A super moist homemade Strawberry Cake made from scratch with fresh strawberries. A strawberry puree plus freeze dried strawberries give this a double dose of strawberry flavor. Great for Valentines Day, birthdays or any occasion. This will be your new favorite cake.
I don’t make a lot of layer cakes, so when I do, it needs to be spectacular and this strawberry layer cake made with a reduced strawberry puree is worth every calorie.
By reducing fresh strawberries, it concentrates the strawberry flavor without making the cake too dense. It’s what I do when making a strawberry pie or strawberry jam.
This cake is amazing for two reasons. First the cake itself has a pound of fresh strawberries that are pureed and cooked down and then added to the batter. This results in fresh strawberry flavor in every bite without it being too dense. Find out when it’s strawberry season where you live so you can get the freshest berries.
Second, while the cake is fabulous, the frosting puts it over the top. To get that great strawberry flavor without juicy strawberries, use freeze dried strawberries. You can find them in the grocery next to the dried fruit or get them on line. Add them to a cream cheese frosting for not only a beautiful color but extra strawberry flavor.
If you don’t have freeze dried strawberries, you can mashed fresh strawberries like I do in my strawberry poke cake.
I found this fresh strawberry cake recipe when I was trying to find a cake to make for Natalie’s birthday. I wanted to try to utilize strawberries because of course it would be pink and it’s one of her favorite fruits.
I don’t make a ton of cakes because they’re so big, and unless you have a crowd, there’s always a lot of leftovers, and who has room in their freezer.
However, this strawberry layer cake is so amazingly delicious that you just have to make it and freeze any leftovers. You’ll be surprised how well cake freezes, it tastes so fresh once thawed and if you freeze it already sliced then you won’t be tempted to eat the whole thing, which could be a problem with this cake, it’s that good.
If you don’t want to make a layer cake, check out some of my other favorite starwberry cakes.
Ingredients for the strawberry cake
- Cake flour – it makes a lighter cake than all purpose.
- Egg whites – whipped they keep it light.
- Sour cream and whole milk– this keeps it moist.
- Strawberries – fresh or frozen, you’ll need a pound.
- Pantry items – baking powder, baking soda, butter, sugar and vanilla.
What you’ll need for the strawberry cream cheese frosting
- Freeze dried strawberries – you can find these in the grocery next to the dried fruit or oder on line. Who knew that an ounce of dried strawberries could have so much flavor.
- Cream cheese and butter– for a creamy frosting.
- Powdered sugar, milk and vanilla.
Strawberry layer cake directions
Step 1: puree the berries
First puree the strawberries with a food processor or blender and then cook the puree until it’s reduced in half for about 30 minutes and let it cool.
Step 2: cream the butter
Beat the butter and sugar and then add egg whites. When light and fluffy, add sour cream and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk.
Whisk in the strawberry puree and pour into 2 cake pans and bake.
Step 3: freeze the layers
Once cooled, remove the layers from the pan, wrap in plastic and freeze until ready to frost.
Step 4: make the frosting
For the frosting, process the freeze dried strawberries until they are powdery. Beat the cream cheese and butter and add powdered sugar and dried strawberry powder with a little milk until you get the right consistency.
Step 5:
Frost and refrigerate for about an hour to let the frosting set before slicing.
There were just 3 of us for dinner so I had plenty left over. A friend came over the next day while I was taking photographs and I sent him home with the rest of the cake. It was 10 am, but that didn’t stop him from immediately eating a slice, I thought he was going to lick the plate. His boys loved it too even though it’s pink.
This cake is easy to make with just a couple of steps and each layer came out of the pan perfectly. I froze the layers a little before frosting them and then kept it refrigerated until ready to serve. All of the beautiful pink color comes from the strawberries, no food coloring.
What’s the best way to cut a cake
Do you know how to cut a cake? My mother-in-law taught me, and I always use her method. Don’t cut it in triangles, you get a better distribution of cake to frosting if you cut it into rectangles, plus you can control the size of the slices easier than if you’re cutting triangles. Cut your cake in half and then make slices down one side and then the other.
We love this so much that I keep trying to come up with an excuse to make it, think Valentines day, birthday parties, at-home date night, or any holiday occasion.
Strawberry birthday cake FAQ’s and tips
Cut it into rectangular slices and place a piece of parchment paper between each slice.
You can use fresh or frozen strawberries, just let them thaw first.
Cut a piece of parchment paper the size of your cake pan and place it inside the cake pan, then grease and flour the parchment paper along with the pan.
Fresh strawberries are so delicious! They can last up to two weeks in the fridge if you follow some simple steps for how to store strawberries!
Looking for more strawberry recipes, here’s some favorites
This recipe is adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction, I’ve always found her recipes to be spot on and very reliable.
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Strawberry Cake
Ingredients
CAKE
- 2 ½ cups cake flour 250 g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter room temp
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 5 egg whites room temp
- ⅓ cup sour cream room temp
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup whole milk room temp
- 1 lb strawberries
FROSTING
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries ½ cup ground (1 ounce)
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temp
- ½ cup butter room temp
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Puree strawberries in food processor or blender until you have 1 cup of puree. Place in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until it is reduced to about ½ cup. Allow to cool completely.
- Preheat oven to 350º. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- With a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg whites on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add sour cream and vanilla. With the mixer on low, add dry ingredients, just until incorporated. Slowly add milk and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Whisk in ½ cup of cooled strawberry puree.
- Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 24-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pans on a wire rack.
FROSTING:
- In a food processor process the freeze-dried strawberries until they are powdery. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the cream cheese on high until creamy, about 1 minute. Add butter and mix until combined. Add powdered sugar, strawberry powder, 1 tablespoon milk and vanilla and beat until well combined and smooth. Add more milk if needed and a pinch of salt.
ASSEMBLY:
- Invert cake layers onto a a cake stand or serving plate. Cover with frosting and top with 2nd layer. Spread the remaining frosting on sides and top. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before slicing. Store in refrigerator.
- For cupcakes bake for 20-22 mites, makes 2 ½ dozen,
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- You’ll need to plan ahead as he strawberry puree needs to have cooled before adding it to the cake.
- Line the cake pans with a circle of parchment paper for easier removal.
- Freeze the layers for a few minutes to make it easier to frost.
- This cake freezes great, cut it into individual slices and separate with parchment paper.
- Look for freeze dried strawberries in the grocery next to the dried fruit or order online.
Nutrition
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Look it’s my Natalie!!! Very excited to try this cake.
Baked this cake for my birthday and it was an absolute hit! So moist and tasty. Thank you for doing what you do
Hope you had a nice birthday, it’s a great cake for celebrations.