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
My babies and I have loved this recipe for a while now and I’ve made it many times. My daughter wants this cake for her birthday but I need the icing to be pipe able for a design. I could add more powdered sugar to make it stiffer but do you have any other suggestions?
Hi Jill! Our strawberry buttercream recipe is stiffer and perfect for piping.
Thank you Sally for the great recipe!. The flavour is super but the cake itself is a little bit too moist. could it be the thickness of the strawberry puree? could you please suggest which water content can I reduce in the cake recipe?
Hi Alice, It’s possible that your puree needed to be reduced more. It should be about a half of a cup after it’s reduced and very thick – see the photo in the post above for a good visual of what it should look like after it’s reduced.
Does this recipe call for table salt or kosher? Thanks!
Hi Jess! All our recipes use regular table salt unless otherwise noted.
Hi, I would like to make this recipe for my Granddaughters birthday.
I was asked to make Strawberry Cupcakes. Can I use this recipe for
cupcakes also? I saw this Strawberry Cupcake recipe but I am hoping
this one would work.
Thank you.
Hi Nancy, you can definitely make cupcakes with this recipe – it will make quite a few. Enjoy!
I am so glad. Thank you Trina, for getting back to me so fast. I really appreciate it.
I love your recipes! I am wondering, though, if there’s a typo on the bake time? I followed the recipe exactly and I know that my oven is well-calibrated, but at 25 minutes, my cakes were not even close to done. They actually deflated on me when I pulled them out to check 🙁
Hi Lisa! Did you use 9 inch cake pans? Using 8 inch pans will lead to thicker layers that take longer to bake. We hope you love this cake!
I did use 9” cake pans. Forgot to mention that. The cake was still great tasting
Hi! I had the same problem. Baking time was closer to 35 minutes. I thought my pans were 9-inch but maybe they’re not?
Question: If I wanted to maximize the taste of fresh strawberries, could I strain the purée through a coffee filter down to. 1/2 cup instead of cooking it down? (Apologies if you tried this option and I didn’t see that). Thanks.
Hi Michelle! Reducing the strawberries yields the best strawberry flavor for this cake. Hope you love it!
Just wondering you said your recipe yields about 7 cups of batter and to use a 9×13 pan but on the pan conversion chart that you included here it says a 9×13 pan needs 14 cups of batter do will I need to double the recipe? I actually want to do two 9 inch round pans if i do not do the 9×13
Hi Jason, a 9×13 pan can hold 14 cups of batter total, but you don’t want to fill a pan all the way to the top with batter. You usually only want to fill pans halfway with batter, so this is the right amount.
Absolutely perfect!! This is my second time using your recipe and it is spot on. It has such a wonderful and natural strawberry flavor. My daughter specifically asked for this cake for her birthday. Thank you for sharing.
Hello! Sally, thank you for all the information you put out there! I’m a home baker with no training or family history of baking (and the instincts) that come with that, so every single detail you put out it is so helpful to me! Could you please tell me which frosting or glaze would go with this if you want it to be white- for a contrast.. or any other colour other flavour you like with this cake.. I’m a sucker for contrasting colours..
Hi Jenny! We recommend sticking with the strawberry frosting recipe listed above – it really brings out the strawberry flavor in the cake. You could always color it a fun color with some gel food coloring – a purple could be very pretty (adding blue to the pink my get you to purple). Let us know what you try!
Hi Sally. I am a long-time fan and love your recipes so much. Especially your frostings! Seriously, you are the frosting Queen. I made this cake for my daughter’s birthday this weekend and it was loved by everyone. I do have a question for you. I found the inside of this cake to be light and moist just as promised. However, the outside was gummy making it hard to frost. I tend to have this issue a lot and I can only assume it is the humidity where I live since the interior of the cake is usually fine. Do you have any tips to help with this? (Either for fixing the sticky exterior or for frosting a sticky cake)
Hi Shannon! Chilling the cake layers prior to frosting can help with this issue. Some bakers even swear by frosting frozen cakes – let us know what you try!
I followed carefully, but cake was gummy and a unattractive colour. Went in the garbage.
I’m about to make this strawberry cake and am now cooking down the strawberries. My purée is purple rather than the expected pink or red. Is this correct? I want a pink strawberry cake, not a purple one.
Hi Terry, It’s possible that it was simply the beginning color of the strawberries you were using were a bit different. This wouldn’t change the taste of the cake though. If you are open to using food coloring then a drop of red food coloring should help turn it back to pink!
The written recipe does not mention sifting the flour..only spoon and level..ugg
My cake turned brown and is not pink and beautiful
Hi Jill, the cake will be a natural pale pink (from the strawberries) without any added color. We usually add just a drop of pink gel food coloring to brighten it up a bit.
Video explaining how to make the cake is filled with interruptions of PR and talking about yourself.. there are crucial parts of the cake mixing we don’t even get to see in the mixing bowl. I enjoy many of your recipes but i don’t need interview segments in the middle of the bake.
Made this increasing the recipe by 50% so that I could do a three-layer 8” cake and was surprised the taste of the strawberry in the cake was very mild, the the frosting was fabulously intense. Might try increasing the strawberry component to two pounds and see how it goes.
Reviews from the family and neighbors were universally positive. Very happy with how it came out.
Tip: If I’m trying to increase the amount of a recipe, I copy the ingredients into Excel and then use a formula to increase everything so I don’t have to do it in my head. Makes it much harder to screw it up.
Definitely a do again!
Hello! I have previously made this cake in mini cake rounds and it was such a hit that I’ve been asked to make this same cake for their birthday this year! I was wondering: do you think I could substitute the sour cream for whole milk Greek yogurt? Thanks!
Hi Hannah, We are so happy this recipe has been a hit! Yes, plain Greek yogurt is a fine substitute here.
Hi Sally, I made this recipe for my daughter’s “Berry First Birthday” and it was a hit. Def the most important step I think was being patient with the strawberry purée. Tripled the recipe to make 6 layers, stacked on top of each other, and shaped it into a giant strawberry. Love that it has a non-artificial taste! (Can’t add a pic here but will try to send on IG)
I made this recipe and it was a hit. I am curious though, one of my roommates has a dairy allergy. Any suggestion on making it dairy free?
Hi Haley, we haven’t tested a dairy free version of this cake but let us know if you try anything!
Hi Sally,
I was hoping to make a strawberry layer cake for a birthday celebration and this cake looked delicious! I was wondering if I could use 7inch round pans, and if so how many layers it would make?
Also if I could how long would I then need to cook them for?
Thanks!
Hi Summer! This recipe yields about 7 cups of cake batter – you can use our handy cake pans sizes & conversions guide to find out how much batter you’ll need. We’re unsure of the exact bake time so keep an eye on the cakes in the oven and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Enjoy!
Thinking I’ll try this for an upcoming birthday. Can I make three-8” layers instead of two nines? Any suggestions on cooking time?
Hi Bob, You can use the recipe as is for three thinner 8 inch layers. The bake time would be less so keep an eye on them and use a toothpick to check for doneness. You can also make 1.5 times this recipe for three layers (doubling would be too much). With 8 inch pans your bake time may be a minute or two longer as your layers will be slightly thicker.
Can you use carton egg whites in this recipe?
Hi Sydney, You can use carton egg whites if needed. The carton should give instructions for replacement quantities.
The cake turned out amazing. Just couldn’t get that natural pink color to the cake (without food color). Mascarpone did really well in the icing (as a substitute for cream cheese).
Dear Sally,
First of all, I would like to thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipes. Every single one I have made has turned out fantastic and I’ve received so many compliments, which is of course, all thanks to you!
I have a question about the freeze-dried strawberries. I could only find a powder, not whole ones. Should I use a different amount? One cup or 25 grams seems like way too much. Please advise, thank you!
Sincerely,
Rachael
Hi Rachael, those will work perfectly! You’ll need about 1/2 cup freeze dried strawberry powder in the frosting.
I’d heard such great things about this cake, but it didn’t turn out for me. I was paying close attention to weights and temperatures of ingredients, so I’m not sure what happened. The flavor was lovely but on the sweet side. Texture was dense & gummy.
Hello Sally,
You are my favorite baker. I have done a lot of your desserts recipes and they are always a hit with my family, friends and colleagues.
I was asked to make a strawberry cake size 6 inch single layer. Do you happen to have the adjusted amount for the ingredients for such a size?
Thank you
Hi Dj, Our recipe for strawberry cupcakes works perfectly as a 6 inch cake. You can read more about it in our post on 6 inch cakes.
Cake was very dense, and lacked strong flavor on its own. Cream cheese strawberry frosting was AMAZING! I will definitely use the frostingrecipe again and again, but find a new cake recipe that’s lighter and fluffier and more moist. Also, I added 3 to strawberry puree to frosting in addition to recipe ingredients! Amazing.
Can I use mascarpone instead of cream cheese in the frosting?
Hi Amy, You can substitute mascarpone for the cream cheese, yes.
I’m just curious, why are egg yolks not added in the recipe? I’m sorry, I started baking very recently.
Hi Amy, Using only the whites will ensure that the crumb is not weighed down by the fat in egg yolks. This recipe began with our White Cake and if you wish, you can read even more about it over on that post!
I’ve made this strawberry cake with Sally’s strawberry buttercream in the past and it was truly spectacular but I’m wondering how the strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream would turn out. Anybody tried it?
Hi Elizabeth! The strawberry flavor of the cake won’t be very strong without the compliment of the strawberry buttercream. We recommend keeping them together for the best strawberry flavor!
What a hit! Thank you! Super moist & jam packed with strawberry flavor in every bite! Thank you, thank you!
Iris Washington again. This cake was awesome! Rave reviews all around!
Cake was very dense, and lacked strong flavor on its own. Cream cheese strawberry frosting was AMAZING! I will definitely use the frosting recipe again and again, but find a new cake recipe that’s lighter and fluffier and more moist. Also, I added 2 tsp strawberry puree to frosting in addition to recipe ingredients! Amazing.
I had the same issue. Cake was very dense and also fell in the center. I bake frequently and observe all the “baking rules” but I’d also love to hear from Sally as it appears she did not respond to your question.
I am making this today. How long did you let it simmer to reduce your purée?
Hi Kristi! See recipe note – it takes at least 25-35 minutes, but could take longer depending on your pan or how juicy your strawberries were. Hope you loved the cake!
Can you put extra strawberry powder in frosting too?
Hi Chan, this frosting recipe calls for 1 cup freeze dried strawberries – adding more would change the consistency.