This strawberry cake is soft, fluffy, and packed with real strawberry flavor that tastes like summer in every bite. The secret is in the reduced strawberry puree, which concentrates all that fresh, fruity sweetness into the cake batter without making it soggy. Topped with a dreamy strawberry cream cheese frosting, this layer cake is the kind of dessert that makes people ask for seconds before they've even finished their first slice. I first made this for my daughter Lily's birthday last spring, and she declared it "better than bakery cake," which, coming from a seven-year-old, is the highest praise.
If you love fruity desserts, you might also enjoy our Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe or these Strawberry Lemon Blondies for a lighter treat.
Why You'll Love This Strawberry Cake
This homemade strawberry cake hits all the right notes. It's fancy enough for birthdays and celebrations but easy enough to make on a weekend when you're craving something special. The reduced strawberry puree gives it an intense, natural flavor that boxed mixes just can't match. The cake layers bake up soft and fluffy, and the strawberry cream cheese frosting is the perfect balance of tangy and sweet.
You don't need any fancy techniques or hard-to-find ingredients. If you can cream butter and sugar, you can make this Strawberry Cake. Plus, it feeds a crowd, so it's great for parties, potlucks, or just treating your family to something beautiful.
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Strawberry Cake Ingredients
Here's everything that goes into this Strawberry Cake. Most of it you probably already have in your pantry.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For ingtedient Quantites
For the Strawberry Puree:
- Fresh strawberries: You'll need a pound of fresh berries to make the puree. Simmering them down concentrates the flavor and removes extra moisture so your cake bakes up perfectly.
For the Cake:
- Cake flour: This gives the cake its tender, delicate crumb. It's lighter than all-purpose flour and makes the texture extra soft.
- Baking powder and baking soda: These two work together to give the cake a nice rise and fluffy texture.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out all the other flavors.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps create that melt-in-your-mouth texture. Make sure it's softened to room temperature so it creams properly.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps create a light, airy batter when creamed with the butter.
- Egg whites: Using just the whites keeps the cake light and gives it a beautiful pale color. Make sure they're at room temperature.
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt: Adds moisture and a subtle tang that balances the sweetness.
- Pure vanilla extract: Enhances all the other flavors without overpowering the strawberry.
- Whole milk: Thins the batter to the right consistency and adds richness. Room temperature milk mixes in more smoothly.
- Reduced strawberry puree: This is where all that fresh strawberry flavor comes from.
- Food coloring (optional): A drop or two of pink or red makes the cake a prettier shade of pink, but it's totally optional.
For the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Freeze-dried strawberries: These get ground into a powder that gives the frosting intense strawberry flavor without adding moisture.
- Cream cheese: Make sure it's full-fat and softened to room temperature so it blends smoothly.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps the frosting spread beautifully.
- Confectioners' sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting to the perfect consistency.
- Whole milk: Helps thin the frosting just enough to make it creamy and spreadable.
- Pure vanilla extract: Rounds out the flavors.
- Salt: Just a pinch to balance the sweetness.
How to Make Strawberry Cake
Prepare the strawberry puree: Blend the fresh strawberries until smooth, then pour into a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring now and then, until it reduces to about half a cup. This takes around 30 minutes or so. Let it cool completely, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring it back to room temperature before you use it.
Preheat and prep: Set your oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and grease the parchment too.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set it aside.
Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. It should look pale and creamy.
Add egg whites: Beat in the egg whites on high speed for about 2 minutes until everything is well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Mix in sour cream and vanilla: Add the sour cream and vanilla, beating on medium-high for about a minute until smooth and incorporated.
Combine wet and dry: Add the dry ingredients to the bowl, then slowly pour in the milk while mixing on low speed. Mix just until combined. Gently fold in the room-temperature strawberry puree and the food coloring if you're using it. The batter will be a little thick.
Divide and bake: Split the batter evenly between your two prepared pans. Bake for 24 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. The tops should spring back lightly when you touch them.
Cool completely: Let the cakes cool in their pans for an hour, then carefully remove them and peel off the parchment paper. Set them on a cooling rack until they're completely cool.
Make the frosting: Grind the freeze-dried strawberries in a blender or food processor until they're powdered, then sift out any big chunks. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, strawberry powder, milk, and vanilla. Beat on low for 30 seconds, then turn it up to high and mix for 3 minutes until creamy and fluffy. Taste it and add a pinch of salt if needed.
Assemble the cake: Level the tops of your cooled cakes with a knife if they domed up while baking. Place one layer on a cake stand or plate and spread about a cup of frosting on top. Set the second layer upside down on top of the frosting. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting all over the cake, then refrigerate for 20 minutes to let it set. Spread the rest of the frosting over the top and sides. Refrigerate for at least another 20 minutes before slicing.
Store and serve: Keep any leftover cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. If it's been chilled for more than a few hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving so the frosting softens up.
Substitutions and Variations
No cake flour? You can make your own by measuring out 2 and ½ cups of all-purpose flour, removing 5 tablespoons of it, and replacing those 5 tablespoons with cornstarch. Sift it a few times to mix it well.
Skip the sour cream: Plain Greek yogurt works just as well and gives the same tangy richness.
Dairy-free version: Use plant-based butter and a dairy-free cream cheese alternative for the frosting. Swap the milk for almond or oat milk.
Make it vanilla strawberry: Add an extra teaspoon of vanilla to the batter for a more pronounced vanilla flavor alongside the strawberry.
No freeze-dried strawberries? You can use strawberry jam in the frosting instead, but reduce the milk slightly so it doesn't get too thin.
Equipment For Strawberry Cake
You don't need a fancy kitchen to make this strawberry cake from scratch, but a few tools will make the process easier.
- Blender or food processor: For pureeing the strawberries and grinding the freeze-dried berries.
- Handheld or stand mixer: Creaming the butter and sugar by hand takes forever, so a mixer really helps.
- 9-inch round cake pans: Make sure they're the same size so your layers bake evenly.
- Cooling rack: Lets air circulate around the cakes so they cool faster and more evenly.
- Parchment paper: Keeps the cakes from sticking to the pans.
- Sifter: For removing chunks from the freeze-dried strawberry powder.
- Cake stand or turntable: Makes frosting the cake so much easier, though it's not essential.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This Strawberry Cake actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld together.
- Storing: Keep the finished cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The cream cheese frosting needs to stay cold.
- Freezing: You can freeze the unfrosted cake layers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before frosting.
- Make-ahead: The strawberry puree can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the fridge. You can also bake the cake layers a day ahead, wrap them well, and keep them at room temperature until you're ready to frost.
- Serving after refrigeration: If the cake has been in the fridge for more than a few hours, let it sit out for 15 to 20 minutes before serving. The frosting softens up and the cake tastes better at cool room temperature.
Serving Suggestions
This Strawberry Cake is beautiful on its own, but here are a few ways to make it even more special.
With fresh berries: Pile fresh strawberries on top of the frosted cake for a gorgeous finish. Slice them or leave them whole.
Alongside vanilla ice cream: A scoop of cold vanilla ice cream next to a slice of this Strawberry Cake is pure heaven.
With whipped cream: A dollop of freshly whipped cream adds extra lightness and richness.
At a summer picnic: This Strawberry Cake travels well if you keep it chilled. Pack it in a cake carrier and bring it to your next outdoor gathering.
For more delicious dessert ideas, check out our Carrot Cake Cupcakes or this classic Apple Pie Recipe.
Expert Tips
Reduce the puree properly: Don't rush this step. The puree needs to simmer down until it's thick and jammy. If it's too watery, your cake will be dense.
Room temperature ingredients: Make sure your butter, egg whites, sour cream, and milk are all at room temperature. They mix together more smoothly and create a better texture.
Don't overmix: Once you add the flour, mix just until you can't see any more dry streaks. Overmixing makes the cake tough.
Level your layers: Cakes usually dome in the middle while baking. Slicing off that dome creates flat, stable layers that stack beautifully.
Chill between frosting steps: That crumb coat step isn't optional. It seals in the crumbs so your final layer of frosting looks smooth and professional.
Use a serrated knife: When you're ready to slice the cake, use a long serrated knife and wipe it clean between cuts for neat, pretty slices.
FAQ
What is a fact about strawberry cake?
Strawberry cake became especially popular in the United States during the mid-20th century when strawberry-flavored cake mixes hit the market. This homemade version uses real strawberries for a much fresher, more authentic flavor than anything from a box.
Does a strawberry cake have to be refrigerated?
Yes, because this Strawberry Cake has cream cheese frosting, it needs to stay in the fridge. Cream cheese frosting can spoil if left at room temperature for too long. Just let the cake sit out for 15 to 20 minutes before serving so it's not ice-cold.
How long can a strawberry cake stay out?
You can leave this Strawberry Cake at room temperature for about 2 hours during serving. After that, it should go back in the fridge to keep the frosting fresh and safe to eat.
How long does a strawberry shortcake last?
While traditional strawberry shortcake with whipped cream lasts only a day or two, this strawberry layer cake with cream cheese frosting stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The key is keeping it well covered so it doesn't dry out or absorb any fridge odors.
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Pairing
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Strawberry Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the strawberry puree by blending the fresh strawberries into a puree. Simmer in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reduces to half, about 25–35 minutes. Cool completely.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a mixer, cream together softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg whites and mix on high until fully incorporated, about 2 minutes.
- Add sour cream and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients, then slowly pour in the milk while mixing on low speed. Do not overmix.
- Stir in the cooled strawberry puree and food coloring (if using) until no lumps remain. The batter should be thick. Pour evenly into the prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 24–25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans for 1 hour, then remove from pans and cool completely.
- To make the frosting, process freeze-dried strawberries into powder. Set aside.
- Beat softened cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add powdered strawberries, confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then on high speed for 3 minutes until smooth.
- Refrigerate the frosting for 1 hour before using.
- Level the cake layers using a serrated knife. Place the first layer on a cake stand and spread with frosting. Top with the second cake layer and apply a thin crumb coat of frosting. Chill to set, then cover with the remaining frosting.
- Refrigerate the frosted cake for 20 minutes before slicing to help it set.
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