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
Hi! I was thinking of making this for a first birthday smash cake and wanted to bake it in one large pan then cute out smaller circles to make one tiered small cake. What size sheet pan should I use and any adjustments to baking time and temp?
Hi Lauren! See recipe notes for baking instructions for a 9×13 pan. If you’re looking for a thinner sheet cake, this batter should be fine as a half sheet cake baked in a jelly roll pan. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, use a toothpick to test for doneness. Enjoy!
This is delicious! I made it alongside your vanilla sponge and used them to make an American flag cake for Fourth of July last year. Turned out delicious and beautiful! I must ask, can you replace the strawberries with other fruit, such as raspberries? I made your lemon cake the other day and I think a raspberry lemon cake would be amazing. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Jay, Raspberry puree works like a charm in this recipe! Substitute the same amount for the strawberry puree and reduce it down. You can buy freeze-dried raspberries for the buttercream — they are readily available in most grocery stores these days. Or 1.5x this raspberry frosting recipe. Let us know how it turns out!
I love your site. I tried making the strawberry cake, followed the directions exactly, baked 25 minutes, toothpick came out dry. When the pans were cool I turned out the cakes and they were doughy in the middle. The only thing I did differently was to use cake strips around 9 inch pans and a piece of parchment on the bottom of greased/floured pans. Could this have made a difference?
Hi Geri, sounds like your cakes simply needed a bit more time to bake. Next time you can try the bounce back test instead to determine if the cake is done: Remove the cake from the oven or leave it in, your choice. Gently press down on the cake. If the cake bounces back completely, it’s done. If your finger left a dent in the cake, it needs more time. It’s our tried and true method that can be more accurate than the toothpick test.
I would like to make this in 10 inch pans.. previously I made it in the 9 inch pans and came out perfect.. I need 4 cakes and I dont want to waste batter or make 4 separate cakes.. how can I obtain this cake in 10 inch pans? Can I leave batter sitting while I make more batter to give me enough for two 10 inch pans at a time
Hi Regina, our cake pan sizes and conversions guide will be a helpful tool for scaling this recipe for your 10 inch pans. Yes, you can leave unused cake batter lightly covered with a clean towel at room temperature while waiting for other layers to bake and / or to make your other batter. Hope this is helpful for you!
Great thank you! ALSO if I’m using a 11×15 pan would I need 2 batches?
Hi Amanda, We haven’t tested this batter in that size pan but you can use our Pan Sizes & Conversions post to help calculate how much batter you would need. If you need more than one batch, then yes, we recommend making 2 separate batches instead of doubling.
I saw your note that you can cover extra batter with a towel…I always thought that if you didn’t get the batter in the oven quickly it wouldn’t rise as well. Not that I would plan to hold batter back for a ‘long time’, but how long would you expect to be safe, ? Am making this this weekend and can’t wait to taste it!!! Thanks for another good-looking recipe…
Hi Martha! Cake batter will stay well when covered at room temperature while waiting for the other layers to bake. We wouldn’t recommend leaving it much longer than that, though. Let us know how you like this strawberry cake!
Thanks for the information. Cake was for a charity bake do didn’t get to eat it… but the batter was yummy!
If using three 6” round cake pans, should I adjust the recipe proportions or will it work out fine? Thanks!
Hi Nicole, The cake batter from our Strawberry Cupcakes recipe would be the perfect amount for a 3 layer 6 inch cake. You can follow the baking instructions from this 6 inch cakes post. Enjoy!
Thank you!!!
Hey there I’m making this cake and was wondering if I can use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream or yogurt.
Hi Amanda, yes, plain Greek yogurt is a fine substitute here. Hope you love the cake!
I used nonfat Greek yogurt, and it turned out great!
Can I use strawberry filling? The ones that store bought?
I made the cake 3 times and every time everyone loved. It’s by far the best cake. Results do vary depending on the strawberries. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Would this cake hold its shape if I double the recipe and stack 4 layers? Or would it be too soft/delicate?
Working with double the amount of batter risks over or under-mixing, which would ruin the texture of the finished cake. Rather, we suggest making the batter twice and baking 4 layers.
All I can say is fantastic!
Perfect texture, great consistency, and the flavor….oh my, the flavor! Great recipe
I’ve had good luck with some of your other recipes, so decided to use this one for my daughter’s birthday cake. You blew it out of the park! It was fantastic! Real strawberry flavor. Freeze dried strawberries in the icing and boiling down the fresh strawberries are brilliant. Loved.
Does the strawberry cream cheese frosting freeze well?
You bet! Freeze up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing, thaw in the refrigerator then beat the frosting for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. Beating in a splash of heavy cream or milk will help thin the frosting out again, if needed.
I love your mini food processor in you strawberry cake video. Could you tell me the name and model? And a link if you have it! I’m definitely going to make this strawberry cake. I’m excited to find a recipe for a REAL strawberry cake! Thank you.
Hi Janette! We use and love the Ninja 400-Watt Blender/Food Processor — linked in our new Strawberry Cheesecake Pie post (see pink box titled “Helpful Tools I Use & Recommend”)
Hi, I’m turning 12 tomorrow so I invited some friends over so that we could make your chocolate chip cookies (for national chocolate chip day, I got your email) and this cake. I just made the reduction and it’s so delicious! I can’t wait to see how the cake turns out! Thank you so much for your recipes!
Can this recipe be converted and used in a bundt cake pan?
Hi Barb, 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.
Hi Sally,
Very excited to try this! Never found a strawberry cake I’ve liked. Just wondering, since it’s rhubarb season, if this would work as a strawberry rhubarb cake, since we’re cooking down the strawberries, could I puree and cook down strawberry rhubarb?
Hi Sheri, we’ve never tested this cake with strawberry and rhubarb, but we would love to hear how it goes if you give it a try!
Hi Sally, this cake looks amazing! Have you ever tried making this with GF flour? Or almond meal?
Hi Sophie, We haven’t tested this cake with gluten-free flour, but let us know if you give it a try!
Made this last night, and it’s great! So nice to finally find a strawberry cake recipe that uses real strawberries other than just in top and doesn’t call for boxed cake mix or strawberry flavored gelatin powder!
Hi Sally and thank you for supplying this recipe. I plan to make this for my son who’s graduating from university on Saturday. I want to make this cake a two layer half sheet cake. How much more of everything do I need for pans that measure 9″ x 13″? Please advise and thank you.
Hi Gloria, congratulations to your son! See recipe notes for 9×13 baking instructions. We would make the batter twice (not doubled) to make a two layer 9×13 cake. Hope it’s a hit!
This cakes looks amazing! Any recommendations for high altitude, should I change any of the amounts? Also, can I use whole eggs, not just the whites? Can’t wait to make this today!
Hi Eddi! Using only egg whites ensure that the crumb is not weighed down by the fat in egg yolks — we recommend sticking to the recipe as written for best results. We wish we could help on the topic of high altitude, but we have no experience baking at high altitude. We know some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html Hope the cake is a success!
This cake and the lemon-coconut cake are my favorites! I made both over 3 times already and are my birthday staples. Absolutely love them! A little hack I use to save time is to use homemade strawberry jam for both the cake and the frosting. It saves me a lot of time and doesn’t change the cakes consistency and tastes delicious!
Can I use strawberry flavored yogurt instead of the plain? (It is what I have in the fridge now.) Thanks!
Hi Christie, strawberry yogurt should work OK in this recipe, but generally plain yogurt is best. The sweetened strawberry yogurt can change the taste and texture of baked goods.
I made this cake today and it was awesome. I did not split the layers. I made 2 frosting. One was the recipe and the other was a lemon cream cheese which I used as a filling and crumbcoat. Moist and flavorful. Thank you for the recipe
For the strawberry cream cheese frosting, does it have an overly cream cheese flavor? I’m making the cake for mother’s day and am trying to determine whether on making this frosting or the strawberry buttercream you linked. Is there a distinct difference? I use cream cheese for red velvet and carrot cakes where there is big cream cheese flavor. Is the flavor subtle or very pronounced? Thanks in advance.
Hi Adrienne, we wouldn’t say that the cream cheese flavor is overpowering, but it adds a delicious tang. Either frosting would be delicious on this cake!
Hey Sally,
I had a friend request a homemade strawberry cake… to feed 50 people! Whew! I’ve read the comments about making different batches when doubling or tripling, so I know that much. But I’m looking to make 5x the recipe and maybe do 3 10-inch rounds. Any suggestions on bake time and temp for that?
Thanks!
Hi Sarah, we’re unsure of the exact bake time for 10 inch rounds, but it would be a bit longer than as written to account for the extra batter. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Same baking temperature, though!
Hello! Could you possibly turn this recipe into two 9×5 loaf pans? Or would using your cupcake recipe be better for loaf pans? Thanks!
Hi Miranda, dividing between a few loaf pans should work (fill half way). We’re unsure of the exact bake time though. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness!
Despite my concerns that the cake was dense (I even baked a second cake with the same results!), the finished product, which was for my little girl’s birthday, was absolutely delicious. I am a good cook/baker, but always struggle with making cakes. Thanks for an excellent recipe!!
Whenever I have a special occasion, I always turn to your recipes, Sally. You have never failed me.
For this particular recipe, I had no fresh strawberries, but a can of frozen strawberry daiquiri mix and a package of dehydrated strawberries. I followed your recipe, substituted 1/2 cup thawed un-diluted daiquiri mix for the reduction in the wet ingredients, and the dehydrated, pulverized strawberries in the dry ingredients.
Once again, you had the best recipe. By far, the most incredibly delicious strawberry cake I have ever had!
I love this recipe so much and used it so much I know it by heart! I make this do often that I keep a big batch of the purée in the freezer. If I’m looking for a recipe I haven’t tried yet my go to is Sally.
I just made this and I have to say it is amazing and probably one of the best cakes I have ever made. Perfect crumb and real strawberry flavor, not too sweet, and all from scratch. I used boxed egg whites with no issues. I made it in 2 8 inch cake pans and used the extra for 5 cute little cupcakes. I will 100% make this again. Thanks Sally!