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
Is it possible to make this cake with no eggs?
Hi Mary, eggs are a crucial part of this recipe and we haven’t tested an egg-free version of this cake. Sorry we can’t help more!
I’m making this cake into a tiered wedding cake next month. The bride would like strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream frosting. I was thinking to do the inner layers with iced buttercream but would like to add strawberry flavor just in the inner layers to up the strawberry game! Can I just add the freeze dried strawberries to a buttercream recipe that I use?
Hi Tracy! We’re unsure of the exact proportions you would need to adapt your recipe, but here’s our strawberry buttercream recipe.
I’m planning a 3-layer half-sheet cake – 2-inch chocolate cake layers that sandwich a 1-inch strawberry layer. I would like to use this recipe for the strawberry layer, but I’m seeing conflicting information for how many cups of batter I will need to achieve a 1-inch cake in my 12×18 Magic Line pan. I’ve seen you state this recipe makes approximately 7-cups. Do you have any recommendations for how I should scale it based on my use case?
Hi Gregory, Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes.
This is my go-to cake recipe for holidays and birthdays. It never fails and people always love it! The freeze dried strawberries in the frosting really puts it over the top and elevates the strawberry flavor in the cake.
Hi! I am planning to make this for my daughter’s birthday next week. I’m planning to make this the day before the party. Should I assemble it the day before and refrigerate it or refrigerate the cake and icing and assemble day of? If you recommend assembling the day of, how would you recommend storing the cake layers?
Additionally, what do you use to grease the pans?
Thanks so much!! Can’t wait to make this
Hi Alison, 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. We grease the pans with a spray, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Hope you love the cake!
Thank you! For refrigerating the cake layers, should I leave them in the pan or take them out? And if I take them out should I refrigerate them separately or could I stack them on each other? Thanks so much!!
Hi Alison, you can take them out of the pan and wrap them separately.
This was my first time trying an homemade strawberry cake recipe and this one is delicious! I made cupcakes with the strawberry buttercream recipe and the cupcakes had tons of flavor and it was super moist! Thank you!
Is there a chocolate frosting recipe that would go well with this cake? My daughter is requesting a strawberry cake with chocolate frosting!
Hi Liz, I would recommend making this chocolate buttercream. If you can find it, using Dutch-process cocoa powder will make the flavor extra smooth. Enjoy!
I’ve made this cake several times over the past few years since I discovered your recipe, and it comes through every time for me! Always a hit! Someone recently requested I make a strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting for them, and I knew immediately where to turn for the best recipe. Thank you for sharing your gift with us!
I’m so excited to try this cake! Quick question – I just made the strawberry puree, and I plan on making the cake tomorrow. Since strawberries aren’t in season my puree isn’t very sweet, it’s actually kind of tart. I assume this will even out since there is sugar in the cake? Should I add some sugar to the puree? Thanks!
Hi Jamie, the strawberry reduction will be extremely tart since there is so much flavor and no added sugar. When they are in season, sweet summer berries will give you the best flavor, but they can be hard to find right now depending on where you live.
Hi Erin – thank you! One other quick question… I saw in the comments/reviews below that if I wanted to do 3 8-inch pans I should do 1.5x the batter. Is it okay to make that all at once? Or should I make one batch and then make a half batch and combine them?
Hi Jamie, you can 1.5x the batch at once. Hope this helps!
I used whole eggs, strawberry preserves, and all purpose flour….turned out great!
Thanks!
I have made this quite a few times now and it’s amazing and always a hit with guests. I’ve adapted with blueberries but most recently tried it with mango and did a mango variation with the cream cheese icing too and all I can say is wow!
Brilliant recipe
This was an absolute hit. My sister in law said it was the best cake she’s ever had and requested it is her push present.
Could this same process be used with raspberries instead of strawberries?
Hi Katie, absolutely!
The cake is delicious! It was my grandsons birthday request this year.
Please leave any ideas for leftover puree?
Hi Dana, we’re so glad it was a hit! Leftover puree would be great on yogurt or ice cream.
I have made this cake several times and it is always a hit. You may not get this question until after I need but I will ask anyway. This recipe makes a 2 layer 9” cake. Is there any reason I can’t split the layers to make it into a 4 layer cake (after it is baked) or make it a 3 layer 9” cake if I make extra batter? I am making it for my daughter’s baby shower.
Hi Suzan, the layers will be a bit thin if you split them after baking. For a 3 layer cake, you can make 1.5x the batter to evenly distribute across your 3 pans. Enjoy!
This strawberry cake is amazing! Tastes like actual strawberries, not artificial store bought brand. I made extra puree and added it to the middle with the icing. I found 2 different kinds of freeze dried strawberries, one sweetened the other no sweetener. Definitely go with the sweetened bc the other was very sour.
I love this recipe. I need to make for a friend’s birthday. She always asks for a strawberry cake but usually receives a vanilla cake with strawberries on top. I will have to travel to get to the celebration, what is the best way to store – at room temp or fridge – and how long? With the prep and travel time, I know I will need to ensemble it day before leaving. Thank you!
We’d recommend storing the assembled cake in the refrigerator before traveling. Then you can travel with it in a cooler, or at room temperature if the travel time is on the shorter end. Hope it’s a hit!
Do I whipped the egg whites before adding them to the batter
Hi Michelle, that extra step isn’t necessary here.
I made this into 18 cupcakes and a 6″ round. I liked it better in cake form; I overfilled the cupcakes accidentally and they didn’t bake as well as the cake pan. For the frosting, I did 1.5x recipe and added 2T. of cornstarch so that I could pipe it with Wilton 2D. It tasted delicious and held its shape super well. The frosting is the best part!!
I’m just wondering how I could go about making this into a three layered 8 inch round cake. Should I make this recipe times 1.5? Thanks!
Hi Abby, 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. Or, you can 1.5x the recipe for 3 thicker layers, knowing that the bake time would be a bit longer. Hope you enjoy the cake!
Hi there! How would you adjust the baking time if using 8 in rounds instead of 9? Thanks!
Hi Kelly, Yes, you can use 8-inch 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!
I reduced the sugar to 250g and liked the taste… but the seeds still bothered me a little.
For me, the batter was too rich as a cake base for butter cream. I created a fruit puree jello topping that I liked
Can I make this a 3 layer cake? And how? Should I use 6” cake pans!
Hi Emily, for a 3 layer cake, you can make 1.5x the batter to evenly distribute across your 3 pans. The batter from our strawberry cupcakes recipe makes the perfect amount of batter for a 3 layer 6 inch cake (more on 6 inch cakes here!) Enjoy!
The cake was doughy, the icing I tossed as it also was a weird texture like glue and I made a lovely buttercream to replace it.
Hi Lisa, I wonder if the cake was under-baked and/or the frosting was under-mixed. Sorry for the disappointment, but I appreciate the feedback.
Can I use strawberry jam, or preserves instead of fresh strawberries? If so, how much in the cake?
Hi Kary, Strawberry jam does not produce the same amount of flavor as the reduced strawberry puree. For best results, we recommend following the recipe for the cake batter using strawberry puree. You can however, spread a bit of your jam between the layers for extra flavor!
Thanks for this recipe. Am making a cake for a friend’s birthday so I did a trial. The flavour was great, everyone liked it, but it was a dense and ever so slightly gummy, what might I have done wrong and how could I avoid it? Thanks so much
Hi Hannah, We’re happy to help troubleshoot. Are your baking powder and baking soda fresh? We find they start to lose their freshness after 3 months, even if the expiration date is later. Be sure to spoon and level (or use a food scale) to measure your flour, so that there isn’t too much in the batter. Being very careful not to over mix will help with the denseness as well. These posts on how to prevent dry and dense cakes and 10 cake baking tips may be helpful resources as well. Hope this helps for your next batch!
I baked this as a second dessert for a birthday party. She turned 30. Where did the time go now? I am preparing for a baby shower and I wanted to make this same recipe in cupcakes. I know you have other cupcake recipes, but this was so good with the puréed strawberries. I would just like to repeat and reserve Will they turn out as good ? Are there any quirks I should know? Thanks for all the great recipes. Roll Tide !!
Hi Penny, we’re so glad you enjoyed the cake! See recipe notes for cupcake instructions.
I had great hopes when I made this cake last night but I got very disappointed. This cake is extremely sweet. It is not a big cake but there is more than 700gr sugar in it! It is insane! All 4 of us felt sick after eating a small slice. I think chefs should take great care in not giving people recipes with too much sugar in. This amount of sugar is not good for anyone. I also thought the freeze dried strawberries suited the frosting very well and gave a nice strawberry taste to the cake and the sponge could have been plain, it wasn’t the best tasting sponge.
It was so fun and easy to make. Very versatile and flexible recipe. I subbed out the eggs and dairy for vegan alternatives and it turned out just fine (aquafaba, almond milk, and non dairy unsweetened yogurt). I did get lazy and subbed out the frosting for store bought frosting. I also got bored while reducing the sauce and I put the extra between the cake layers. Despite my lack of following the recipe it was an amazing blueprint and guide
This cake was so delicious and I’m planning to make it again! I pureed the 454g of strawberries but it comes out to about 2 cups of liquid. Should I only reduced a little over a cup of the puree or should I reduce the entire amount until it is approximately 1/2 cup?
Thanks!
Hi Cara, you can reduce down the entire amount to the 1/2 cup needed for the cake. Enjoy!
Can I store the reduced strawberry can I store strawberry puree in the fridge? If so for how long can I store?
Hi Nav, you can make the reduced strawberry puree ahead of time and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
I made your strawberry cupcake recipe it was delicious! That recipe used white chocolate strawberry buttercream frosting your cake recipe has strawberry cream cheese frosting. Does it matter? Does one frost better than the other? I’m making the cake for a birthday this week.
Hi Suzanne, either work. I wanted a white chocolate flavor for the cupcakes, so that is why I use it. The frosting here, with the cream cheese, does yield a bit more so it’s enough for the cake.