Strawberry Cake Recipe

This Strawberry Cake is a celebration of summer in every bite, bursting with juicy, ripe strawberries and a velvety texture. The moist, tender crumb is perfectly balanced with a rich, creamy frosting that melts in your mouth. In just two hours, you can create a dessert that’s as stunning as it is delicious, making it ideal for gatherings or a sweet treat at home.

The vibrant red berries add a pop of color and a refreshing tang, while the subtle sweetness lingers on your palate. It’s a dessert that’s sure to impress, yet simple enough to feel approachable for any baker.

Each slice offers a delightful combination of flavors and textures, from the soft cake to the luscious frosting. The strawberries not only enhance the taste but also bring a natural freshness that’s hard to resist. With a prep and cook time of one hour each, this recipe is a breeze to follow, even for beginners.

Whether you’re serving it at a party or enjoying it with a cup of tea, this cake is a crowd-pleaser. It’s a dessert that feels indulgent yet wholesome, thanks to the fruit’s natural goodness. Treat yourself to a slice and savor the magic of homemade baking.

Ingredients for Strawberry Cake

• For the Cake:
  • 1 ¼ lbs (570 g) strawberries (remove stems and quarter)
  • ⅔ cup whole milk
  • ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable or canola oil
  • 4 Tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter (softened)
  • 1 ¾ cup (350 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups (330 g) cake flour¹
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 6 large egg whites² (room temperature preferred)
  • Food coloring (optional, e.g., 2 drops of electric pink gel)
• For the Filling:
  • ⅓ cup (70 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• For the Frosting:
  • 2 cups (475 ml) cold heavy cream
  • 1 ½ cups (190 g) powdered sugar (divided)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese (softened)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the Cake:
   1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray two 8” round cake pans with baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
   2. Puree quartered strawberries in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to yield 1 – 1 ¼ cups of juice. Reserve the pulp for the filling.
   3. Cook strawberry juice in a saucepan over medium heat until reduced to ⅓ cup (about 10 minutes). Whisk in milk and optional food coloring. Set aside.
   4. In a large bowl, beat oil, butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until combined.
   5. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
   6. Alternately add the flour mixture and strawberry/milk mixture to the butter mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
   7. Beat egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the batter.
   8. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
   9. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
2. Make the Jam Filling:
   1. Combine reserved strawberry pulp, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt in a saucepan. Whisk to combine.
   2. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened (5-10 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate to cool.
3. Prepare the Frosting:
   1. Beat cream cheese, ½ cup powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until creamy.
   2. In a chilled bowl, beat heavy cream and remaining powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
   3. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until combined.
4. Assemble the Cake:
   1. Place one cake layer on a serving tray. Pipe a frosting dam around the edge and fill with jam.
   2. Top with the second cake layer and frost the entire cake.
   3. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy! (Cake keeps refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

Perfect Pairings: Sauce and Topping Ideas

Elevate your strawberry cake with a drizzle of white chocolate ganache or a dollop of fresh whipped cream. For a tangy twist, try a raspberry coulis made by blending fresh raspberries with a touch of sugar and straining the mixture. If you’re feeling adventurous, sprinkle crushed pistachios or toasted coconut flakes on top for added texture and flavor.

Time-Saving Tips for Busy Bakers

To save time, prepare the strawberry reduction and jam filling a day ahead and store them in the fridge. Use a stand mixer to streamline the cake batter and frosting preparation. If you’re short on time, skip the homemade jam and use a high-quality store-bought strawberry jam instead—just make sure it’s thick enough to hold its shape between the cake layers.

Storage and Serving Suggestions

Store your strawberry cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. For the best texture, let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving. If you’re serving it at a party, slice it into even portions using a warm knife for clean cuts. Pair each slice with a fresh strawberry or a sprig of mint for a beautiful presentation.

Recipe Variations to Try

For a gluten-free version, swap the cake flour with a gluten-free flour blend. If you prefer a richer cake, replace the egg whites with whole eggs for a denser texture. To make it vegan, use plant-based milk, vegan butter, and a flaxseed egg substitute. Experiment with different fruits like raspberries or blueberries for a unique twist on the filling.

Essential Equipment Guidance

Ensure you have a fine mesh sieve for straining the strawberry puree and a stand mixer or hand mixer for beating the egg whites and frosting. A piping bag with a round tip (like Ateco 808) is ideal for creating a neat frosting dam around the cake layers. Don’t forget a cooling rack to let the cakes cool evenly before assembling.

Strawberry Cake

Rahat

This Strawberry Cake is a celebration of summer in every bite, bursting with juicy, ripe strawberries and a velvety texture. The moist, tender crumb is perfectly balanced with a rich, creamy frosting that melts in your mouth.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 minute min

Cook Time 1 minute min

Total Time 2 minutes mins

Servings 12 slices

Calories 657 kcal

Ingredients

  

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CAKE

• 1 ¼ lbs strawberries remove stems and quarter
• ⅔ cup whole milk
• ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
• 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 large egg whites room temperature preferred
• Food coloring optional (I use two chocolate chip-sized drops of americolor gel “electric pink” food coloring).

FILLING

• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

FROSTING

• 2 cups cold heavy cream
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, divided
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 8 oz cream cheese softened

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare two 8” round cake pans by spraying with baking spray and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Place quartered strawberries in blender and puree until smooth. Run through a fine mesh sieve over a measuring cup until you have 1 – 1 ¼ cups of juice. Do not discard berry pulp, set this along with any remaining pureed berries for the jam filling.
• Pour strawberry juice into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until reduced to ⅓ cup (pour into a measuring cup to check, if it’s not reduced enough, return to the saucepan and continue to cook until it is). This usually takes about 10 minutes.
• Once reduced, add ⅔ cup milk to the strawberry reduction and whisk together. If using food coloring, whisk that in here as well. Set aside.
• In a large bowl using an electric mixer or in a stand mixer, beat together oil, butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until completely combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• With mixer on low speed, gradually alternate adding the flour mixture and strawberry/milk mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until just combined after each addition. (I start and end with the flour and add the flour mixture in 4 parts and the milk mixture in 3 parts.)
• Place egg whites in a separate clean, dry bowl, and beat on high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
• Using a spatula, gently fold egg whites into cake batter until completely combined (don’t use your electric mixer at this point or you will over-beat the batter). Divide cake batter evenly into prepared pans and bake on 350F for 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes then run a knife around the edges to loosen cakes from pan and invert onto cooling rack to cool completely. While cooling, prepare the jam filling.
• Combine remaining strawberrry pulp, ⅓ cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt in a small saucepan and whisk to combine.
• Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and the whisk leaves a trail through the jam (this takes about 5-10 minutes).
• Remove from heat, transfer to a heat-proof bowl, and place in the refrigerator to cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare your frosting.
• Combine cream cheese, ½ cup (65g) powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat together until creamy and smooth.
• In a separate bowl (preferably a chilled metal bowl), combine remaining (1 cup, 125g) powdered sugar and cold heavy cream. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
• With mixer on low speed, stir together the cream cheese and whipped cream until completely combined.
• Once cake and jam are completely cooled place one layer of cake on serving tray. Use a piping bag fitted with a round tip (I use an Ateco 808) to pipe a dam around the layer. Fill with your jam filling.
• Top with second layer of cake. Cover the entire cake with frosting.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy! Cake will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 657kcalCarbohydrates: 80gProtein: 8gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 352mgPotassium: 307mgFiber: 2gSugar: 53gVitamin A: 982IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 1mg

Keyword baking, cake, dessert, frosting, strawberry

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