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 Jean! Great question and thanks for asking! I often use a whisk for this cake batter to help combine the varying textures of room temperature ingredients. It often takes a bit more to combine butter, liquid-y egg whites, and sour cream– and a whisk really helps!
this strawberry cake recipe is genius! it is delicious!
even my kids (who generally dislike cake) request it for their birthdays!
Hey, fellow Marylander! I just made this today…I took some of the cake top I removed for leveling and some of the icing to see what I created…OMG! This is outrageous! I made the puree yesterday to save time. Another very moist cake from you (I made the red velvet for July 4th). This will be a huge hit at the cookout tonight!
Fantastic reaction – it was described as a Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake!!
Amazing! Made this cake for my sons 4th Birthday party yesterday as he requested a strawberry cake with strawberry icing and strawberries on top! This cake had everyone asking for the recipe. Making the pistachio cupcakes with strawberry icing for his actual birthday on Friday. Thank you again Sally for a fabulous cake!
Amazing strawberry flavor! My husband said this is a close second to his all time favorite cake – pineapple upside cake. I got rave reviews from all my friends. I added a layer of fresh whipped cream which added a beautiful compliment to the strawberry flavor. Thank you for a wonderful recipe! I’m making it again for the second time in a week. My only pry was a very wet cake – I’m at 5,350 ft elevation. Going to try a small amount of additional flour.
Sorry I meant to leAve 5 stars lol Do you think substituting regular milk for buttermilk could work just as good ?
You can definitely use buttermilk– same amount!
Hi Sally,
I’m making a two tier cake for my daughter’s birthday. Do you think this cake is dense enough to be stacked for a tiered cake?
Thank you!
Yes! Readers have used this cake for tiered cakes with great results.
I just made this as a two-layer 9×13 cake for my daughter’s birthday. Followed your instructions exactly, just doubled everything. Best. Cake. Ever. Guests thought it was a secret family recipe it was so good. Definitely a keeper!
I’ve been looking for that perfect strawberry cake recipe and I found it! The strawberry puree and the freeze dried strawberry dust in the frosting, create amazing flavor. Thank you for your detailed, step by step instructions!
So delicious! Thank you for sharing!
I made this cake for a coworkers birthday at her request. I try to cook from scratch as much as possible. When she requested a strawberry cake, I searched for a recipe online. Yours was the only one that used real ingredients. Boxed cake mix in my house is grounds for divorce. It was delicious! Nothing left but crumbs! They loved the fact that the cake and icing had just the right amount of sweetness. Definitely making this again! Thank you!
Hi Sally!
I’m making this cake and plan to use a 12×2 inch round cake pan. How many times would I need to make this recipe to have enough batter. I plan on making it 3 layers but not torting the layers. So I’ll need to bake 3 individual layers and make it about 5 inches tall.
Thank You!
Hi Cristina! Something tells me that 2 batches of the batter (made separately) should be enough for the cake you’re making. Let me know how it turns out!
Hi Sally! Could you try this with other fruits, as well as strawberries? I want to make a blueberry cake that is blue/purple in color (as opposed to a vanilla or lemon cake with whole blueberries)- could I replace the strawberries with blueberries for a similar result?
Hi Lili! Some readers have used other fruits such as mango, blueberries, and raspberries. Go ahead at try it! Feel free to tint the batter blue/purple if you’d like.
Thank you for this recipe Sally! So good! I’m making your zebra cake plus this strawberry cream cheese frosting
As I’m making 3 layers of 9” cakes, how much more for the frosting should I make?
It didn’t say in the ingredients, but should the milk be room temp too?
Also found the frosting still too sweet. When I make red velvet cupcakes, it usually calls for 8 oz cream cheese and 2 cups of sugar only. Can I do the same ratio? What will happen if I use less sugar?
Thank you!!!
Hi Liz! You can 1.5x this frosting recipe for a 3 layer cake. If using less sugar, the frosting may not hold together very well but you can certainly try it. The milk in the frosting does not need to be room temperature. Let me know how it goes!
Hi, Sally! I made this cake for a party this weekend — everyone LOVED it. The fresh strawberry taste was amazing, and the texture was perfect. Thanks for this delicious recipe and the helpful video. I’ll definitely be making this cake again!
HI Sally,
I love your recipes! I’ve tried many of them. Have you ever tried adding balsamic to the strawberries for a stronger flavor? I love it in gelato but not sure how the vinegar will act in a cake. Also, I’m searching for a good coconut lime cake recipe:)
Julie
Hi Julie! I haven’t, but now I’m intrigued. Let me know what you try!
Outstanding step-by-step instructions !! Thx for that My reduction took closer to 40 mins … aside from that // this cake turned out incredible ❤️
Can you use butter milk instead of the sour cream & milk and would it be an equal substitute?
Hi Michael! The buttermilk substitution would be fine in this strawberry cake recipe.
Many thanks for this amazing recipe! I made it (as cupcakes) for my daughters 12 th birthday party this past weekend and it was a hit! Kids and adults alike! I’ve never had strawberry baked goods that truly tasted like strawberries until now! So thanks for helping me give my girl an amazing treat!
I made the frosting with freeze-dried blueberries and oh my goodness, it was so tasty! Just the right amount of sweetness. I can’t wait to try it with every freeze-dried fruit I can find! (I made it to go with your vanilla cake which was also delicious! Made it for my son’s 1st birthday and he ate the whole thing up!)
A great tasting cake!! One small change I made was adding in a tablespoon of the strawberry puree into the frosting instead of that second tablespoon of milk!
This cake looks Delicious!! and the dehydrated strawberries are a super creative touch! I was hoping to make this this weekened but I have a bit of a problem. My coworkers don’t like cream cheese frosting (too sweet for them) and I was thinking buttercream might work better as there will be layers of banana pudding in between. do you think adding the dehydrated strawberries to your buttercream would turn out alright?
Yes yes yes! Here is my strawberry buttercream recipe (no cream cheese) — you’ll need to at least 1.5x the recipe to yield enough for the cake.
I made this to share with friends on Memorial Day! I don’t make full sized cakes very often. I usually stick to cupcakes and cookies… so this was out of my comfort zone. My cakes sunk in the middle and I was tempted to toss them in the trash because they didn’t look quite right. But- the frosting was SO tasty that I decided to still go ahead and put the cake together and hide my imperfections with frosting. Despite the sunken cakes and lopsided final product, my friends LOVED the cake and so did I! It was incredibly moist and had a strong, fresh strawberry flavor. I’ll definitely to make this again and try for a prettier final product! lol
How do you find the cake to hold up when stacked? Also, when cut, does it hold together well or crumble? I have attempted a different recipe last year and my cake literally fell apart because it was so moist when cut.
Hi Stacey! I’ve never experienced crumbling issues when slicing into this 2 layer cake. I’ve used this recipe as a base for other flavors as well (pistachio cake and white cake) and haven’t had issues either!
Hi Sally, I tried your recipe today twice. For the first time I found my kitchen aid bowl is probably too big compared to yours and it couldn’t beat very well as the material is most in the bottom. And after I dumped all cold egg whites in there and beat, it all became thin and soupy. The butter separated the whole time since then and the cake turned out oily and low. Then I tried for the second time. I used my electric beater instead, and butter and sugar incorporated very well and I added egg whites one by one and beat well every time until I added sour cream. The whole mixture looks a bit thin again. The cake turned out better this time though. I think I’ll try the recipe again some time soon and really follow your steps and watch the butter mixture from separating. Just one point, shall we add egg whites one by one and beat well after each add? Just like adding eggs when making pound cake. Otherwise the mixture could easily separate and becomes thin and the cake won’t turn out fluffy and tasty.
Thanks!
So delicious and moist. I can’t stop eating it.
I love this recipe! This cake os so spongy! I just did some late night baking for a couple of cakes I need for this weekend and I can’t wait to put them together! I don’t ever write reviews but I had to this time! I jumped on the Keto bandwagon so unfortunately I won’t be eating but who knows maybe I’ll just have to cheat! Thank you so much for this recipe!!
This, hands down, one of the most delicious cakes I’ve not only every made in my whole entire life, but one of the most delicious cakes I’ve EVER eaten. This is a fantastic recipe. Thank you so much! I am already scheming ways to use the same principals in other ways (reducing pureed fresh fruit, pulverizing freeze dried fruit). This is a stand out. YUM
Hi Sally,
I made this strawberry cake and it came out really well! Very soft and spongy. My strawberry puree took just under 20 mins to reduce down! Next time I will try the frosting part.
Thank u for such a wonderful recipe! Perfect for this season
Really terrific cake. I followed the directions to a T and the cake came out perfect. So full of delicious strawberry flavor, a light fluffy crumb, and the frosting is perfection. Highly recommended! Thanks Sally!