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
I recently made this cake with the frosting! Out of this world amazing! I kept the frosting out of the middle and added homemade sweetened strawberry glaze! Just so moist and delicious all around & fun to make!
I made this cake exactly as stated. I really wanted to love it but I found it dry and definitely not worth the time it took to make it. So disappointed with this recipe!
Hi Kathy, we’re sorry to hear that this cake didn’t turn out for you. A dry cake can be caused by many factors; the 2 most likely culprits are over-baking, or over-measuring the flour. You can check out this post on preventing a dry or dense cake for next time if you decide to give it another go. Thank you again for giving it a try and let us know if we can help troubleshoot further!
I’ve made this several years in a row for my daughter’s birthday and it’s always a big hit! This year, she suddenly said she wants a blueberry cake instead… thoughts on replacing the strawberry puree with blueberry?
Blueberries should work well, Karin! You may be able to find freeze dried blueberries for the frosting as well – I’ve had luck finding them at Target in the past.
I made a different strawberry cupcake recipe and was underwhelmed by the flavor. Now I’m looking at your website and I’d like to try this recipe or your strawberry cupcake recipe. I plan to make both a cake and cupcakes, but would like to stick with one recipe. I see the differences in the recipes themselves, but I’m wondering if there is a noticeable difference in the taste between your strawberry cake and strawberry cupcake recipes. Besides the frosting, is one sweeter than the other or have a stronger strawberry flavor? Could both be used for a cake or cupcakes?
Hi Jacqui! The cupcakes from this strawberry cupcakes recipe are most similar to the cake. Both would work well for cupcakes or a cake. The natural strawberry flavor is a little subtle, so we do recommend making the strawberry frosting to really boost the fresh strawberry flavor of the cake/cupcakes. And make sure to start with ripe, sweet strawberries for best flavor.
Hi! Can I swirl the strawberry purée in instead of fully mixing it in? Just to create some swirls. Thanks!
Hi Meiëve, we don’t recommend it—swirling it in could cause some patches of extra wetness, while the other parts of the cake crumb could be a bit dry without the moisture from the puree. It’s best to fully mix it in here. Hope you enjoy the cake!
I was so excited to try this Homemade Strawberry Cake for my granddaugher’s 13th birthday. Luckily I made a dry run today to make sure it would be what I was looking for. The directions were easy to follow and the ingredients sounded great, but unfortunately it was not a winner. I followed all the directions word by word, but my cake turned out to be way too “fluffy.” Does that make sense? It is so fluffy it just about was falling apart as I cut a slice. In addition the flavor was not the best. The batter looked perfect, just like in your pictures–a beautiful pink color. When baked the cake was a dull darker color, not the pretty pink I was expecting. I have made many recipes of yours that are perfection. I don’t know what I did wrong with this one. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi MaryAnne! I had missed your question and comment last month! I really appreciate you giving this recipe a test run before the big day—and I’m sorry it didn’t turn out as expected! The texture you described does make sense. This cake can lean on the delicate side, especially if it’s slightly over-mixed or if the strawberry purée had a little extra liquid. Next time, try reducing the purée a bit longer on the stove so it’s thick and concentrated, and make sure to measure the flour using the spoon-and-level method. That will help create a sturdier crumb. As for the color, the natural strawberry color always darkens a bit when baked. Did you use food coloring? The pictured cake has a bit of food coloring. I’m glad you’ve had success with other recipes, and I’m sorry this one was disappointing.
I did not like this cake. It was very dense. I bake cakes all the time as a hobby, and I know to avoid over mixing and over baking, so that was not my issue. I think the egg whites and sugar beat together gave the cake a dense, sticky, merengue-like quality. If I made it again, I would beat the egg whites separately and fold in as another reviewer suggested. I also really did not like the frosting. It was overpoweringly sweet, even after I added some lemon zest. There was also barely enough of it to ice the cake, and none left for piped decorations. It also took me 2 lb, not 1 lb of strawberries to get 1/2 c reduction. Just not for me.
This cake was a huge hit at my daughter’s birthday party this weekend. We usually do the boxed strawberry cake since it’s her favorite, but we made the from scratch version this time and it was absolutely worth the effort. Thanks for another fantastic recipe, Sally!
Hi Sally, can I use organic whole wheat pastry flour? If not, I can do the suggested all-purpose + cornstarch combo to sub for cake flour.
Thanks!
Hi Stefanie, we haven’t tested this cake with whole wheat pastry flour, so are unsure of the result. Most whole wheat pastry flour has about 9-11% protein content, while cake flour has a lower protein content (usually in the 6-8% range), so it would likely result in a denser cake–but again, we haven’t tested it ourselves so don’t know for sure!
Are there any substitutions for the egg whites by chance?
Hi Sarah, we haven’t tested this cake with any egg substitutes so we can’t speak to the results with any alternatives. 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.
I can see it works for others but I’ve baked it twice now and both times it’s been really claggey and tasteless, I’ve reduced the strawberry down to jam consistency the second time and did not add in the milk and it’s hardly risen.
I bake often so know it’s not my oven. I just can’t work out why it’s not working for me.
Oh you can bake a cake my friend! I wont be able to taste test until Eleanor’s 11th birthday tomorrow. My comment is how wonderfully you explain each step……It made me less afraid to try this beautiful confection!
Hey folks, what d’yall do with all the egg yolks? I’m wanting g to make this recipe but don’t want to waste leftover egg yolks, lol, yep I’m that person.
Hi Janine, Here are all of our recipes that use egg yolks.
I have made this cake many times and each time it is fantastic. In fact, this is the only cake my fiance requests for his birthday every year. If I could give this recipe more than 5 stars I would!
I made this cake today to celebrate my 67th birthday and was also so excited that your cookbook was going to ship, and I pre-ordered back in April 2025. However, I received an email from Amazon that the cookbook is out of stock so I guess I’m not going to get my birthday present after all.
Hi Sheri, Happy birthday! We are SO sorry this happened yesterday. The publisher spent all day trying to get to the bottom of why it happened. It sounds like what happened was an issue with a duplicate listing on Amazon, so some preorders that went through that duplicate listing were canceled. Amazon assured the publisher that they have plenty of stock available, so if you place a new order, they will have no problem filling it (and you should never have been charged, as they don’t charge your credit card until your book ships). Again, we are really, really sorry, and cannot thank you enough for your support in preordering, and for your patience and understanding!
Hello! I’d love to make this for my daughter’s 3rd birthday (obsessed with strawberries!). I’ve got 3 8inchx3inch fat Daddio pans. If I double this recipe will it be enough to fit in them? Thank you!
Hi Nirvana, for best results, we recommend making 2 separate batches rather than doubling. Fill your pans half way and use any leftover batter for cupcakes on the side. Same oven temperature, but bake time should be just a few minutes shorter. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Hope the cake is a hit!
Thank you soo much for your reply!! Can’t wait to make it!
Anyone reading the comments like me, trying to decide if this is the best recipe to choose based on the 4.7 stars it is rated, just do it! I made this yesterday for a birthday and I was nervous. Everyone raved about it! My boyfriend’s sister even texted me today to tell me I’m a phenomenal baker. I followed the recipe exactly and the only thing I will say is I should have added more food coloring in the batter. The cake didn’t turn out pink but the frosting made up for it. Either way it was absolutely moist and delicious and the flavor of the frosting complimented it perfectly. Thank you!
If an Ogre like me can make a cake that Incredible, it will be because someone researched and developed a precision recipe like this one that raises the bar soooo very high , my family now will expect this level of commitment daily. The delicate cake is way too perfect to serve to ordinary humans. I feel like a failure just because it was the greatest cake i have ever made. The strawberry buttercream frosting is certanly the most delicate i ever made. I have already ordered more freeze dried strawberries cause winter is days away. I cannot possibly continue with this level of baking so i will check back time to time after i order freeze dried peaches, i will check back later.
You knocked one out of the park , Sally, Thank You,
The Ogre Chef.
Made this twice and everyone loved it.
Could this be made with blueberries or raspberries as well?
Hi Darren, absolutely! You can use fresh/frozen blueberries/raspberries to make a puree for the cake and freeze-dried blueberries/raspberries for the frosting. Enjoy!
You’re so talented! Every recipe is pure magic! My daughter wanted a pink cake for her 3rd birthday and it is literally perfect and so delicious!
hi! are the layers freezable?
Absolutely! Here’s our guide to freezing cakes.
This one was a winner. So delicious and fresh. It took quite awhile to reduce the strawberries enough, but the final weight measurement was helpful for this rule follower! I recommend.
I can only comment on the cake part of the recipe – but this cake is so so special to me and I highly recommend it. The strawberry reduction may be a bit time consuming but the batter is foolproof and bakes with such a delicious and soft crumb. The strawberry flavor is subtle and I have now used it as my wedding cake as well as one for my best friend. Hopefully next time I make it it will not be for a tiered cake and I can try out the strawberry frosting as it looks delicious!!
Can I make the strawberry puree in advance and then refrigerate or freeze it until ready to use? How long will it keep in the fridge? And if it has to be frozen how do I thaw it out properly
Hi Jessie, You can 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 overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, then use in the recipe.
Why is there an asterisk next to the whole milk ingredient? I may have missed it, but I didn’t see an accompanying asterisk comment elsewhere and want to be sure I don’t miss anything. Thank you!
Hi Dana! An asterisk indicates a corresponding recipe Note after the instructions. In this case: Whole Milk: If needed, buttermilk works in its place. I don’t recommend a lower-fat milk. Hope this helps!
I want to use two 7.5 rounds instead – anyone happen to know how the bake time would differ?
Hi Dana, the bake time will be longer. We’ve used 8 inch cake pans here successfully, but haven’t tested 7.5 inch rounds. The cakes may be a little too thick but we can’t say for sure. If you have three 7.5 inch pans, you could make a three layer cake. Let us know what you try!
Thank you!!
If I were to make this into a 13×9 pan cake, do I adjust the amounts of ingredients?
Hi Cassie, see the recipe notes for 9×13-Inch Cake instructions! Happy baking!
Just wondering if you can double the cake recipe to make 4 layers or should you just make two different batches? Thank you
We would make two batches for best results!
I’ve made this cake twice now and have added it to my book of favorite recipes. The frosting is SO flavorful. I didn’t change a thing either time and it came out perfectly. Huge hit with all ages. Slam dunk recipe!!
Hi Sally!
Looking to make this into a bundt cake if possible! Do you know what size pan I would use, and how long to bake for? TIA!
Hi Cassie, 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. Most of our bundt cake recipes take between 55-70 minutes. Enjoy!
Overall we enjoyed this cake. The one issue is the cake came out quite dense, rather than fluffy. I’m not sure what happened, but if I were to guess it might have been better to beat the egg whites first and then add them in to the cake batter. The taste was great, and it’s nice to have a strawberry cake that isn’t filled with chemicals. Would welcome suggestions on making if lighter and more airy rather than pound cake like.
Hi Larry, happy to help troubleshoot. A dense cake can be caused by many factors; the most likely culprits are over-mixing the batter, over-baking (which would also make the cake dry), or over-measuring the flour. When you over-mix, the gluten in the flour develops too much, creating a tough, rubbery texture instead of the light and airy one you want in a cake. You can check out this post on preventing a dry or dense cake for next time if you decide to give it another go. Thank you again for giving it a try and let us know if we can help troubleshoot further!
I just made this cake and I noticed in the instructions that it doesn’t include adding the milk and I only realized this after I had my pan in the oven. I’m thinking mine is gonna come out quite dense as well. It did feel thick going into the pans, but because it is mentioned in the recipe that the batter will be thick. I assumed that it was normal.
See the middle of step 4! With the mixer still running on low, slowly pour in the milk *just* until combined.