Sally! Thank you for this amazing cake recipe. I have made it multiple types and it’s been loved by all. I have a question. I want to make a 10-inch version of this. If I make two batches of the recipe and make 4 layers would the layers be too thin? Should I make two batches of the recipe and divide between 3 pans?
If I go with the latter would some of the better be okay sitting out while I whip up the second batch? Or is it better to double the batter instead of making it twice?
I would really appreciate your help.
Hi Najla! It’s always best to make two batches of batter instead of doubling for best results. This cake pan sizes and conversions guide will help you determine how much batter is needed for your 10 inch pans. Enjoy!
I’d love to enjoy this strawberry cake when strawberries are no longer in season, so I was wondering whether I could make the strawberry puree now, freeze it and take it out in a few months to make this cake. Is this possible? If so, how would you recommend freezing and also later thawing?
Hi Tracy, absolutely! Frozen strawberry puree can be frozen for up to 3 months. We usually store it in an air tight container and thaw overnight in the fridge.
I have A question. I followed The directions and still it came out that grey/purple color. Only thing I can think of is I used very little pink food coloring. The batter match the same consistency and color as the video. Any suggestions for next time??
Hi Nicole! What kind of food coloring are you using? We always recommend gel food coloring for most vibrant results (without changing the consistency of the batter).
I used a pink gel food coloring, but possibly not enough. I was not sure how much to use and I am new to baking and wanted to try something new.
This cake was delicious and the crumb is so soft. It’s going to be a favorite for sure and I’ll try the vanilla version too. I made the cake as per the recipe. One drop of gel food coloring was not enough to make it pink like these pictures but it was pink enough for my pink-loving child. I made half the frosting (and halved the proportion of confectioners sugar) just for in between the layers and covered the cake with chocolate ganache. Wow!! Thank you Sally!
Hi Sally,
I’m making this cake the day after tomorrow for my friend’s birthday party. Now he really likes strawberries but also he likes white chocolate. I saw you white chocolate and strawberries cupcakes recipe and I’m wondering if I could somehow incorporate a white chocolate in this recipe as well. What would you recommend?
Thanks!
Hi Darya! You could use a double batch of the white chocolate strawberry frosting from those cupcakes to frost this cake instead. Let us know if you give it a try!
Hello! Love your recipes! Can I triple this batter easily? I need to make a 3 layer 8’inch and a 3 layer 6″ for a birthday cake. Would tripling the cake batter be enough? If so can I triple it in one bowl or would doing two separate batters be better for mixing/creaming purposes? Thank you
Hi Jacqueline, for absolutely best results, we always recommend making each batch of cake batter separately. Our cake pan sizes and conversions guide will help you determine how many times to make the batter for your cake. Hope this is helpful and that the cake is a hit!
The best strawberry cake recipe I’ve ever made! All my friends loved it so this recipe is definitely going into my favorites board. I used full fat coconut milk since I’m lactose intolerant and it still came out perfectly.
Sorry to disagree with the majority but we found this to be a very disappointing cake for dad’s birthday. The recipe was followed carefully including going to buy the special cake flour. Simply put: our kids, who look forward to cakes will have always devour seconds or thirds , ate their one serving in awkward silence. When asked they said it was heavy and declined more. The adults commented it was a strange cake. The crumb was dry at the first bite but then became a heavy dough as you chewed. The strawberry flavor of the cake doesn’t match with the strawberry flavor of the frosting and they don’t compliment each other. Luckily the frosting flavor overwhelms the cake. We made it without food color and the dull light gray with muted darker reddish gray flecks is an unappealing color. It looks like recycled cardboard – at least it serves as a warning sign for your palate. A simple light sponge cake with fresh strawberries and cream would have been a much better showcase of the flavors. Given the length of time and complexity of the recipe leading to a stressed cook and the subsequent disappointment for all family members I cannot in any way recommend this recipe.
I trialed this cake for a 6″ smash cake with some extra cupcakes. They tasted fantastic! Light and airy. My cupcakes did end up with flat tops. This did not affect our enjoyment one bit. But if you have time to answer a quick question, I noticed that your Strawberry cupcake recipe doesn’t have the cake flour sifted… can sifting the cake flour cause the flat tops (sorry, complete amateur here!)? Regardless, this cake is a delight! I think it will make a wonderful 1st birthday cake!
That makes a lot of sense. Thank you so much for getting back to me and the reassurance about my cupcakes!
Have had great success baking by temperature rather than time. Would it be possible for you to include a temperature when done?
Hi William! We find that temperature isn’t the best indicator for cakes – the toothpick test or bounce back test are generally the most reliable for cakes. However, about 210°F is usually about right.
This cake is DELICIOUS. My friends and family raved about this cake. One friend even told me that this cake is so good that I could sell it for a lot of money, and she would totally buy it from me. I was hesitant about the cream cheese frosting (not a huge cream cheese fan) and debated between making the cream cheese frosting vs. the butter cream. Anyways, I ended up making the cream cheese frosting and it is DELICIOUS. Like seriously SO GOOD. I don’t even like frosting, and I could barely control myself from eating the whole thing as I was “tasting” it. I am not embarrassed to admit that I licked the whisk and bowl. I did use only 1.5 cups of powdered sugar and it was plenty sweet. My friends and family appreciated that the cake was “not too sweet” but still sweet enough with a strong, pure strawberry flavor. Definitely use vine ripened strawberries from the farm (you want them to be red red). The only minus is that my cake ended up being a beigy-greyish pink even though the batter was vivid pink before baking (baking really washed out the pink color!), but it was my choice to not use any artificial color. I did also cook the strawberry puree for about 35 to 40 minutes. I cooked it down until the puree concentrate thickened to the point that it coated and stuck to my spoon without dripping off (like a thick jam). Sally, I am SUPER IMPRESSED by this recipe, which is your first recipe I have ever tried. Thank you for helping me impress my friends and family. 🙂
This strawberry cake was a huge it with our family of six. You have so many great recipes, that are family favorites. That is no easy feat in a family of six. THANKS
Can I substitute strawberries for blueberries?
Hi Sierra, yes, many readers have reported success doing so using blueberries and freeze dried blueberries. Let us know if you give it a go!
This is a fantastic recipe! I made it for my son’s birthday and everyone love it.