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    Home » Cakes

    Strawberry Cake With Fresh Strawberries

    Published: May 14, 2022 · Modified: Sep 30, 2022 by Jere Cassidy · This post may contain affiliate links. · 19 Comments

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    Moist, tender, and pink, this homemade Strawberry Cake with Fresh Strawberries is simply the best. Top this sheet cake with a fluffy strawberry buttercream frosting for a sweet and tasty summer dessert.

    Strawberry cake in a pink and white cake pan.
    Fresh Strawberry Cake

    This page may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure for policy details.  I earn commissions if you shop through the links on this page.

    Strawberries oh how I love thee especially when they are included in this simple cake that is covered in a soft, billowy strawberry icing that is also full of fresh red berries.

    No matter where you get your strawberries, fresh-picked from the garden, or from the market, make sure you store them so they will stay fresh. Learn How To Keep Strawberries Fresh, there's a simple trick that works like a charm.

    Learn How to Grow Strawberries Inside with this step-by-step guide.

    Want to preserve that fresh-picked strawberry flavor? Make this small batch of 3-Ingredient Strawberry Jam - Without Pectin.

    Jump to:
    • Why we love this cake
    • 🍓Cake and icing ingredients
    • Strawberry puree
    • Let's bake a cake
    • More fruit cakes to love
    • Dessert recipes with strawberries
    • Recipe
    • Pin to your cake board

    Why we love this cake

    • This homemade cake has a real strawberry flavor, not that fake strawberry flavor that really no own ever craves. You know that taste?
    • This recipe does not use jello for flavor or color. Nope, just strawberries.
    • This cake is perfect for summer picnics, cookouts, potlucks, and an everyday dessert. It's just a real crowd pleaser!
    • Have a special occasion? This cake makes the prettiest presentation for Easter, Mother's Day, baby and bridal showers, christenings, and even a tea party.
    • There is nothing easier than a sheet cake, no stacking is required. You decide if you want to leave the cake in the pan or turn it out onto a platter. For the cake pan, I prefer using a glass baking dish for a pretty presentation.

    🍓Cake and icing ingredients

    Ingredients for a strawberry cake.
    The best 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 very minimal.

    Strawberry puree

    • In order to make a strawberry cake taste like a strawberry, it is really necessary to make a strawberry puree. Yes, this is an extra step but it makes all the difference in the world. 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.

    Let's bake a cake

    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 8 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.

    Straweberries and sugar in a pan, and strawberry puree in a bowl.
    Strawberry puree

    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 to make a cake batter with butter, sugar, flour and berry puree.
    Steps to make the cake batter

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

    Strawberry cake batter in bowls.

    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 1 tablespoon at a time to get the desired icing consistency.

    Homemade strawberry frosting in a large bowl.
    Homemade strawberry frosting

    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.

    Frosting a baked strawberry cake and topping with strawberries.
    How to decorate a strawberry cake

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

    A slice of strawberry cake on a white plate.
    Yummy strawberry cake slice
    Can you use frozen strawberries to make a puree?

    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.

    Does a homemade strawberry cake need to be refrigerated?

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

    If the cake has pieces of strawberries in it or has been frosted with a cream cheese frosting, then you should keep the cake in the refrigerator.

    If you put strawberries on top of the cake for decoration they will more than likely get moldy at room temperature, so store the cake in the fridge.

    More fruit cakes to love

    • Light and billowy this Raspberry Cake is just so pretty and so delicious, perfect for a summer party.
    • Now if citrus is your thing, bake our favorite Lemon Bundt Cake that has fresh lemon pieces baked inside the cake for bursts of citrus flavor. Or, if you prefer the sweet taste of orange, 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 just the perfect amount of 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.

    A red ccasserole dish.
    Red casserole baking dish

    Dessert recipes with strawberries

    • Easy No-Bake Strawberry Shortcakes
    • Strawberry Chardonnay Gelatin Dessert
    • Easy Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
    • Frozen Strawberry & Raspberry Cheesecake Mousse

    Like what you see? Make sure you are following One Hot Oven for more tasty, sweet, and savory recipes!

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    Recipe

    A slice of strawberry cake on a white plate.

    Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake with Strawberry Buttercream

    Jere' Cassidy
    This Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting is the perfect cake to use all those beautiful red, ripe berries. Bake this easy to make cake for summer cookouts, celebrations, or an anytime dessert that is moist, tender, and full of strawberry flavor.
    5 from 80 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 slices
    Calories 714 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Red 13 x 9 baking dish
    • 1 Kitchen Aid Mixer
    • 1 Hand Mixer
    • 1 Medium saucepan 2 quart

    Ingredients
      

    Strawberry Puree

    • 8 ounce strawberries washed and stemmed
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup water

    Cake batter

    • 4 ounces unsalted butter room temperature - 1 stick
    • 1¼ cups granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3 cups AP flour
    • 1½ teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 lemon
    • ¾ cup whole milk
    • 3-4 drops pink food coloring optional
    • 1 teaspoon strawberry flavoring optional

    Strawberry Butter Cream Frosting

    • 8 ounces unsalted butter room temperature- 2 sticks
    • 1 pound powdered sugar 3 ½ cups
    • 2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
    • ¼ cup strawberry reduction puree

    Instructions
     

    Strawberry Puree (Reduction)

    • Wash, stem and chop the strawberries, then add them to a medium-sized saucepan with the sugar and water. Bring this mixture to a boil, then lightly boil for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. When done remove from the heat and smash the berries with a fork. This mixture will not be super thick.
    • Pour the strawberries into a bowl to cool, while you are making the cake batter.

    Mixing the Strawberry Cake

    • Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prepare a 13" x 9" pan with cooking spray. If you are going to depan the cake, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
    • In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, add the softened butter and beat until fluffy then add the sugar and mix on medium speed for two 3-4 minutes. Scape the bowl as needed.
    • Separate the eggs and add the egg whites and vanilla to the butter. Mix on medium speed until well incorporated.
    • In a small bowl mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour and the milk to the bowl. Begin and end with the flour mixture and scrape the bowl as needed. Mix just until combined.
    • Remove a ¼ cup of the strawberry puree then add the rest of the puree to the cake batter along with the lemon zest. Mix on medium speed until combined. The batter will be thick.

    Optional color and flavoring

    • Add 3-4 drops of pink food coloring and mix to combine.
    • For a stronger strawberry flavor add ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of strawberry flavoring.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. When done set the cake on a cooling rack.
    • If you are leaving the cake in the pan it is ready to frost when completely cooled.
    • If you are serving the cake on a platter, let the cake cool completely and turn it out onto a platter, and frost when cooled.

    Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

    • Add the softened butter to a stand mixing bowl or a large bowl and mix on medium speed until smooth.
    • Mix in half of the powdered sugar then add the other half and mix into the sugar.
    • Add the ¼ cup of strawberry puree and 1 tablespoon of the cream. Mix on medium speed until combined. Depending on the consistency of the icing add another tablespoon of cream and mix.
    • Spread the icing on top of the cake and serve.
    • Store any leftover cake covered for up to three days.
    • If you have topped the cake with strawberries store the cake in the refrigerator.

    Notes

    Storage information - if it is exceptionally hot it is best to store the cake in the refrigerator.
    I used a 12" x 8" cake pan and cut it into 8 slices.
    If using frozen strawberries, cook the puree a couple of minutes longer.
    This cake can also be baked in 2-8 inch cake pans, or you can make 24 cupcakes.
    More strawberry desserts -
    NoBake Strawberry Shortcakes are quick to make with fresh strawberries, pound cake and lots of strawberry flavored whipped cream. 
    These Strawberry Curd Tarts are sweet bite-sized pastries to serve at your summer parties. We get rave reviews when we make these.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Calories: 714kcalCarbohydrates: 108gProtein: 7gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 93mgSodium: 698mgPotassium: 160mgFiber: 3gSugar: 79gVitamin A: 814IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 154mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Pin to your cake board

    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 just want to chat about the recipe? My contact information is on my about page, and I’ll be happy to help.                                                                                                                                                     

    About Jere'              

    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.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Shelby

      July 25, 2022 at 5:51 am

      5 stars
      We still have so many strawberries left from picking and this was an amazing way to use them all up! Deliciously indulgent.

      Reply
    2. Allyssa

      July 25, 2022 at 5:05 am

      5 stars
      This tasted so amazing! Thanks a lot for sharing this super easy to make recipe! Fam really loves it! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!

      Reply
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    Jere Cassidy owner of One Hot Oven

    Welcome, I am Jerè. I love sharing recipes both sweet and savory that inspire you to bake at home. Food has a way of bringing us all together, from a simple batch of cookies to a three-tier cake.

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