This fresh strawberry cake is moist and tender, stacked with a strawberry cream cheese frosting that tastes like summer on a fork. I love that every bite is packed with real fruit and zero fake flavors—it’s pure, simple, and honestly hard to stop eating.
PrintHow to Make a Fresh Strawberry Cake at Home
This fresh strawberry cake is moist and tender, stacked with a strawberry cream cheese frosting that tastes like summer on a fork. I love that every bite is packed with real fruit and zero fake flavors—it’s pure, simple, and honestly hard to stop eating.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 oz fresh strawberries, very ripe
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp – lightly indents when tapped, not melty at all
- 1 ¾ cup white sugar
- 4 large eggs, whites and yolks separated – room temp
- ¼ cup whole milk, room temp
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cup cake flour, sifted after measuring
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Frosting
- 6 tablespoons strawberry puree, use leftover puree from cake
- 12 tablespoons regular butter, firm
- 12 oz cream cheese, slightly cold
- 24 oz confectioner’s sugar, or 1.5 lbs.
- Optional: thinly sliced fresh strawberries for garnish
Get Recipe Ingredients
Instructions
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Hull and slice fresh strawberries. Toss with 3 tsp sugar and cover. Let sit in fridge overnight, until they become macerated and juicy. Blend strawberries with short pulses, just until pureed. Do not over blend.
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Preheat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle. Line bottom of two 8- or 9-inch round pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour the paper and sides of pans.
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Beat butter and sugar in stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium high, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
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Add milk, yolks, vanilla, and 3/4 cup of strawberry puree – save remaining puree for frosting, filling, or other use. Blend just until combined.
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In separate bowl, whisk together: sifted cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in the butter mixture with rubber spatula, just until wet/dry ingredients are fully incorporated. Do not over mix.
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In a clean bowl, using electric mixer, beat egg whites just until still peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into the cake batter with rubber spatula, softly folding until combined.
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Divide batter evenly among the two pans. Give the pans a gentle shake to level out the tops.
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Bake 20-25 minutes just until toothpick inserted in center has a few tender crumbs attached. Watch carefully so it does not over bake and become dry.
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Let cakes rest at room temp for 10 minutes and turn out onto wire racks. Let cool completely before frosting.
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For the Frosting
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In stand mixer using paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until it is light, pale yellow, and fluffy. Add cream cheese and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add confectioner’s sugar and beat until combined.
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Add the strawberry puree and mix just until combined. Place frosting in fridge for at least an hour before use.
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Frost cake as desired; add thinly sliced fresh strawberries for garnish if desired. Frosted dessert should be kept in fridge until ready to serve.
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Notes
- Always use very ripe strawberries for this cake. The riper, the better, as they will be sweeter and more flavorful. Try to use ones without much white on them. If a lot of white needs to be cut off, you’ll need more strawberries.
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature and not melty at all. This will help it cream with the sugar properly and give your cake a light, fluffy texture.
- This frosting is best suited for spreading rather than piping, as it is smooth and creamy soft.
- Be careful not to over-mix your batter. Only fold until the wet and dry ingredients are fully incorporated to avoid a tough cake.
Why This Strawberry Cake Recipe Stand Out
What’s not to love about a cake that’s bursting with the fresh, sweet flavor of strawberries? Here’s what’s special about this cake:
- Back-to-Basics: We love that this cake is made with fresh, simple ingredients. No artificial coloring and no boxes of Jello or pudding – just fresh strawberries and lots of flavor.
- Light, Fluffy, and Tender: The cake has a beautiful texture.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: This strawberry-cream cheese frosting is really what steals the show.
- All the Occasions: This cake is perfect for any celebration, from birthdays to Mother’s Day.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh Strawberries – The star of our cake, very ripe fresh strawberries are used to make a puree that infuses the cake with a natural, fruity flavor.
- Unsalted Butter – Make sure it’s at room temperature, so it creams easily with the sugar.
- Cake Flour – Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour, resulting in a lighter, more tender cake crumb. Sift it after measuring to prevent any lumps.
- Strawberry Puree – The frosting uses a strawberry puree made from fresh strawberries, adding a lovely pink color.
- Cream Cheese – We use cream cheese to stabilize the frosting and add a delicious tangy flavor that pairs beautifully with the strawberries.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are some of our favorite variations and substitutions:
- Puree: The strawberry puree is what gives this cake its fresh, fruity flavor. For a fun twist, try using raspberry or blackberry puree instead.
- Other Berries: Instead of strawberries, you can also adapt this recipe by using your favorite berries.
- Different Frosting: If cream cheese frosting isn’t your thing, try swapping it out for a classic vanilla buttercream.
Step-By-Step Strawberry Cake Recipe Instructions
- Slice the fresh strawberries and toss them with sugar. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, blend the strawberries until puree.
- Preheat the oven and prepare the pans. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add milk, egg yolks, vanilla, and ¾ cup of strawberry puree. Blend just until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold this mixture into the butter mixture.
- In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter.
- Divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 2 – 25 minutes.
- For the frosting: Beat the butter until fluffy. Add cream cheese and beat until combined. Add sugar and beat. Add the strawberry puree and mix.
How To Prep Ahead
Take a look at our best prep-ahead tips for this recipe:
- Strawberry Puree: You can prepare the strawberry puree in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Make the Frosting: The frosting for this cake can be made ahead of time. Simply follow the recipe instructions to make the frosting, then store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to use it, let it sit at room temperature to soften slightly, then give it a quick stir before frosting the cake.
- Prepare the Cake Layers: The cake layers can be baked in advance and stored in the fridge for 1 day or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Just make sure to wrap cake tightly in plastic wrap to prevent drying out.
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