Fresh Strawberry Cake Recipe

Food Coloring - Do you want a really pink cake? If so, add some food coloring; if you don't like food coloring, that is perfectly fine, your cake will be a more natural color and will be just as tasty. I go both ways on this, and the amount of food coloring I add is minimal.

• To make a strawberry cake taste like a strawberry, it is necessary to make a few cups of puree. Yes, this is an extra step, but it makes all the difference. It just requires some cooking time and adds color and flavor.
• I have tried making this cake by just adding chopped strawberries to the batter, and it didn't have strawberry flavor throughout. The strawberries were weirdly mushy and turned a brownish color. I threw it away.
• The added benefit of making the strawberry puree is you will use it in the strawberry frosting.

Step 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom of a 13" x 9" cake pan. If you want to turn the cake out onto a platter, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper or wax paper.

Cake pan tips - I used a 12" x 8" cake pan and cut my cake into eight thick slices. You can also use 2-8" cake pans or make 24 cupcakes.

Step 2. Make the strawberry puree by washing and stemming the strawberries, then coarsely chop the berries. Add the berries to a medium-sized saucepan with the sugar and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly so the berries continue to boil, just not a hard boil, and cook and stir for 15 minutes.

Step 3. Pour the reduced strawberry puree into a bowl and mash with a fork. The puree will not be super thick. Let cool to room temperature before adding to the batter.

Step 4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature butter until fluffy, then mix in the sugar for 3-4 minutes at medium speed.

Step 5. Separate the eggs and add just the egg whites and the vanilla to the bowl and mix on medium speed until combined.

Step 6. Mix the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together, then add ⅓ of that to the bowl and mix, then add half of the milk and mix. Repeat adding the flour and milk. The batter will be very thick when totally mixed.

Step 7. Remove a ¼ cup of the strawberry puree to use in the frosting. Add the puree and the zest of the lemon to the batter. Mix on low speed until completely mixed. Scrape the bowl as needed.

Step 8. Here are the before and after of the cake batter when adding food color. This is totally optional. I added four drops of red food coloring. You can leave the batter totally natural or add as much food coloring as you like. It's your cake so do your thing!

Tip for using strawberry extract or emulsion- Adding extra strawberry flavor to this cake is optional. This recipe does not have an overpowering strawberry flavor, so if you want that flavor boost, add a teaspoon of extract or a half-teaspoon emulsion to the batter, the frosting, or both.

Step 9. Bake the cake for 40-42 minutes. Test with a toothpick to make sure the cake is completely baked. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting the cake.

Step 10. Make the frosting by beating the room-temperature butter until fluffy, then slowly mix in the powdered sugar. Add the reserved ¼ cup of strawberry puree, mixing on medium-low speed. Add the cream one tablespoon at a time to get the desired icing consistency.

Step 11. Top the cake with dollops of frosting and smooth to the corners of the cake with a spoon or an icing knife. Cut the cake into squares and top with sliced strawberries.

My family voted this the best summer cake ever; for good reason, it's so good. So don't let strawberry season pass by without baking this fruity, made-from-scratch cake.

Yes, you can. Let the strawberries thaw for a little bit, then chop. Cook the berries with sugar and water. You may need to cook a few minutes longer because of the excess liquid in the berries.

It depends. Cakes made with a puree and topped with a buttercream frosting can be stored covered on the counter for three days.

You could cut the fresh strawberries up and add them to the cake. Otherwise, you can put whole strawberries on the fresh strawberry cake.

• Light and billowy, this Raspberry Cake is so pretty and delicious, perfect for a summer party.
• If citrus is your thing, bake our favorite Lemon Bundt Cake with fresh lemon pieces baked inside the cake for bursts of citrus flavor. Or, if you prefer the sweet taste of oranges, make this Orange Bundt Cake with bits of mandarin oranges. Both are so good!
• This Banana Bundt Cake starts with a box cake mix, and you add caramel and vanilla bean seeds to the batter. And the cream caramel icing on top adds the perfect sweetness to this awesome cake.

Bake this cake in a pretty red baking pan. This 13" x 9" ceramic baking pan is perfect for a strawberry cake.

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First published: May 14, 2022, Last updated: June 21, 2023 for better readability.

Thank you for stopping by the One Hot Oven blog. Please leave a comment to say Hello, or just let me know what you are baking these days; I always love hearing from fellow bakers. Have any questions or want to chat about the recipe? My contact information is on my about page, and I’ll be happy to help.

From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing both sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.