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 4-year-old requested a strawberry cake for her birthday and I typically always use Sally’s recipes for baked goods…I strayed this time and used another blog recipe which ended in a disaster with a dense, inedible cake. I came back to Sally’s to use this recipe and it did not disappoint! It was delicious and my kiddo loved it. Lesson learned, Sally’s is always the best!
I’ve made this recipe twice now and the fresh result is nice and fluffy and moist. I have refrigerated it because of the frosting, but I find the cake very quickly becomes dense then. What should I be doing to avoid this?
Hi Kristy, after refrigerating, let the cake sit out at room temperature for about 2 hours to come mostly to room temperature before serving. That lets the cake soften up and it should be a much tastier slice than if you serve it cold from the fridge.
Love this recipe. One question, can I use carton egg whites? If so, how much?
Hi Barbara, you can use carton egg whites if needed. The carton should give instructions for replacement quantities.
Can I still use the same measurements using 4in or 6in cake pans?
Hi April, this will be too much batter for a smaller cake. For a 3 layer, 6 inch cake, you can use the batter from these strawberry cupcakes and use the baking instructions for 6 inch cakes. Enjoy!
Can you make the puree far in advance and leave in fridge or freezer, or only overnight?
Hi Loraine, 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. Thaw, bring to room temperature, then use in the recipe.
I would like to try making cake pops with this recipe. Do you think it would work? If so, should I simply follow your vanilla cake pop recipe for the exact amounts?
Hi Deecer, we haven’t turned this cake into cake pops yet – but you definitely can! Keep in mind that one 9 inch layer will make about 40 cake pops so you can cut this recipe in half if you would like. For the frosting go by feel – add it in slowly until you get the perfect consistency. You’ll want to significantly decrease the amount of frosting as the cake is pretty moist already. Let us know if you give it a try!
Do you ever add sugar to the strawberry reduction?
Hi Ren, since we’re adding sugar to the cake batter, we don’t also add it to the strawberry reduction.
Is this a “make the day of” cake or can I make the day before without it becoming dry? Last birthday, your Funfetti cake was abit dry the day after baking. It was properly covered sealed etc.
Hi there I was curious how I would 1.5 this recipe do I need to change any of the ingredient measurements or just add half of what it calls for into my recipe? For example the eggs I can’t cut 5 eggs in half does the baking soda/powder need to be changed if this recipe is doubled?
Hi Steph, yes, you just add half of what is called for. To add half of an egg white, simply whisk the egg white and then measure half (you can use the other half in an omelette if you wish). If making 1.5x the recipe, you would 1.5x the baking soda/powder, not double. Hope this helps!
Hi- I was wondering if I could make this as a three (9-inch) layer cake? Thanks!
Hi AD, For a 3 layer cake, you can make 1.5x the batter to evenly distribute across your 3 pans. Enjoy!
Can I sub whole eggs for the egg whites? Eggs are crazy expensive and on shortage now – I’d much rather do 2 eggs than 5 whites, especially since the cake is already colored.
Hi Meredith, Using only egg whites ensures that the crumb is not weighed down by the fat in egg yolks. Whole eggs would make this a very heavy dense cake. Here are all of our recipes that call for egg yolks, if you’re looking to use up the extras!
Hi Sally! Can you use three 6” cake pans for this cake? And would there be enough frosting? Love all your recipes! Thank you!
Hi Kelly, for a 3 layer, 6 inch cake, you can use the batter from these strawberry cupcakes and use the baking instructions for 6 inch cakes. Enjoy!
could I use a 6×2 pan instead but use maybe 2 or 3 of them? Would the baking time differ? And I already looked at the cake pan conversions page on your website but I cant figure out if it can work
Hi H, for a 3 layer, 6 inch cake, you can use the batter from these strawberry cupcakes and use the baking instructions for 6 inch cakes.
Just GREAT!!!!! The strawberry shines through. This was a hit!
Freeze dried strawberries aren’t easily available in my country so is it possible to use a little of the reduced puree or strawberry jam in the icing?
Hi Sarah, we don’t recommend using strawberry puree in this frosting recipe. If you wish to use jam, you can follow the frosting recipe from these cupcakes, swapping the raspberry jam for strawberry jam.
Can I use frozen strawberries to get a riper strawberry?
Hi Lisa, see recipe Notes: You can use frozen strawberries, but they will take longer to reduce even if you thaw them first.
Can small dice some fresh strawberries and add them to the batter?
Hi Nancy, Adding chopped strawberries is a great idea for added texture. We would blot them to remove excess moisture before adding to the batter.
Hi, I have a question: how log does the reduction keep in the fridge and would freezing the strawberry reduction affect the flavor of the cake? I have fresh strawberries and plan to make the reduction for this cake, but I would like to make the reduction about 4-7 days in advance since the amount of time I have on weekdays is limited and I’m short on time on the actual day I need to make the cake. Thanks in advance!
Hi Sydnie, see recipe Notes: 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. Happy baking!
My friend requested a strawberry confetti cake for her birthday. Do you think I could add rainbow jimmies to this? Also, do you think it would work to make 3 6” layers instead of 2 8” layers to make a taller cake? Thanks so much!
Hi Kate! You can definite add sprinkles to this cake. This would be too much batter for a three layer 6 inch cake. 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!)
Should the pureed strawberries be strained to remove seeds? Also, what is your opinion on using strawberry extract instead of the vanilla?
Hi Gwen! The seeds do disappear in the baked cake, but feel free to strain your reduced puree if you’d like. We wanted a naturally flavored strawberry cake, but you can certainly add some extract if you would like. We would still add the vanilla. Hope you enjoy this cake!
I cooked down the strawberries but wasn’t impressed with what it tasted like. To be fair they were more like c- strawberries instead of a+ ones (but fresh). I continued on with the recipie in any case and the cake tastes amazing! . I haven’t done the frosting yet, in the middle of that now but I am in no doubt as to the flavours of freeze dried strawberry powder. Long time follower of your recipes from Sydney Australia .
can i cut the recipe in half to make a smaller cake?
Hi Jay, yes, you can halve the recipe for a one-layer cake.
Could this recipe be used for a bundt cake? I’m hesitant because I do not want the cake to be too delicate for a bundt pan.
Hi Mollie, 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!
Any instructions for doubling?
Hi Rayna, we recommend making two batches instead of doubling this cake recipe because it is easy to over or under-mix large quantities of batter.
Incredible. Just, wow! I made this for my son’s birthday just 3 days ago and it was GONE within 24 hours! That’s NEVER happened before! The cake was so fluffy and moist, and the frosting was perfectly balanced with just a touch of saltiness. I will be making this cake again in just a few days for my own birthday. Thank you so much for testing all of the ways to get strawberry flavor into the cake and into the frosting! Your final recipe is just perfect.
We’re so happy to read your raving review, Katy! Thank you for making this recipe.
What can I use as a dairy free substitute for the whole milk?
Hi Samantha, we haven’t tested this recipe with dairy-free alternatives, but several readers have commented that they’ve used almond milk and it’s turned out great. Let us know if you try anything and how it turns out!
I’ve made your strawberry cupcakes a few times and they are delicious! I am looking to make strawberry pancakes. Do you have a recipe that you think I could add the strawberry puree to?
Hi Nicole, have you tried our Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes? We haven’t tested it with pureed strawberries, but you could use it as a base. You may need to reduce the buttermilk slightly to accommodate the extra liquid from the puree. We’d love to know if you give anything a try!
this was amazing!
I made this cake and it was so flavourful. Everyone loved it. This recipe is great because it uses real strawberries instead of artificial flavours. The addition of butter instead of oil gives the flavour another depth.
Following are my edits:
1. For sour cream, I mixed 1 cup cream and 1 tbsp lemon juice and left it covered with a airy cloth in a glass jar, left it overnight and used it in recipe the next day.
2. I baked the whole batter in a 8 point something inch round mould.
3. I didn’t use this frosting recipe. I used one from another site which used the purree. So I made more of the reduced purree. Started with 560 gm of purreed strawberry. Reduced it to almost one cup. Used 1/2 cup in batter, 1/4 cup in frosting and rest for decoration of cake and plating.
Hi Maryam! Can you tell me what frosting recipe you used? or where you found it? I can’t use dehydrated strawberry and I don’t want to have to trial and error to come up with my own recipe.
I love your recipes.
Live in the UK where cake flour is unavailable. What would you recommend I use as a substitute? So much differing advice out there.
Thank you
Hi Lorna, you can make a cake flour substitute with plain flour + cornflour. Hope this works for you!
Could the strawberry puree be used in the frosting as well? For some reason freeze dried strawberries cause me to have a terrible stomach ache.
Hi Kristin, we’re sure you could, but it would take a little testing to get the ratios right. Let us know if you try it!
Can I double this recipie?