This Strawberry Cake is made with a homemade strawberry reduction using either fresh or frozen strawberries. It’s topped with a strawberry cream cheese frosting made with freeze dried strawberries for a pretty-in-pink cake packed with real strawberry flavor. Perfect for birthdays, potlucks, or any time you want a fruity, sweet cake to cheer you up.
Homemade Fresh Strawberry Cake
This moist strawberry cake is made with fresh strawberries and a thick, velvety strawberry cream cheese frosting. But when strawberries aren’t in season, you can easily use frozen strawberries. This cake is like something straight out of a bakery, not a box, and delivers foolproof results every time.
You’ll get that luscious strawberry flavor by cooking the strawberries to remove some of the liquid and form a thick jam like reduction. When added to the cake batter it infuses more flavor than just chopping up strawberries and folding them into the batter.
It also adds moisture making it soft and tender, never dry.
While the cake itself is fantastic, the frosting is one of my favorite parts about this cake. It’s a simple cream cheese frosting made with freeze-dried strawberries. The freeze-dried strawberries give the frosting that perfect pink color and even more strawberry flavor. This is the frosting I use on strawberry filled cupcakes.
If you have strawberries left over, use them to make a double crusted strawberry slab pie or an icebox pie with beautiful slices.
What Sets This Strawberry Cake Apart
- Real strawberry flavor: No boxed cake mixes and no pink food coloring here. This cake is made with real strawberries for an authentic, fresh flavor.
- Light and fluffy: The sour cream and cake flour deliver a tender crumb without being dense.
- Make-ahead friendly: You can make the cake layers and frosting ahead of time and assemble when you’re ready to enjoy.
Buildings Blocks of a Fresh Strawberry Cake
This is just a brief list of what you’ll need to make this strawberry cake recipe. Make sure to check the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.
- Cake flour: Cake flour has a lower protein content, which helps create a finer, softer crumb. If you use all-purpose flour, the texture will be slightly denser and not as light.
- Sour cream (room temperature): Adds moisture and gives the cake a tender texture.
- Strawberries (fresh or frozen): Cooked down into a concentrated puree for bold strawberry flavor without adding too much moisture. Frozen berries work just as well as fresh.
- Freeze-dried strawberries: These deliver an intense strawberry flavor and pink color without adding liquid, which keeps the frosting thick and spreadable.
Strawberry Cake, Start to Finish
Step One: Make the Strawberry Reduction
Tip: You can make the strawberry reduction a day before and pop it in the fridge, and make the cake the next day.
Step Two: Make the Cake Batter
Tip: Make sure the butter is at softened before beating. If you’re short on time, you can soften butter quickly.
Step Three: Bake the Cake
Step Four: Make the Frosting
Tip: Cream cheese needs to be at room temperature before mixing so it’s not lumpy. You can soften cream cheese faster if you’re in a pinch or forget to let it sit out.
Step Five: Assemble and Chill
Keeping Strawberry Cake Fresh
Fridge: Store the assembled cake covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Freezer: Freeze individual slices in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before eating.
Making the Cake Layers and Frosting Ahead of Time
Bake the cake layers and store them wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 1 month. Just make sure to wrap them in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to avoid freezer burn.
The frosting can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. Make sure to let the frosting thaw in the fridge overnight before whipping and spreading it onto the cake layers.
Don’t Forget!
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Ingredients
CAKE
- 2 ½ cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 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 fresh or frozen
FROSTING
- 2 cups 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
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
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 10-15 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 lined with parchment paper. .
- 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 and mix to combine. 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 the 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 in the pans for 15 minutes then invert onto a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
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 the strawberry powder and mix until combined then slowly add the powdered sugar. Add 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 cake stand or serving plate. Cover with frosting and top with 2nd layer. Spread the remaining frosting on the sides and top. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before slicing. Store in refrigerator.
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen strawberries
Nutrition
I first published this recipe for Strawberry Cake on my Southern food blog Butter and Baggage.
