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
This cake turned out dense, crumbly,and not pink. I made this for my daughter’s birthday and nobody liked it. I followed the recipe but it turned into a beige color after baking? The whole reason she wanted to make it was the pretty pink color. The frosting was pink, but it dried out quickly and was not fluffy like other buttercream recipes. This cake was a big flop and I didnt have a backup birthday cake. I thought the taste was fine, but nobody else wants to eat it. Ill probably have to throw it away, sadly. I dont like writing bad reviews but it might help someone else-At least do a trial cake before the actual birthday cake.
I loved the frosting but was disappointed in the cake. My cake was super crumbly and dry. I was so bummed- this was for my niece’s birthday. I didn’t over mix and didn’t over-bake. I don’t know what happened. The only thing I can think of is I reduced the strawberries for around 50 min to get them to that tomato paste consistency so I’m wondering if I should have stopped at 35 min and left it with a little more liquid? I also think the frosting recipe would work better 1.5x the recipe- I didn’t think there was enough but man the frosting was amazing! I think I’m going to try your triple chocolate cake recipe next time with this strawberry frosting, making extra.
Hi Amy, I’m so sorry to hear you had trouble with this recipe! Like you said, 50 minutes is too long for reducing the strawberry puree, so you lost too much moisture there. It should only take about 25-35 minutes. If you decide to try it again, take it off heat around 30 minutes. Thank you for giving this recipe a try!
I’m making this for my cousin for his birthday, but he specifically requested some sort of fudge frosting. Do you have any chocolate frosting recipes that would pair well with this cake?
Hi Ashley, I would recommend making this chocolate buttercream. If you can find it, using Dutch-process cocoa powder will make the flavor extra smooth. Enjoy!
Is the cake spongy enough to make a roulade rather than layer cake?
Hi Tricia, we wouldn’t recommend it, no. You might enjoy this strawberry cake roll, though.
Do you leave the cake in the fridge uncovered or covered after frosting?
Hi Dania, we usually chill the cake uncovered right after frosting, for up to about an hour. If chilling for longer than that, we recommend covering. We recommend a cake carrier for storing layer cakes.
Will I need to double the frosting to ice a 9 inch cake and do some piping around the edges?
Hi Jill, if you want to make sure you have enough frosting for some extra piping designs, I would recommend 1.5x-ing the amounts. Hope this helps!
Could I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh, since they’re getting reduced down anyways?
Hi Susanna, you can use frozen strawberries, but they will take longer to reduce even if you thaw them first. See recipe notes for more details!
I making this tomorrow and will use a 9×13 glass dish. Will it still be about 40 minutes, or if it takes a little longer should I be worried about the edges over baking?
Alternatively, if I were to use a 9×13 foil pan, is that to risky being so thin? Thank you!
Hi Megan, 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.
Would this cake batter work for a wedding cake? I’m looking for a wedding cake recipe that is not just vanilla/white cake batter but can’t seem to find it.
Hi Laura, certainly. We do recommend keeping the strawberry frosting with this cake for best flavor – you could use it between the layers (here’s our strawberry buttercream recipe without cream cheese that is more stable). We have more wedding cake flavor ideas in our homemade wedding cake post as well.
I love this recipe and it is now a family favorite! I am making it this week to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. I need to make the cake layers ahead of time. I see in your recipe that I can make the cake layers ahead and cover them tightly at room temperature overnight. I need to make the cake one day sooner. Would the cake still be good if the cake layers are made and stored for almost 48 hours before icing them?
Hi April! If making more than 1 day in advance, we would freeze and thaw the cake layers instead.
Wow. This cake is simply delicious and fun to make. I followed step by step. It’s so crumbly moist and the strawberry flavor is remarkable
Would this recipe work in a Bundt pan? We want to do a Barbie dress cake for my daughter’s birthday!
Hi Candice! 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. Enjoy!
Hi! Have you tried making the strawberry puree with frozen strawberries? Would it be too watery?
Hi Jess, you can use frozen strawberries, but they will take longer to reduce even if you thaw them first. See recipe notes for more details!
What kind of food processor do you recommend for this recipe?
Hi Pat, you can use any kind of food processor or blender you have.
I have a question- I want to make a strawberry cake but am VERY short on time. Could I do something similar to this using a doctored vanilla box mix cake? As in make the strawberry reduction and add it to the box mix?
Hi Brittany! It’s hard to say because we’ve never tested that. Would love to hear how it goes if you do.
I’ve made this recipe a bunch of times and my whole family loves it. I was making it again last week for a birthday and I usually weigh all ingredients for accuracy but while I was pouring sugar realized in trying to get 350g it was a massive quantity. I dumped it out and measured with cups and re-weighed the called for volume and it was barely more than 200g. Have you come across different sugar types or brands having different densities? I was using 365 cane sugar from Whole Foods.
Hi Justin, we haven’t used that specific sugar before, but typically, 1 cup of white granulated sugar weighs about 200g, so 1 and 3/4 cups would be 350g.
Sarah, you’re a genius! This cake is incredible but I’d like to make it GF. I have a 1:1 GF flour that I’ve used for your chocolate cake recipe and it works incredible. Would I be able to do the same for this one? Im unsure how cake flour differs from the flour I have
Hi Brooklyn, we haven’t tried this recipe with that substitution, so we’re unsure of the results. Although some readers report using an all-purpose 1:1 gluten-free flour in many of our recipes with success, you should expect slightly different results anytime you substitute ingredients. Let us know if you do give it a try!
I made it with 1:1 gluten free flour and it was delicious! The texture of the cake was spot on.
The whole family loved this recipe. I hadn’t made strawberry cake before so I was not optimistic about the outcome. But the cake texture was divine! The only note I have is the frosting was a tad thick, but tasted wonderful.
What should the consistency be of the reduced strawberry puree? I simmered mine for 45 minutes ready to go for baking tomorrow, but it is still quite liquidy- I presumed it would be fine, but I just noticed in your video it was more thick/solid. Will this make a difference when I go to bake tomorrow? Any advice if so?
Your reduction should be about the consistency of tomato sauce. It may look liquidy but when you stir, it should be slow to return to the original spot. If that makes sense? Hope that helps.
Judi, it took mine almost an hour to cook down & it was about the consistency of tomato paste.
Can I swap out the strawberries for frozen blueberries instead?
Hi Kalina, yes, many readers have reported success making a blueberry version with blueberry puree in the cake and freeze dried blueberries in the frosting. Enjoy!
I have a 6 inch cake pan, can I use half of the measurements?
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!)
My favorite strawberry cake + frosting recipe! The strawberry flavor frosting did not disappoint…I even had extra leftovers and used it as a spread on a plain bagel! Definitely will make this again!
Hi Sally, big fan of all your recipes I regularly use quite a few if them! I have premade the strawberry puree ahead of baking the cake, appearance wise it looks similar to the one pictured however the taste is quite bitter – I would hate for this to impede the flavor of the cake, so should I remake it or perhaps add sugar before adding it to the cake batter? Many thanks.
Hi Eva! Did you happen to taste the strawberries before you made the puree? 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. The better the berries, the better the flavor of the cake!
Can this cake be made with 3 layers?
You can make 1.5 times the recipe for three layers. Enjoy!
Hi, I made this recipe this weekend and it turned out nothing like the photos. It was very dense and dry and brownish despite me using much more than 1-2 drops of pink food coloring. Disappointed since it was a birthday cake for a party and was a bit more labor intensive due to needing to make the strawberry puree.
Hi Marissa, we’re sorry to hear that this cake didn’t turn out for you. The strawberries you use will impact the flavor and texture of this cake… make sure to use ripe, sweet strawberries for best results. A dense, dry cake can be caused by many factors, like over-baking, over-measuring the flour, over mixing, etc. You can check out this post on preventing a dry or dense cake for next time if you decide to give it another go. Thank you again for giving it a try!
I loved the frosting, awesome. I expected the cake to be softer, more moist. With the reviews being so awesome, what might have I done wrong. Is it possible that I may have over mixed the batter ?
Hi Julie, dense cakes can often be caused by over mixing the batter. This post on how to prevent dry and dense cakes will be a helpful resource to review. Thanks for giving this one a try!
Thank you for the information you sent. I think I possibly over mixed the batter or over creamed the butter and sugar. I will definitely try this again.
I made these as cupcakes following the recipe exactly as written, following directions carefully and this recipe is amazing
I’m not quite sure what I did wrong, the cupcakes come out looking lavender in color vs pink. I guess the true test will be the taste. I will ice when cool. This recipe sounded so good. I hope I didn’t mess it up
Hi Julie! The color comes from the strawberries you used – were they nice and red and sweet? If they were less vibrant, the light pink combined with the light yellow of cake batter would make a lavender color. Let us know how it tastes!
I used organic strawberries, very deep dark red and very juicy. The icing was a very pretty pink and incredibly delicious. The cake itself seemed a little dense, could it be that I possibly over mixed the batter. I made cupcakes out of this. They were good, it was just the cake I was hoping to be more softer, fluffy. Reply please as I’m going to try again soon. Icing was the bomb ! Delicious
Hello,
I have made this and received amazing compliments. I’ve been asked to make a lemon and strawberry marble cake for a birthday and was wondering if I could use this recipe and the lemon cake recipe to make it? Or is the batter between the two cakes too different?
Hi The Joyful Baker, we’re so glad this cake is a favorite for you! We haven’t tried swirling the two batters together, so we’re unsure of the exact results. Could you do a test in a small 6-inch pan or even cupcake pan? If it works, then you can use the rest of the batter in the same way, or, you could simply make the layers separately and stack them with alternating flavors. Let us know what you decide to try!
I ended up making the marble cake, and it turned out amazing! I received so many compliments, and the birthday celebrant gave it a stamp of approval. The baking time took longer than both recipes indicated, about 30-35 minutes, so I kept checking to ensure the layers were done. It was absolutely fantastic and well worth the effort. Plus, using real fruit in both recipes ensured that the flavours were authentic and no one flavour overpowered the others. I wish I could share pictures, but there’s no option for that here.
I will need to bake each layer separately since I am working with a small oven. Should I leave the batter at room temp or put it in the fridge while I wait for the first one to bake? Thanks!
Hi Alison, leave it covered at room temp. Happy baking!
This recipe was amazing! the strawberry frosting was so flavorful but I was wishing I could ramp up the strawberry flavor in the batter. I could of not deduced it enough but do you have any tips in making sure the cake is packed with strawberry flavor?