Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe (with cream cheese frosting)

by erika Published: May 23, 2024 88 Comments

JUMP TO RECIPE JUMP TO VIDEO PRINT RECIPE

To me, this is the perfect strawberry cake recipe: ultra plush cake layers with a vibrant strawberry cream cheese frosting. Freeze-dried strawberries are the key to getting the perfect strawberry flavor without a runny buttercream or overly moist cake!

a pink strawberry cake on a white cake stand next to a cup of strawberries.

After testing 9 cakes in search of the best strawberry cake recipe, I had settled on two cake recipes as my personal favorites. But when one of the the sites (Kara’s Couture Cakes) suddenly disappeared, I (and other readers) were saddened to no longer have access to her wonderful recipe.

Luckily, one reader had saved her recipe and sent it to me (thank you Katherine!). After re-testing the recipe, I’m sharing my slightly adapted version of Kara’s strawberry layer cake. Don’t worry, you can still find the original version here.

I’ve always loved this homemade strawberry cake primarily for its uniquely plush texture that’s not crumbly, heavy or overly moist in the way cakes loaded down with strawberry purée can be. I love the contrast of the delicate strawberry cake flavor against the more flavorful strawberry cream cheese frosting!

If you’re looking for more celebration cakes, I’d recommend my olive oil layer cake, this strawberry lemon cake, or this banana s’mores cake is a crowd favorite!

How I updated the original recipe

Updated the frosting to use freeze-dried strawberries: I find fresh strawberry puree in the frosting tends to make it a little runny. This cream cheese frosting is very similar to Sally’s Baking Addiction with freeze-dried berries. I find this is the best way to inject tons of flavor without affecting the texture. My version adds a bit more powdered sugar (for a thicker texture) and omits vanilla (because I wanted the strawberry flavor to shine).
Made the strawberry simple syrup optional: You can absolutely add this if you want more strawberry flavor and moisture! I didn’t mind a more subtle strawberry flavor and am generally too lazy to bother with this step. However, I would add it if you want a stronger strawberry flavor. I’ve also added updated measurements for the optional simple syrup to prevent you from having tons of excess syrup.
Adjusted some of the weight/volume measurements: For example: Kara originally listed 3 1/4 cups flour as 16 oz, which would be 3 3/4 cups flour by my estimation. Ultimately, I tested this with 3.5 cups of flour (assuming 120g per cup) and it was perfect.

Why you’ll love this homemade strawberry cake

A plush yet sturdy and fluffy cake: Using the reverse creaming method along with a mix of butter and oil gives this cake an irresistibly fine and soft crumb that just melts in your mouth! This is sturdy enough to stack if you’re making a layer cake.
Airy texture: Whipping the batter for the stated time (around 7 minutes total) helps develop the gluten structure and aerates the batter. This gives the strawberry cake a beautiful lift and slightly dense but light texture.
Delicate strawberry flavor: At its core, this is a white cake with simple ingredients like egg whites and whole milk for moisture. This allows the freeze-dried strawberries in both the cake and the strawberry frosting recipe to shine with what tastes like real strawberry flavor. No artificial flavor via strawberry extract or fresh strawberry reduction needed!

a slice of triple layer strawberry cake on a white plate.

How to make this strawberry cake

Find the full recipe below in the recipe card!

To start, preheat your oven to 350°F and grease and line 3 8-inch pans with parchment paper. Kara’s original recipe uses 2 8-inch pans and tortes the layers to make 4 total layers. I prefer baking 3 separate layers since it takes a little less baking time, but you can use either method.

Step 1: You’ll need to grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder in a food processor if they aren’t already. I recommend processing the strawberries for both the cake and frosting at the same time. Set half aside for the frosting.

A bowl with freeze-dried strawberries and sugar.

Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and 1.2 oz freeze-dried strawberry powder. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Wet ingredients for strawberry cake in a measuring cup.

Step 3: In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, combine all the wet ingredients: milk, egg whites, oil, vanilla extract and vinegar.

A mixing bowl with powdered sugar, freeze-dried strawberries and a pat of butter.

Step 4: With the electric mixer or hand mixer on low, add the room temperature butter to the dry ingredients a tablespoon at a time.

A mixing bowl with a crumbly mixture of strawberry cake batter.

Step 5: Continue to beat on low until there are no chunks of butter remaining and the mixture starts to form crumbs.

A mixing bowl with a stiff mixture of strawberry cake batter.

Step 6: On low speed, stream in 1/3 of the milk mixture and mix until the mixture forms a thick paste.

A mixing bowl with a silky mixture of strawberry cake batter.

Step 7: Add half of the remaining milk mixture and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Mixture will look silky and ribbon-y.

A mixing bowl with a lightened mixture of strawberry cake batter after mixing for additional time.

Step 8: Add the remaining milk mixture along with food coloring (if using) and beat on medium for 4 minutes. (Beating at this stage helps aerate the batter and create a fluffy texture. Be careful not to overbeat the batter or the cake can get slightly gummy and dense.)

A round baking pan filled with strawberry cake batter.

Step 9: Divide cake batter equally into the prepared cake pans and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top springs back lightly under your finger (it may feel ever so slightly tacky and softer than a normal cake). A cake tester should come out mostly clean; a few moist crumbs are fine.

A layer of strawberry cake with a dollop of frosting on top.

Step 10: Let cakes cool completely before frosting with strawberry cream cheese frosting (instructions below).

overhead view of a strawberry cake with sliced strawberries around the side.

Tips and Tricks

For the most successful cake texture, I highly recommend these two tips:

Mix for the stated times exactly: I typically err on the side of undermixing rather than overmixing batter to avoid building up the gluten (and thus resulting in a tough cake). Make sure that you mix the batter for no longer than 7 minutes after adding the wet ingredients to avoid an overly dense texture.
Room temperature ingredients: It is incredibly important to temper (bring to room temperature) the wet ingredients for a fluffy, emulsified batter.

You can always set out ingredients an hour or two before baking to temper them. But if you forgot, here’s how to quickly bring ingredients to room temperature:
- Egg whites: you can soak whole eggs in hot water for 5-10 minutes to quickly warm them up before separating. If using egg whites from a carton, measure out your desired quantity into a sealed container and place in hot water for 5-10 minutes.
- Milk: Microwave for 20-30 seconds to remove the chill before using.
- Butter: If your kitchen is quite warm (like mine during summer), chop the butter into 1/2″ cubes and leave out to sit as you mix the rest of the batter/preheat the oven. If not, you can either microwave cubes of butter for 10-15 seconds until just softened. Or fill a glass with hot water, dump it out, then invert the steamy glass over a stick of butter for 5-10 minutes.

For the strawberry cream cheese frosting recipe:

This is essentially a plain cream cheese frosting with freeze-dried strawberry powder for flavor!

You’ll need softened butter but the cream cheese can come straight from the fridge. (Warm cream cheese can result in runny frosting.)

Cream the butter until smooth, then add the cold cream cheese and beat until smooth. Mix in the remaining 1.2 oz of freeze-dried strawberry powder and salt until smooth. With mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar. Whip on medium high for 1-2 minutes, or until frosting looks fluffy and creamy. Add 1-3 tbsp of cream or milk to thin out the texture, if desired.

To assemble, brush the cooled cake layers with the strawberry simple syrup (if using). As a shortcut, you could also brush the layers with strawberry jelly or strawberry jam in lieu of the syrup.

Frost the cooled cake layers. This amount of frosting is enough to easily frost a 3-layer 8″ cake with minimal decorations if you’re using a piping bag. Garnish with fresh strawberries and enjoy!

strawberry cake on a white cake stand with a bowl of strawberries.

Strawberry cake FAQ

One question that always comes up when I make strawberry cake is: what would the cake look like if I didn’t use pink food coloring?

I’ve included a comparison photo below: the finished cake uses around 5 drops of Americolor Gel Food Color Electric Pink for a gentle pink color. In contrast, I baked off a single cupcake using the batter with no food coloring. You can see the color is a more neutral beige color with the occasional splotch of pink from the freeze-dried fruit.

strawberry cake with food coloring next to a lighter color round of cake with no food coloring.

Where can I find freeze-dried strawberries?

I get mine at Trader Joe’s in handy 1.2 oz bags. If you don’t live near a Trader Joe’s, you can find freeze-dried fruit powder online.

How do I make my homemade strawberry cake really moist?

If you’re looking for a super moist cake, I wouldn’t recommend this one. Based on the recipes I tested in the strawberry cake bake off, I’d recommend Paula Deen or Amycakes Bakes!

How should I store the finished cake?

Given the cream cheese frosting and fresh strawberry garnish, this cake should be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend storing slices in an airtight container or covering a partially eaten cake in plastic wrap (in an enclosed cake container if possible).

Can I make the cake ahead of time?

The layers can easily be baked and frozen ahead of time (this will actually make it easier to frost and decorate). Once baked, you can wrap the still-warm layers in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for at least a week. Make the frosting right before you’re ready to assemble and serve the cake.

What should I do with all my leftover egg yolks??

Glad you asked! I love using leftover yolks in a custard for a fruit tart (or an eclair, cream puffs, etc). I’d also recommend trying my favorite recipe (America’s Test Kitchen, which uses 4 yolks) from the key lime pie bake off or anything from the lemon bar bake off!

Homemade Strawberry Cake (with cream cheese frosting)

Erika Kwee

Made with freeze-dried strawberries in both the cake and cream cheese frosting for a balanced strawberry flavor, this cake is adapted from Kara's Couture Cakes! This cake is perfect for stacking into a tall layer cake with its sturdy yet cotton-soft crumb.

4.34 from 24 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 45

Course Dessert

Servings people

Ingredients

Strawberry cake

1.2 oz freeze-dried strawberries or freeze-dried strawberry powder 34g
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 420g
3 cups granulated sugar 600g
2.5 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1.5 cups whole milk, at room temperature 340g
7 large egg whites, at room temperature 245g
2 tbsp vegetable oil 30g
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 227g
3-5 drops pink food coloring I used Americolor Gel Food Color Electric Pink

Strawberry cream cheese frosting

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature or cool 113g
8 oz full-fat cream cheese, cool or straight from the fridge 227g
1.2 oz freeze-dried strawberries or freeze-dried strawberry powder 34g
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 cups powdered sugar 454g
2-3 tbsp heavy cream or milk

Strawberry simple syrup (optional)

1/4 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup fresh strawberry puree strained to remove seeds

Instructions

For the strawberry cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 8-inch round pans and line with parchment paper (see note for other pan options).
If using whole freeze-dried strawberries, process them in a food processor or spice grinder until powdered. If I'm making the frosting the same day, I'll process the strawberries for the cake and frosting at the same time and keep the frosting portion reserved in a sealed container or Ziploc to prevent clumping until it's time to use it.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or large bowl), add 1.2 oz freeze-dried strawberry powder, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix on medium speed for a minute to combine evenly.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: milk, egg whites, oil, vanilla extract and vinegar.
Turn the mixer on low and gradually add the softened butter to the dry ingredients, a tablespoon or so at a time. Continue to beat on low until there are no big chunks of butter remaining and mixture is crumbly.
On low speed, slowly stream in 1/3 of the milk mixture and mix until a paste forms. Scrape down the bowl.
On low speed, gradually add 1/2 of the remaining milk mixture and beat on medium-low speed for 3 minutes.
Add the remaining milk mixture on low along with 3-5 drops of food coloring (if using), then beat on medium-low speed for 4 minutes. Batter should look extremely fluffy and silky at this stage.
Divide cake batter equally between your prepared pans (around 630g per cake pan if dividing into 3). Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top springs back lightly under your finger (it may feel ever so slightly tacky and softer than a normal cake). A cake tester should come out mostly clean–a few moist crumbs are fine.

For the strawberry cream cheese frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth. Add the cold cream cheese and beat together until smooth.
Add the reserved 1.2oz freeze-dried strawberry powder and salt and beat until smooth.
Add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, and beat on low until combined. Increase speed to medium and beat for a full minute, or until billowy and fluffy. Add cream or milk, a tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Strawberry simple syrup (optional)

Bring the water and sugar to a boil and let cook until sugar is dissolved.
Let cool for 5-10 minutes before mixing with the strawberry puree. Refrigerate until cold before using.

To assemble

If you have time to chill the cake layers before assembling, that's always helpful to frost the cake cleanly. (Wrap in plastic wrap and stick in the freezer for up to a week.) Level the layers as needed, brush with simple syrup (if using) frost and garnish with slices of fresh strawberry.
If you have time before serving, I would store the cake in the fridge to chill as this frosting is very soft.

Video

Notes

Kara’s original recipe uses 2 8-inch pans and tortes the layers to make 4 total layers. I prefer baking 3 separate layers since I have 3 cake pans and the total bake time is a little shorter.

I suspect this cake would work well baked in 6-inch pans if you halve the batter and bake either 2 or 3 pans (depending on how thick you want the layers).

Freeze-dried strawberry powder can easily be found online.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!