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. We scaled it down to frost these strawberry cookies, too!
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
Earlier in this recipe, it states to cook the cake for 24 to 25 minutes. After cooking the cake for that time and letting it cool, I could see that it was not done even though the toothpick was lean. I read further down in the tips and it states to cook the cake for 40 minutes. Is this just a typo.
Hi Sharon, the recipe above is for two 9 inch cake pans. The recipe Notes give instructions for baking the batter in a 9×13 cake pan, with a bake time of about 40 minutes. Regardless, you should always check your cakes with a toothpick to test for doneness. Hope this helps!
The ingredients says 454 grams of strawberries, then put in blender to get 270 grams. This doesn’t make sense as just blending something doesn’t reduce the weight. I think the weight of both should say 270 grams. We blended 454 grams of fresh strawberries and it makes far more than a cup and only reduced down to about 220 grams.
Hi Jennifer, sorry for the confusion! We recommend starting with 1 lb. of berries; after hulling, the weight will decrease. The recipe also accounts for the fact that a little bit of strawberry puree will be left behind in the blender or food processor. The important part is you have 1/2 cup of reduced puree going into the batter. Hope this helps!
I’ve made this cake 3 times now and every time it keeps getting better. I would definitely do the freeze dried strawberries in the frosting. I’ve tried both ways that are suggested and you can tell a difference. Everyone I have fed this cake to has fallen in love with it. I just cannot recommend this recipe enough
Would this cake hold up for layered strawberry shortcake?
It should, yes! Here’s our single layer strawberry shortcake cake you may enjoy as well, or our fresh berry cream cake (both using vanilla cakes).
Is it possible to do a pink ombré effect with this particular frosting?
Hi Diana, you could use some gel food coloring to tint the frosting different shades of pink for an ombre effect.
Always love this recipe, but wondering if the purée would be fine if it were frozen and then thawed before use? Or might it become too watery?
Hi Damien, you can freeze the puree. Thaw, bring to room temperature, then use in the recipe.
Hello. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes! Can this be made into a three layer cake?
Hi Melissa, for a 3-layer cake, you can make 1.5x the batter to evenly distribute across 3 pans. Enjoy!
I probably should have read all the way through to see that there was an adapted version of this recipe for cupcakes, but I used this recipe for cupcakes. Either way, this recipe is wonderful! Beautiful crumb, soft, strawberry-forward, and pretty to look at. This will be my go-to for strawberry cake from now on.
Could I sub mascarpone for the cream cheese?
Hi Olivia, You can substitute mascarpone for the cream cheese, yes.
This has been my go-to recipe that both my kids have now requested for their birthday cakes every year for 5 years! Are there good substitutes for the yogurt and eggs if I want to try making it vegan? I know I can use plant-based butter but those are the ingredients I’m not sure how to replace.
Hi Diane, we’re so glad this is a favorite for you! We haven’t tested a vegan version, so we’re unsure what substitutes might work best. If you decide to try anything, please do let us know how it goes.
How would I alter the recipe to make a 9 x 13 cake?
Hi Katie, 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.
Making this cake today for my girlfriend,
I do not have a paddle attachment on my hand mixer. Would the normal whisk still work for the batter?
Hi Emmanuel, that should be fine!
Made the cake for her and sshe loved it! The cake itself was a little bit dense to me though. Any tipo on that front?
I made this recipe for my daughter’s birthday. It was very easy to make and the directions are clear. I never thought o could make a cake from scratch and it got rave reviews from everyone!
Is this cake easy to level 3 layers ? i’m thinking of making it in one 8inch pan and then level 3 layers from it but considering it is different than genoise or chiffon because it has butter can i level them easily or it will collapse?
We do not recommend putting all of this batter into one 8 inch pan. For a 3 layer cake, you can make 1.5x the batter to evenly distribute across 3 pans. Enjoy!
I’ve made this cake more than once and I love it. Has anyone tried subbing the strawberries for raspberries? I’m thinking of trying that.
Hi Summer, yes, you can absolutely use frozen raspberries to make a puree instead of strawberries. You can use freeze dried raspberries in the frosting. Enjoy!
This is just a review for the frosting, because I used a strawberry cake recipe from another site based on ingredients on hand / ease of recipe (I don’t enjoy separating egg yolks & whites if I don’t have to). Anyway, the frosting is awesome. Mine turned out lighter than yours — I should’ve added some food coloring. I got my dehydrated strawberries from Amazon and blitzed them in a coffee grinder.
I tried this in a bundt pan and it did not translate well. I may have over cooked it a bit – the edges were a bit hardened and crispy but they did soften overnight. I did not like the contrast between the edges and the center. Can this be made with whole eggs? Would that give it a more even texture?
Hi Charlotte, this strawberry cake batter fits nicely into a 10 cup or larger Bundt cake pan. Most of our bundt cake recipes take between 55-70 minutes. Whole eggs would make this a very heavy dense cake.
Delicious…but aesthetically a little disappointing, as my layers didn’t rise much and one of them collapsed in the middle, which may have been more due to my oven than the recipe (although some “prevention” tips would be helpful!). I also used granulated honey in the cake which altered the color somewhat to pink with yellow/brown undertones, but even with white powdered sugar the frosting turned out an orangey color, due to the yellow, grass-fed butter I used. For this I will try using more strawberry powder next time (and btw I ordered this from Anthony’s Goods – no pulsing required!). Nonetheless the cake received raves and I may well make another when it’s gone, to use up the plethora of farm-share strawberries I’ve had in my fridge.
I can never understand it when someone downgrades the stars for a recipe when they have significantly changed the recommended ingredients. It’s only fair to the author to base your rating on the actual recipe that was posted.
My cake fell a little in the middle. Was a tiny bit claggy. I’m making it again this weekend. Any suggestions to avoid these two things?
Hi Jill, Sinking cakes are often because the outer edges are fully cooked but the center is not. This can be from simply not baking it long enough, or because your oven is too hot causing it to rise rapidly even though it’s not actually cooked in the center. Sometimes sunken cakes can also be due to over-beating the batter. Be sure to mix until the wet and dry ingredients are just incorporated. You can visit our post on 10 Tips for the Perfect Cake for more troubleshooting.
Second time making this cake and unfortunately, for the effort and I bake regularly, it just didn’t work for me; it was not special. The crumb was heavy, and despite seeking out the freeze dried strawberries and carefully reducing the puréed strawberries, the strawberry flavour remained somewhat hidden (and I served it with fresh strawberry slices). Strawberry flavour is just difficult if not impossible in MHO to replicate in cake form without actually adding real strawberries, fresh, to the dessert, and usually some kind of cream is required to enhance. Cream cheese sweet icing not a great accompaniment to the delicate taste of strawberries, again my opinion. Won’t repeat.
My son is asking for a vanilla/strawberry marble cake for his birthday. I love your vanilla cake recipe. Would I be able to marble this recipe with that one?
I made this cake, by request, for my daughter’s birthday. I was a huge success! What would you suggest, if anything, I could use in place of the strawberry puree to make a varied version of this cake?
Hi Yoli, absolutely! You can use fresh/frozen blueberries/raspberries to make a puree for the cake and freeze-dried blueberries/raspberries for the frosting. Enjoy!
I am making a unicorn cake for my daughter’s birthday. Normally I see those type of recipes call for using 6″ pans and 3 layers. But I feel like that won’t be a big enough cake for all of the guests coming. If I made a 4 layer 8″ cake (because I have 8″ pans) using this recipe should I just double the recipe? And do you think it would make it too dense?
Hi Cara! Other bakers have reported making a 4 layer cake here, but we have not tested it ourselves. We suggest making the batter twice and baking 4 layers. Dowels will help secure the tall cake if it seems wobbly at all during assemble.
This recipe is delicious! The extra steps taken to make it unique are worth it! I needed a 3-layer so used 8” pans. I also added a layer of uncooked cheesecake using only half the box. My daughter, who speaks Spanish, named it Fresa Sorpresa(Strawberry Surprise).
I’m planning on making this cake for my dad’s birthday. How big is the cake? I want to put it in a glass cake holder.
Hi Courtney, If making the cake as pictured, you will use 9 inch round cake pans.
I would love to do this cake, but also decorate it. Can i pipe swiss meringue buttercream on top of it to decorate it?
Hi Roxanne, Yes you can!
Thank you so much for the fast reply!
You don’t use any oil for moisture in this cake.
Hi Monica, correct, this cake is made with butter. Would love to hear how it goes if you give it a try!
Hello! If I wanted to make a smaller cake (two 6-in layers) should I use this recipe or the strawberry cupcake recipe? What is the difference between the cake recipes? Thank you! Note: I will just toss the extra batter that is not needed.
Hi Laura, For a 3 layer, 6 inch cake, you can use the batter from these strawberry cupcakes and use the baking instructions for 6 inch cakes. The cake and cupcakes are very similar, just a different yield. You can discard the leftover batter or make a few cupcakes on the side. Enjoy!
I want to make this in a love heart shape cake tin measuring 7inches at widest point and 3 inches high. Is this quantity of batter too much?
Hi Rita, this will be too much cake batter. You could halve the cake batter, fill the pan half way (not full), and then use any leftover batter for a few cupcakes on the side. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, so keep a close eye on it and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Can I add strawberry filling to the inside? What’s your advice on doing that?
Hi Shar, We haven’t tried this recipe ourselves, but this strawberry cake filling recipe looks delicious: https://www.carveyourcraving.com/strawberry-filling-for-cake/. We also enjoy spreading/swirling in some strawberry jam on top of the buttercream layers as well. Let us know what you try!
Would it work to use frozen strawberries and blend to pulp or reduce down? Or are the fresh strawberries the key?
I understand if this can’t be posted because I did not make the cake. I should have come here first! Sally always does it best! I made a different strawberry cake recipe for my birthday this weekend and it was fine. Had similar elements but eh. This could be a skill issue on my part too lol!
Anyway, please do use the freeze dried strawberries as suggested. I did this with the frosting for the other recipe and it really does make a difference. Sally, thank you for the recipes. I have made excellent birthday cakes and treats from your site and I appreciate you!
Hi Emily! You can use frozen strawberries, but they will take longer to reduce even if you thaw them first. Thank you so much for making and trusting our recipes, we hope you love this one!
Would this work with 2 8×3 inch cake pans?
Hi Alix, you can use two 8 inch round pans. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, but it will be slightly longer because the layers will be slightly thicker. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Enjoy!