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
Love this recipe but often cannot get unsalted butter. Super comfortable with the using salted butter in the cream cheese icing but not sure about the cake. Could I just use the salted butter and no salt added?
Hi MDH! You can read more about unsalted vs salted butter in this post, and also how to substitute one for the other.
Hello! I’ve made this cake so many times and I love it. I made some extra purée this time and I was wondering if I could freeze it and use it later for when I make the cake another time?
Yes! It can be frozen up the three months.
Can I use almond milk, just to replace the whole milk? I just don’t like the taste.
Hi Samai, that will work in a pinch.
Is lemon and sugar needed for reducing the strawberries?
Hi J, no, we want just pureed and reduced strawberries here. Since it will eventually be mixed into the cake batter, no need for extra flavors or ingredients.
Can this be adapted to make a blueberry cake?
Hi Jean, absolutely! You can use fresh/frozen blueberries to make a blueberry puree for the cake and freeze-dried blueberries for the frosting. Enjoy!
After the strawberries are done simmering, do you need to blend them so its a uniform consistency? It says its a “puree” but I don’t see any part of the recipe where you crush the fruit.
Hi Emel, you puree the fresh strawberries in a blender in step 1, and then reduce that puree on the stove. Hope this helps!
Hi I was wondering if I could do 3 layers instead of 2?
Would that work?
Hi Cheyenne, For a 3 layer cake, you can make 1.5x the batter to evenly distribute across your 3 pans. Enjoy!
Hi there!!! Could we use a gluten free flour by chance??? I’m gluten free but we really want to use your recipe
Hi Alexis, we haven’t tried this recipe with gluten free flour, 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!
Hi there,
I cant figure out why this cake keeps coming out gummy. Im measuring everything correctly. I did use frozen strawberry, could this be the problem? I also use baking strips around the cake pans. Do you think they could be the corporate?
Hi Erica! Did the frozen strawberries reduce down to 1/2 cup? It will take longer to reduce frozen berries. If there’s too much moisture in the strawberry puree, the cake will turn out gummy. Cake strips shouldn’t be an issue!
My Daughter has asked for a Strawberry cake for her 5th Birthday. Will the cake be dense enough for me to cover the whole thing in fondant icing?! She wants a wicked birthday cake! Thank you.
Hi Hayley, Yes, you can cover this cake with fondant.
Couple of questions. Im making a surprise loaf cake and would love to do a strawberry and rose core with vanilla around it. So question 1. would this recipe work with a small amount of rose extract/essence added? Question 2. How well does this recipe translate into a loaf tin?
And question 3. The core gets frozen before being added back in down the centre of the loaf cake and baked again, will this recipe work for that?
Hi Cassandra, We haven’t tried adding rose extract to this cake. Dividing between a few loaf pans should work (fill half way) or you can try halving the recipe, filling the pan half way, and using any leftover batter for a few cupcakes. We’re unsure of the exact bake time though. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Sally, I made this superb strawberry layer cake with your recipe for strawberry buttercream frosting. It sold today for $300 at a cake auction for a charitable organization. Everybody swooned over the appearance of this cake. I wish I could post a photo of it. I decorated the top with fresh strawberries, chamomile flower blossoms and red & white mini carnations. It was beautiful. I made 2 layers with 10 x 3 inch pans. The puree in the batter made it very tasty and moist. The strawberry powder in the frosting imparted a great strawberry flavor and I didn’t even need food coloring for it. I did taste-test a tiny bit of both cake and frosting, and my tastebuds jumped for joy. This is a winner of a cake recipe for special occasions. I’m really grateful for your recipe and helpful hints. I’m a novice baker but I felt like I did a pro job because of your guidance.
That’s wonderful Lily! Thank you for sharing that!
Very creamy.
This looks great! Do you think I could use frozen strawberries (not freeze dried) to make the puree?
Hi M, you can use fresh or frozen strawberries to make the puree for the cake. You’ll need freeze dried strawberries for the frosting.
Cant wait to try this recipe for my daughter who insisted on having strawberry cake for her 3rd birthday. I’ll be making a three layer, 8 inch cake, so I’ll double the recipe to be safe. How would I adjust the oven temp and time to account for this?
Hi Elyse, for best results, we recommend making 2 separate batches rather than doubling. Fill your pans half way and use any leftover batter for cupcakes on the side. Same oven temperature, but bake time should be just a few minutes shorter. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness. Hope the cake is a hit!
Can I use regular strawberries instead of freeze dried strawberries?
Hi Chen, freeze dried strawberries are required for the frosting. Regular strawberries will add too much liquid and create a runny frosting.
Absolutely delicious! I ended up with about 3/4 c of the strawberry pure and used the remaining 1/4 c of it along with the leftover egg yolks to make a strawberry lemon curd (with your lemon curd recipe)! It took the cake over the top!
Thanks for this suggestion, I did this last night and it was super delicious!
Thanks for sharing this recipes!! I’ve made many of your cake recipes before and they turn out great, going to make this one for my daughter’s birthday party this weekend. How would I adjust the recipe if I wanted to do a 3 layer 9 “ instead of 2? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Cami, For a 3 layer cake, you can make 1.5x the batter to evenly distribute across your 3 pans. Enjoy!
If I wanted to add a hint of lemon to this, what would be the best way to do that? Zest in the frosting maybe?
Hi Claire, You could certainly add lemon zest to this cake without making any other changes.
May I use Greek yogurt, either plain or vanilla, for the recipe? Thanks for a timely reply.
Hi LCB, yes, you can use the same amount of plain Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream.
The absolute best!!! It is so fresh!
I made this cake exactly as the recipe says. The flavour was great but the texture was off. It was very dense and didn’t seem to rise enough. Any ideas what I did wrong? Did I over mix it? My son really wants this cake for his birthday so I’m trying to figure it out! Thanks for your help!
Hi JF, were you sure to use cake flour?
I had the exact same problem. I did use cake flour. The batter was so airy and fluffy that I had great expectations. But it turned out dense and barely risen. Such a shame because it tasted great.
I’ve had problems before when i realized my oven wasn’t actually heating to what it said it was. Get an over thermometer and test it.
I want to bake this using 2 round pans of 10 in. x 3 in. How should I adjust the recipe to fill my pans? I need this before next weekend. Thanks.
Hi LCB, happy to help! Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes.
I made this cake for the first time for my partners family, and I’ve got so many compliments saying it’s the best cake they’ve ever eaten. Great recipe, thank you ❤️
I added some of the homemade strawberry jam between the layers with the cream cheese, it was so yummy.
I love this cake! I’ve been making it for about 4 years now. It is definitely a summertime favorite with my friends and family. I never add the food coloring, the pretty pink frosting and natural strawberry flavor are more than enough for us. Everyone is always surprised to know that the flavor and color come solely from natural, fresh strawberries.
Can I make this in 2 6 inch pans and just not use all of the batter? Would you adjust cooking time?
Hi Erica, 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. If you only want 2 layers, you can use the extra batter for a few cupcakes on the side. Enjoy!
I made this cake for my granddaughter’s third birthday and it was the best cake I’ve ever tasted. Everyone loved it. I made it a few weeks ahead of time and froze the layers separately. I thawed them overnight in the refrigerator then fade the frosting in the morning. It’s a beautiful and delicious cake.
This is my go to cake, for all birthdays! I follow the recipe always and it turns out perfect all the time.
I’ve now been asked to bake it for friends wedding. I’m thinking of doing 4 cakes (2x recipe) – do you think it will hold? I always do 8” but thinking 9” would look nicer.
I always use the strawberry buttercream instead, do you think it’s enough to do 1.5x?
Any suggestions please before I take on this big job?
Thank you so much. You’re recipes are so good, always.
Hi Luzia! We would add dowels for a 4 layer cake, if it seems wobbly at all. You’ll need about a double batch of our strawberry buttercream for a four layer cake, but we’re unsure of the exact amount needed. You can read more about dowels and cake supports in our homemade wedding cake post and here’s more information on freezing cake layers if you need to bake anything ahead of time. Happy baking!
I made this cake for a fellow cake lover’s birthday. I’ve made a lot of cakes, and several people said this is the best cake ever. I followed the cake recipe exactly with no food coloring.
For the strawberry buttercream, I used some reduced strawberries instead of the freeze dried powder, no food coloring. It was a gorgeous light pink cake that honestly, was to die for. A few days ago I found the freeze dried strawberries at Trader Joe’s. Made the frosting recipe as is to try it. I thought it was way too sweet. It did make the frosting quite boldly pink. I will stick with reduced strawberry puree. (Added heavy cream to consistency I wanted w 2 T of reduced puree.)
I plan on making this cake for my daughter’s birthday next weekend. I made a test one a couple days ago and the cake turned out brown, not pink. It did have a pink tinge but was mostly brown. The only thing I could think of was that I used a brown vanilla extract. Would that be why?
Hi Renee, for next time, you could try adding just a bit more food coloring to help bring out the pink color. It’s definitely normal for them to brown a bit once baked. Hope the cake is a hit for your daughters birthday!
This recipe sounds delicious and I really want to try it but could I use a 6 inch cake pan instead and would the oven temperature and cook time need to be changed?
Hi Hailee, this will be too much batter for a smaller 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!)
hi im in Australia and am going to attempt the strawberry cake for my granddaughter’s 5th birthday – im noticing the difference in cup mesurements i.e. 2/12 cups of cake flour in Oz is is 375 grams and your recipe says 285 grams – do i just follow your recipe as that seems like a big difference – would be grateful for any advice
Hi Gail, we consistently measure 2 and 1/2 cups of cake flour at 285g, so we’d recommend sticking with that measurement for best results. 375g of cake flour could be too much for this recipe and yield a very dry, heavy cake. We hope it’s a hit!