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.
Keywords: strawberries, pink
Have you ever considered dividing the butter with oil? I’ve made different types of cakes before, and like your muffin recipes, oil seems to keep leftovers moister, longer. Any recommendations or thoughts?
★★★★★
Second time I’ve made this recipe and turned them into cake pops. It’s almost a shame to crumble the cake into the frosting BUT the flavor is unbeatable. Everyone always comments on how fresh these taste. Thanks for the delicious strawberry cake and frosting recipe
★★★★★
8″, 3 layer an option here?
Hi Bridget, 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.
Can we make the purée a few days in advance or will it spoil? Thanks!
Hi Talar, You can make it a few days ahead of time and store it covered in the refrigerator or cover and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw before using in the recipe.
I loved this recipe! I have a question: Can your strategy with the strawberries (reduce a purée down) be applied to other fruits as well? Thinking about peaches specifically.
Hi, Tim! We haven’t tried it, but many readers have had success doing so with other fruits like blueberries and raspberries. If you try with peaches, please do let us know how it goes. Otherwise, you might enjoy this peach Bundt cake as well!
I loved your recipes and tried your chocolate and marble cakes which were awesome which is now my go to recipes even my friends love them.
I was confident enough to make this strawberry cake but this time something went wrong I followed the recipe and the cake turned out quite dense I don’t know what I did wrong. This one was for my friends birthday and I feel so sad. I never have a problem following your recipes because they are quite clear and love how you put all the details in them.
Thanks for your hard work.
Hi Kalpana, thank you so much for giving this one a try! It’s possible that the batter was over-mixed or perhaps the butter was too warm to cream properly, making the cake a bit dense. Something that always helps with this cake batter (we use it for other flavor cakes) is reducing the egg whites down to 4 instead of 5. No other changes necessary. Additionally, see if this page helps: How to Prevent a Dry or Dense Cake
Delicious!!! I made this for my daughter’s 4th birthday party. I used the strawberry buttercream icing and this was so tasty with a perfect strawberry flavor.
★★★★★
Hi, I want to bake a strawberry bento cake. Do you have a recipe for that?
Hi Arpita, we do not, but here is our strawberry cupcake recipe that you may want to use to make smaller cakes.
I made this cake last year with my home-grown strawberries – it was a MASSIVE hit! This year I want to show it off at a cake stall at my kids’ school fair, so I feel muffins would be easier if everyone’s standing around.
How would I need to adjust the recipe for a muffin batter?
Thanks in advance!!
★★★★★
Hi Hedy, see recipe notes for details on making this recipe into cupcakes!
Hi Mrs Sally, I made this recipe a few months ago for my church family. This recipe is awesome! This was the best cake I’ve ever made! It was very challenging. I worked with ingredients I’d never worked with before and it really took me out of my comfort zone. Thank so much for the notes . They were a great help.
I love this cake! It turned out Fabulous. It should be named Strawberry Dream Cake because it’s everything you ever wished a strawberry cake could be. Thanks Sally for this recipe. Your hard work paid off in so many ways.
★★★★★
Hi I’ve been wanting make Neopolitan marble cupcakes and was wondering if I could use this batter with your marble cupcake recipe.
Hi Sherry, we haven’t tested it but can’t see why not!
I’ve done this recipe a few times and have had enthusiastic responses – especially from our friends who are foodies. The part about the freeze-dried strawberries is important.
I put a touch of lemon juice in the strawberry while I’m cooking it down, and use an immersion blender to puree the mixture in the pot on to stove top. It seems to take longer to make the puree than it does to make the cake!
The only negative is that the Microsoft pdf writer doesn’t print the entire recipe listed on the website, leaving out a few important ingredients and most of step 5 in the baking instructions.
★★★★★
Hi
Is it possible to make this cake with no egg for someone with egg allergy?
Does aquafaba do the job that the egg whites do in this cake?
If no, what can be alternatives to egg whites?
Hi Amy, we haven’t tested this cake with any egg substitutes so we can’t speak to the results with alternatives like aquafaba. If you do any experimenting, we’d love to know how it goes. If you’re interested, here are all of our naturally egg-free recipes.
Loved this cake so much! My husband felt the cake flavor was lacking a little. Any tips to make the flavor pop a bit more? Would layering some strawberries in the middle work well? The frosting is incredible!
★★★★
Hi Taylor, We haven’t tried this recipe ourselves, but this strawberry cake filling recipe looks delicious and would be great between the layers: https://www.carveyourcraving.com/strawberry-filling-for-cake/. We also enjoy spreading/swirling in some strawberry jam on top of the buttercream layers or you could use strawberries as you mention. A splash of strawberry extract is an option, too. Let us know what you try!
I’m looking to make some lunchbox cakes and will need to out many circles, so I am going to use a sheet pan. Any bake time recommendations?
Hi Ellie! See recipe notes for baking directions for a 9×13 cake. For other sheet pan sizes, this cake pan sizes and conversions guide should help.
This was a perfect 6th birthday cake. Everyone said it tasted very fresh, which is ironic since I made the cake and froze it 2 weeks in advance (made the frosting and frosted the cake the day before serving). I used 3 9” layers, and the amount of frosting was perfect. The strawberries took me way longer to reduce on the stove, so be prepared for that just in case. It’s definitely worth it though.
★★★★★
Can I add fresh chopped up or blended smooth strawberries to the frosting instead of freeze dried strawberries?
Hi Natalie, Fresh strawberries won’t work in the frosting because the frosting will curdle from the added moisture. The freeze dried strawberries will grind to a fine powder.
This cake turned out amazing! I made it for my friend’s birthday and everyone loved it and my daughter wants one for her birthday. Thank you for the recipe.
★★★★★
Any ideas for what I can do with the 5 egg yolks!!??
Hi Elisa, lemon curd is always a fantastic option for leftover egg yolks! Or here are all of our recipes that call for egg yolks.
What could be used instead of sour cream or yoghurt to keep the cake ambient? I would be using a buttercream instead of frosting to avoid the cream cheese.
Hi Kath, either of those options should be used in this cake to achieve the intended texture. My team and I haven’t tested alternatives.
If I were going to use strawberry jam instead, what proportions would I use? am not able to make the puree and wanted to try a jam
Hi Rachel, Strawberry jam does not produce the same amount of flavor as the reduced strawberry puree. For best results, we recommend following the recipe for the cake batter using strawberry puree. You can however, spread a bit of your jam between the layers for extra flavor!
Hi! Would this be ok to bake as a bundt cake?
Hi Madison, 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!
Hi. What do you mean by “9×13 inch” pan? Very wide and very deep…? Or am I missing something?
Hi Adrian, 9×13 inches is the dimension of the pan, also known as a quarter sheet pan. Typically that size pan is 2 inches deep.
Would this work using blueberries instead of strawberries?
Hi Kaitlyn, yes! Many readers have had success making a blueberry cake in the same way, with reduced blueberry puree in the batter and freeze dried blueberries in the frosting. Let us know if you give it a try!
This recipe was gold! The cake turned out beautifully!
★★★★★
Hi! What would you recommend as substitutes to make this dairy free?
Hi Hannah, we haven’t tested this recipe with dairy-free alternatives, but several readers have commented that they’ve used almond milk and it’s turned out great. Let us know if you try anything and how it turns out!
Hi
Love your recipes. Especially the tiramisu.
I made this cake today but it’s not even close to being pink… I used 0.5kg of strawberries and 2 drops of red food color. And it doesn’t taste along like strawberries. Where do you think it went wrong? My guess is not enough strawberries or I had bad quality of strawberries.
Hi Arty! Yes, the strawberries you begin with will have a big impact on color and flavor. Bright, fresh summer berries are best. We do recommend using gel food coloring for more vibrant colors. And also keep in mind that the cake is lightly strawberry flavored, but the strawberry buttercream frosting really kicks up the flavor. The two combined are perfection!
Followed the recipe exactly. It was absolutely perfect in every way. The frosting was incredible and so pretty. This is THE strawberry cake to make.
★★★★★
I just made it again for the 2nd time. It’s even better than I remember. I would not change a thing. My birthday is next week…I might just have to make my own birthday cake!
★★★★★
I made this cake for a group. They loved it . I did not. It was a heavy cake,and the frosting much too sweet due to the freeze dried strawberries.
★
I was wondering if instead of the puree, can freeze dried strawberries be used? I just made your Strawberry frosting with the freeze dried fruit. That was very yummy and tasty.
Thank you.
Hi Louie, we don’t recommend adding the freeze dried strawberries to the batter. We did and the taste, texture, and appearance were lacking. Strawberry puree is best for the batter portion of this recipe.