Strawberry Cake

Jam-packed with strawberries in the cake and frosting, this pretty pink dessert is bursting with flavor. Strawberry cake is a beautifully tender two-layer cake.

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Jam-packed with strawberries, this enticing dessert is light and moist. Tender strawberry cake is an easy dessert that looks like a bakery delight. 

MORE RECIPES: Strawberry Bread | Strawberry Delight | Strawberry Cake Roll | Lemon Velvet Cake

Strawberry Cake

Bursting with strawberry flavor in the cake and the cream cheese frosting, you won’t believe this simple cake starts with a white cake mix. Soft strawberry cake is a slice above the rest thanks to the fresh strawberry puree reduction. 

Pretty in pink, this strawberry cake is a beautiful two-layer cake with a darker pink cake color and a lighter pink frosting. This sweet dessert is perfect to serve at a birthday party or an afternoon tea party. 

Treat guests to a slice of your homemade strawberry cake with a warm cup of coffee or a glass of iced tea. Topped with sweet cream cheese frosting, you could serve your cake with a scoop of vanilla or strawberry ice cream.

Strawberry Cake Ingredients

• Strawberries - rinsed and chopped or pureed into small pieces
• Cake mix - white cake mix
• Strawberry gelatin 
• Eggs
• Water
• Oil - vegetable oil
• Food coloring - pink food coloring, optional
  Butter - salted butter
• Cream cheese - softened
• Sugar - powdered sugar
• Strawberry extract - optional
• Heavy cream

The strawberry puree is a sweet way to include fresh fruit in the cake and the frosting, but the recipe can be made without the puree. In addition, if you are making the puree, you can use unsweetened frozen strawberries instead of fresh strawberries in equal amounts.

The strawberry gelatin adds to the flavor, in addition to giving the cake a nice pink color.  If you choose to leave it out, consider adding pink food coloring for a pinker strawberry cake. Sugar-free or light gelatin powder can be used in place of regular gelatin powder.

Add a hint of vanilla to your cake by using vanilla cake mix in place of the white cake mix. Strawberry extract can be tricky to find compared to other extract flavors. Try looking for it online or at a local bulk food store.

How to Make Strawberry Cake

Strawberry Puree Reduction

FIRST STEP: In a 2-quart saucepan, heat 3 cups of strawberries over medium heat.  Bring the strawberry mixture to a boil and then continue simmering, stirring frequently, until nearly all liquid has evaporated.  Use a potato masher to break down strawberries as they cook (if you’ve added strawberry pieces). This process takes approximately 20 minutes, and the 3 cups of strawberries should reduce to about ¾ cup.

SECOND STEP: Remove puree reduction from heat and cool to room temperature in the refrigerator before adding to cake batter. (Approximately 1 hour)

Cake 

THIRD STEP: Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F for dark/non-stick pans).  Line the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray the sides with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.

FOURTH STEP: In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, strawberry gelatin, eggs, water, and oil.

FIFTH STEP: Mix in ½ cup of the cooled strawberry puree reduction until combined.

SIXTH STEP: Divide batter between the two prepared cake pans.

SEVENTH STEP: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

EIGHTH STEP: Remove pans and cool for 10 minutes. Gently remove cakes from pans to cooling racks and cool completely.

Frosting

NINTH STEP: Beat together softened cream cheese, butter, and strawberry extract until combined.

TENTH STEP: Beat in 5 cups of powdered sugar.

ELEVENTH STEP: Beat in remaining ¼ cup of strawberry puree reduction.  Add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until desired consistency of frosting is achieved.

TWELFTH STEP: Add pink food coloring to tint frosting to the desired color. 

Assembly

THIRTEENTH STEP: Trim the top of each cake layer to remove any doming and form a flat surface.

FOURTEENTH STEP: Place the first cake layer top-side up onto the serving platter.

FIFTEENTH STEP: Mound about ½ cup of frosting onto the cake layer and spread smooth to the edges.

SIXTEENTH STEP: Place the second cake layer top-side down on top of the filling. Press down gently to seal the layers together.

SEVENTEENTH STEP: Mound another pile of frosting on top of the cake and use a spatula to spread it across the top and down the sides until the cake is fully frosted.

EIGHTEENTH STEP: Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.

Can I use frozen strawberries? 

Yes, you can use unsweetened frozen strawberries instead of fresh strawberries in equal amounts.

Can I use a different cake mix? 

Using vanilla cake mix, in place of the white cake mix, adds a hint of vanilla to your strawberry cake. 

Do I have to make the strawberry puree? 

No. While the strawberry puree is nice to include fresh fruit, the cake and the frosting can both be made without the strawberry puree.

How to Store Strawberry Cake 

IN THE FRIDGE:  Store leftover strawberry cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.  

IN THE FREEZER: If you want to prepare the cake in advance, individual cake layers can be frozen before assembling the cake. These layers can be frozen for up to one month. Freezing the cake layers can also help to reduce crumbling. 

Strawberry Cake

Jam-packed with strawberries in the cake and frosting, this pretty pink dessert is bursting with flavor. Strawberry cake is a beautifully tender two-layer cake.

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5 from 8 votes

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Prep Time 50 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Cooling Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Calories 484 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Cake Batter

• 3 strawberries (rinsed and chopped or pureed into small pieces)
• 1 package white cake mix
• 3 ounce package strawberry gelatin
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• Pink food coloring
• Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
• ½ cup salted butter, softened
• 2 packages cream cheese softened ((8-ounces))
• 5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp strawberry extract ((optional))
• ¼ cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

 

Strawberry Puree Reduction

• In a 2-quart saucepan, heat 3 cups of strawberries over medium heat.  Bring the strawberry mixture to a boil and then continue simmering, stirring frequently, until nearly all liquid has evaporated.  Use a potato masher to break down strawberries as they cook (if you’ve added strawberry pieces). This process takes approximately 20 minutes, and the 3 cups of strawberries should reduce to about ¾ cup.
• Remove puree reduction from heat and cool to room temperature in the refrigerator before adding to cake batter. (Approximately 1 hour)

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F for dark/non-stick pans).  Line the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray the sides with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, strawberry gelatin, eggs, water, and oil.
• Mix in ½ cup of the cooled strawberry puree reduction until combined.
• Divide batter between the two prepared cake pans.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove pans and cool for 10 minutes. Gently remove cakes from pans to cooling racks and cool completely.

Frosting

• Beat together softened cream cheese, butter, and strawberry extract until combined.
• Beat in 5 cups of powdered sugar.
• Beat in remaining ¼ cup of strawberry puree reduction.  Add 1 tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until desired consistency of frosting is achieved.
• Add pink food coloring to tint frosting to the desired color.

Assembly

• Trim the top of each cake layer to remove any doming and form a flat surface.
• Place the first cake layer top-side up onto the serving platter.
• Mound about ½ cup of frosting onto the cake layer and spread smooth to the edges.
• Place the second cake layer top-side down on top of the filling. Press down gently to seal the layers together.
• Mound another pile of frosting on top of the cake and use a spatula to spread it across the top and down the sides until the cake is fully frosted.
• Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.

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Nutrition

Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 419mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 73g | Vitamin A: 371IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 1mg

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