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. We scaled it down to frost these strawberry cookies, too!
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 daughter wants a strawberry Moana cake for her birthday. I’m planning on trying your recipe! I want to keep the strawberry frosting but will need to dye it blue for the ocean. Do you think that would work okay?
Hi Hannah, The blue food coloring mixed with the pink color from the strawberries would likely give you a purple frosting. You can always use the strawberry frosting in the center between the layers and for a crumb coat, and then use vanilla buttercream tinted blue for the outer layer to decorate. Let us know what you try!
Delicious. Best cake frosting ever! I would like to try the frosting with a vanilla cake, lemon cake or maybe almond cake. I needed a lot more milk in the frosting. Delicious!
Like many other comments here, I also found it to be quite sweet. Next time I will reduce to 2 cups sugar. For the frosting, luckily I only used 2 cups powder sugar rather than 3, and I added some pomegranate molasses which is quite sour just to cut through the sweetness. I decorated with strawberries too, which helps to balance the sugar. It’s quite high-effort and high cost of ingredients, it was a nice cake but not that special in my opinion.
Hello I am wondering if it is necessary to refrigerate the reduced strawberries overnight, or if I can use them once they are cold? I am pressed for time and hoping I can use asap
Hi Hannah, you’ll want to have time to allow the strawberry puree to come back to room temperature before it adding to the cake batter. See the recipe Notes for additional make-ahead instructions!
Just finished baking the cake. Each cake is only about an inch high. Is that the way it is supposed to be? I made the cake exactly according to the recipe. The layers tested done.
Hi Lucy, we haven’t measured the cake layers. We’d guess they’re probably about an inch to an inch and a half or so. Hope you enjoyed the cake!
Follow up. It was fine! I took the cake to a family reunion. They loved it! Thank you to Sally’s people for getting back to me.
Hi SALLY, can you use freeze dried strawberries grounded up instead of really strawberries?
Hi Carissa, we don’t recommend it. Sally actually tested this recipe using the freeze dried strawberry powder, and the taste, texture, and appearance were lacking. The reduced strawberry puree is key to this cake’s success. Hope you’ll give it a try!
The taste was great but it was too wet and didn’t rise properly. I used sour cream and measured everything out with the kitchen scale. Not sure what went wrong?
Hi Aya, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Was the batter over mixed by chance? That can cause cakes to come out squat and dense. It could also be that it needed a few more minutes of bake to finish rising/baking through and prevent sinking when taken out of the oven. You might also try a fresh batch of baking powder and baking soda for next time; we find they can start to lose their effectiveness after about 3 months of opening. Thank you for giving this one a try!
I made this with fresh milled soft white wheat. I sifted the flour, then put the bran and germ back in the mill to make it finer and then mixed it back with the flour. Once I mixed all ingredients together I let the batter sit about a half hour before baking to let the flour continue to absorb the moisture. Came out great! Many asked for the recipe! Plus has the added nutritional benefits of the whole grains! 🙂
I made this cake and used costcos Greek yogurt, it didn’t even cook, just mush. I don’t know what could have happened. I’m so sad. I can’t figure it out.
Hi Merry, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. Were any of the other ingredients changed or mis-measured by chance? It sounds like there was too much liquid in your batter, which may indicate that some of the wet ingredients were over-measured or the dry ingredients under-measured. Or were you using a different size/quantity of pans as written in the recipe? If there is too much batter in your cake pan, it will have a difficult time baking through properly.
tastes good but it was so sweet! should it be so sweet?
I can’t wait to make this! I am taking it to a picnic. Can I make it the day before and put in the fridge?
Hi Lucy, you could, but it could dry out a bit. See Notes after the recipe for our recommended make-ahead instructions!
I made the strawberry cake yesterday it was very dense I did not expect that the frosting was great
Same. Very dense.
Hi Jacinta, a dense cake can be caused by many factors; the most likely culprits are over-mixing the batter, over-baking (which would also make the cake dry), or over-measuring the flour. When you over-mix, the gluten in the flour develops too much, creating a tough, rubbery texture instead of the light and airy one you want in a cake. You can check out this post on preventing a dry or dense cake for next time if you decide to give it another go.
Can this cake be made gluten free?
Hi Kate, 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!
Made this- the cake was very good and moist, the icing in my opinion could have used less sugar/freeze dried strawberries. Very good though- would definitely make again with a lighter whipped cream cheese frosting.
Hello,
I have made this cake a few times and we love it! Do you think it would work in a loaf pan?
Thank you!
Hi Nadine, 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.
I will try it! Thank you so much, you always respond so quickly!
If I make an 8” cake, will any adjustment in baking time be needed?
Hi Adrianne, you can use two 8 inch round 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!
Sally – I baked the strawberry cake, yesterday, in 8 inch, round, dark pans. I lowered the baking temperature to 325, and started checking the cake at 20 minutes. I was done (had begun to separate from the sides of the pans at 34 minutes. Layers were tall, moist and hopefully delicious. We’ll know tonight. Thanks for all you do to help us all!!!
I made this cake recently and it’s one of the best I’ve ever made! So delicious.
I want to make it again for my friend’s birthday, but I need to feed a lot of people. How would you recommend adjusting the recipe for a 10” 3 layer cake? Double? Thank you!!
Hi Hayley, as written this recipe yields about 7 cups of batter. You can use our cake pan sizes and conversions post to help figure out what you need for your cake. So glad you love this cake!
It takes at least an hour to reduce the strawberries, not 25 minutes. And I followed this recipe to the letter, but the cake just tastes like vanilla. I’m surprised by the other comments saying that theirs had a strong strawberry flavor. My icing turned out great, though.
I made this cake almost as is for my baby shower (used strawberry jam instead of reduced strawberries), and it turned out amazingly! So amazingly that one of my friends requested it for her birthday party this week 🙂
Thing is that she is dairy-free. Any recommendations to switch out the butter, sour cream, and milk for dairy-free alternatives? Thanks so much!
Hi Hannah, so glad you liked this cake! We haven’t tested this with dairy-free alternatives, but know there are lots of options out there now. Might be worth looking online for a dairy-free baking blog that has tested what yogurt or sour cream alternative works best for cakes.
Hello!
My son’s first birthday is 4th of July. I am contemplating making a two layer cake using the strawberry cake recipe listed above as one layer and the other layer being a blueberry cake layer. Would I be able to use the strawberry cake recipe with blueberries instead of strawberries for the second cake layer by making a blueberry puree?
Hi Taylor, yes, many readers have reported success making a blueberry version with blueberry puree in the cake. Enjoy!
Could I fit the batter into three 8 inch round cake pans to make a 3 layer cake? I know the bake time would probably be different, but would the oven temp change as well?
Hi Hannah, 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. You can also make 1.5 times this recipe for three layers (doubling would be too much). With 8 inch pans your bake time may be a minute or two longer as your layers will be slightly thicker.
Can I make this into a bundt cake?
Hi Vandana, 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. Most of our Bundt cake recipes take between 55-70 minutes. Enjoy!
What bake time would you recommend for 3 6inch layers?
Thanks in advance
Hi Sarah, use the baking instructions for 6 inch cakes.
I’m hoping you can help me figure out how to adjust this strawberry cake for making a smaller smash cake for daughter’s 1st birthday? I want to make a larger cake for family/friends, and then a smaller (either 4 or 6 inch) smash cake for the baby. With there being an odd number of eggs, it’s hard to 1 1/2 the recipe, so I’m struggling to figure out how to adjust, and how long the smaller cake should cook for? Thanks!
Hi Ali! We would make two separate batters for your two cakes. 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. Happy baking and happy birthday to your daughter!
I wanted to try your lemon buttercream frosting on this strawberry cake. What do you think?
Hi Kathy! Though the cake itself does have fresh strawberry flavor, a lot of the strawberry flavor comes from the frosting, and you may find the strawberry overpowered by lemon. What we would recommend is adding a thin layer of lemon curd between the layers if you would like to add some lemon flavor. You could also use our lemon cake recipe, with this strawberry frosting. Or, adding some fresh lemon zest to this frosting would add some subtle flavor as well. Let us know what you try!
Hey Sally, love this recipe I’ve made it many times but my mother in law is requesting it in a Bundt. Is this even possible? Do you have any recommendations?
Hi Robin, 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. Most of our Bundt cake recipes take between 55-70 minutes. Enjoy!
Hi! I love your recipes and use them all the time! This is my first go at the strawberry cake. Any chance this could work with buttercream icing? Cream cheese is not well-liked in our house :\
Thought you might have thoughts, advice, or opinions to share! Thank you!
Hi Jenn! Yes, you can use regular strawberry buttercream instead if you’d like. Enjoy!
Hi, I see there are two different weights listed for the (pre-reduction) strawberries. Should it be 445 grams (as per the ingredients list) or 270 grams (as per the instructions)? I just pureed a full pound, but looking through the photos I’m thinking maybe the second amount is correct?
Hi Mary, sorry for the confusion! We recommend starting with 1 lb. of berries; after hulling, the weight will decrease. The recipe also accounts for the fact that a little bit of strawberry puree will be left behind in the blender or food processor. The important part is you have 1/2 cup of reduced puree going into the batter. Hope this helps!
Hi Sally.
The measurements for the puree are not making sense to me.
Start with 454g, puree and it is now 270g?
Thanks,
Gareth
Hi Gareth, sorry for the confusion! We recommend starting with 1 lb. of berries; after hulling, the weight will decrease. The recipe also accounts for the fact that a little bit of strawberry puree will be left behind in the blender or food processor. The important part is you have 1/2 cup of reduced puree going into the batter. Hope this helps!
Thank you for asking this — I was confused too, lol.
I recently started baking for something to do, I enjoy a challenge. Your recipes make this so easy that people have gushed over my creations. This cake was absolutely incredible, it was absolutely delicious with a great strawberry flavor.
This cake is so good! Your recipes never disappoint. Question: Is is possible to sub ground freeze-dried strawberries for the puree? I swear there used to be a recipe on here that used that method. Thanks!
Hi Tiffany! You really need strawberry puree for this recipe (the frosting uses the freeze dried strawberries).
Hi!
are we sifting the cake flour and confectioners sugar? If so, are we measuring before or after the sifting? This cake is my favorite and making it for my child’s 2nd birthday!
Hi Brittany, there is no need to sift the confectioners’ sugar or cake flour here. You can read more about how and when to sift ingredients in this post. We’re so glad this is a favorite for you!
Hi, I was wondering if I could make a cream cheese frosting if I just don’t add the strawberries in your recipe for the cream cheese strawberry frosting. Would it be the same thing minus the strawberries?
Hi Ap, yes, but omit the Tbsp of cream in the frosting. Then it’s the same recipe as our regular cream cheese frosting. Enjoy!