Homemade Strawberry Cake

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cool Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
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How to make a delicious homemade strawberry cake with fluffy strawberry frosting completely from scratch. You won’t need a cake mix for this recipe!

Slice of strawberry frosted cake on a red plate

Homemade Strawberry Cake

This sweet and delicious homemade Strawberry Cake has been on my list of cakes to make for a long time. I always love the bright pink store bought version, but I wanted to try my hand at making a strawberry cake from scratch with real strawberries. Sure the cake may not be as bright pink, but I assure you it’s even more delicious!

It all started way back when with a Banana Dream Cake in 2011. That cake was the beginning. It then branched off into the Pumpkin Dream Cake. And if you read the comments, it is possibly one of the most made cakes on this blog….which is saying something because I have posted a lot of cakes.

With all the fresh Florida Strawberries that have been showing up on the sides of the roads (Yup, we start getting FL Strawberries as early as the end of December sometimes…gotta love FL!), I just had to try to make a Strawberry Dream Cake.

Strawberry frosted cake with slice cut out on a white plate

I was waiting for my favorite little old man in red suspenders to show up selling Strawberries, but so far he hasn’t been around this year. Maybe he is still sleeping off his New Years hangover. :) Instead, I happened to see a mom and her toddler aged daughter with a tent set up selling some winter citrus and the first FL Strawberries of the season. At $4 for a huge pallet, I just couldn’t help but pull in!

I ended up having to make the cake twice, because the first time it came out of the oven like a funky brick. Totally depressing to waste all those ingredients and have to throw away cake…but hey, it happens to all of us right? So I tried again and this time it was a success!

Close up of strawberry frosted cake on a white cake platter

This dream cake is a little different than the previous two dream cakes. Pureed Strawberries have a much different texture than pumpkin or banana. So the cake of course is a little different. You also have to add some strawberry extract to boost the flavor…because even with 2 cups of pureed strawberries, it still needs a little extra Strawberry flavor.

Also, I made this one in 2 layers instead of 3…because I lost my 3rd 8 inch pan. How does that even happen?? But anyways, I left the recipe below in the traditional 3 layers because I like the ratio of frosting to cake that it provides. Speaking of frosting, holy moly this stuff is like strawberry crack! SO GOOD! I hope you enjoy this Strawberry Dream Cake as much as the dream cakes of the past!

Strawberry frosted cake with slice cut out on a white plate
4.9 from 8 votes
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Yield: 12 slices

Homemade Strawberry Cake

How to make a delicious homemade strawberry cake with fluffy strawberry frosting completely from scratch. You won't need a cake mix for this recipe!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Cool Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Strawberry Cake

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons strawberry extract
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups pureed strawberries

Strawberry Frosting

  • 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¼ cup strawberry puree
  • ¾ teaspoon strawberry extract
  • 4 ½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease 3, 8-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl/stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla, strawberry extract and vegetable oil. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the pureed strawberries.
  • Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove pans from oven and immediately place in freezer for 45 minutes. (This keeps the cake moist by immediately stopping the baking so the cake does not continue to bake when you remove it from the oven.)
  • For the frosting: Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add the strawberry extract and strawberry puree, combine well.
  • Begin adding in the powdered sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, give it a taste and decide if you want to add in more strawberry extract. For thicker frosting you can gradually add in a little more sugar.
  • To assemble: Assemble the 3 layers with a thick layer of frosting in between each layer. Apply one final thick and even layer around the outside of the cake. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Notes

Recipe note: It took me approximately 2 pints of Strawberries to make this cake. And, yes – you can color the inside of the cake with food coloring if you wish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 838kcal, Carbohydrates: 105g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 46g, Saturated Fat: 24g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 121mg, Sodium: 251mg, Potassium: 123mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 80g, Vitamin A: 1139IU, Vitamin C: 26mg, Calcium: 27mg, Iron: 2mg

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61 Responses
  1. Musicmom27

    I made this cake for a party today and everyone RAVED about the taste.  I liked it too but I had a really hard time cutting it as it was very soft.  I thought the texture was almost under baked but my hubby said it was fluffy to him.  I also made the dark chocolate dream cake as the bottom tier and its texture was perfect.  I use your vanilla dream cake as my go to and have even adapted it for a pineapple cake.  

    I think I was thrown off by the freezer thing.  We weren’t coming back right away so I put the cakes in the fridge.  Would that have messed it up?  Is that step completely necessary? 

    Thanks for these recipes!  I’m looking forward to trying out all the dream cakes!

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Nope, the fridge is just as good. If you can’t do either, and need to let the cake rest at room temperature — the cake will still be tasty, just a little dryer. By going straight from the oven to the fridge/freezer, it stops cooking faster. Hope that helps!

  2. Donna

    Hi Jessica- I have just found your website recently and have tried a few things and they have all come out great. I would love to try this cake !! My question is (and it’s probably a stupid one) is that when you put the cakes in the freezer after baking should you cover the top of the pans with some foil or plastic to protect them ?
    Thanks so much.

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi Donna, I would not cover the pans when cooling the cake. That will cause a lot of moisture to collect on the foil and it will fall back into the cake….and wet cake is never a good thing. ;-) Hope you enjoy the cake!!

  3. Donna

    Hi Jessica- I have just found your website recently and have tried a few things and they have all come out great. I would love to try this cake !! My question is (and it’s probably a stupid one) is that when you put the cakes in the freezer after baking should you cover the top of the pans with some foil or plastic to protect them ?
    Thanks so much.

  4. Kailey

    My cakes are in the freezer right now and i’m not going to be eating it til saturday, but I want to make the frosting today. Should I put the icing on the cake and store in the freezer? Or should I put the icing in a container and place it in the refridge or freezer?

  5. Vanessa

    I have commented on this post plenty of times and just wanted to let people know my experiences. I made this recipe just as written into cupcakes and it came out great. The cupcakes did pull away from the wrapper some and didn’t dome at all, but they were so good and everyone raved about them.

    This weekend I made it into a cake, but used Frozen sweetened strawberries instead of fresh and added jell-o. That was NOT a good idea. The cake sunk really bad in the middle and to me had a gummy texture. Maybe it was too much sugar?? Not sure. All I know is that I am sticking to the original written recipe from now on :)) I promise this will be my last post. Thanks Jessica!

  6. Vanessa

    Thanks Jessica! This helps so much! :) I am making this as a cake on Friday so now I know exactly how you measure :)

    Looking forward to trying the banana dream cake soon. Thanks! Have an awesome day!

  7. Vanessa

    I made this recipe as cupcakes and it came out great! Question: how do you measure your flour? I read an article that said a cup of flour should weigh 4.25 ounces so I weighed my 3 cups of flour and used loran strawberry oil cause I couldn’t find extract. Also, these don’t dome as cupcakes but they were so good! Thank you for the recipe :))

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      So glad you liked them!

      I fill a measuring cup with flour until the required amount is obtained. (Scooping a measuring cup directly into flour bag can firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for a recipe.)

  8. Vanessa

    I am making this Saturday morning, but into cupcakes! I am so excited. This will be my first recipe from your blog :) I pray this is the end of my from scratch strawberry cake recipe :))) Thanks so much!! :)

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Because of all the added liquid from the pureed strawberries. Strawberries have a lot of water in them naturally when compared to Pumpkin or Bananas. So with the addition of pureed strawberries, you don’t need any more liquids.

  9. Vanessa

    I cannot wait to try this. I make all of my cakes from scratch except my strawberry one cause I have not found a good one that is moist enough.

    I make Paula Deen’s strawberry cake with a mix, frozen sweetened strawberries and the strawberry gelatin, but since they have the cut the sizes of the mixes down I have been on a lookout for a scratch made cake.

    I think I will add the jell-o and frozen sweetened strawberries to this cake to see if I can get the same result. Thank you! I love your blog!!!

  10. Rachel

    I just want to thank you for posting this recipe. I made it for my daughters cake auction last night and it was the highest selling cake. It was moist and full of strwberry flavor. The couple that purchased it said it was the best strawberry cake they have ever had. I can’t wait to make it again in the summer!

  11. Elizabeth @ The Collegiate Baker

    After your last dream cake post, I was thinking you should make a strawberry one. I’m so glad you did! It looks fantastic. :)

  12. Marcia Jimenez

    Thanks Jessica! I read that but then I forgot about it when I came back to copy the recipe… sorry for the confusion! I will be making the cake tonight!

  13. Marcia Jimenez

    The cake looks lovely and I’m planning on baking it next Thursday, I’m from Costa Rica and we have strawberries all year long! :) I just have a quick question: Yo are mentioning 3 8 inches pans, but in the pictures I only see 2 layers, did you only use 2 layers and save the other? or I’m just going to get 3 slim layers? Also, if you saved one layer, do you think the frosting is enough for 3? or should I increase the quantities? Thanks in advanced for your answer!

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Above in the comments about the cake I said:

      “Also, I made this one in 2 layers instead of 3…because I lost my 3rd 8 inch pan. How does that even happen?? But anyways, I left the recipe below in the traditional 3 layers because I like the ratio of frosting to cake that it provides.”

      So keep the 3 layers! :)

  14. Shauna in Dallas

    Thanks so much for the reply! I will definitely be going to Whole Foods to look for their Strawberry Extract! I’m looking forward to trying this recipe once strawberries become more plentiful in my area again! Thanks, again! :-)

  15. Beth

    I made this cake this weekend and it was awesome! My icing turned out super super sweet though, so i may play with that. The cake was absolutely delicious!

  16. roz

    Oh how I love strawberry cakes and always on the hunt for a better one than the last! I’ve got to bake this lovely cake this spring when strawberries are in season! Thank you for so kindly sharing this wonderful recipe!

    Roz

  17. Megan Davis

    I’ve never made a cake from scratch and I made the Pumpkin Dream cake for a baby in shower I held in Oct. Best and most moist cake I’ve ever had! Everyone was asking what recipe it was, so I of course directed them to your blog for the recipe. I may have to make the Strawberry Dream cake for another shower coming up! Thanks so much!!

  18. Kerstin

    I’m dreaming that I get a piece of this cake! I love serving strawberry cakes at baby showers when the parents are expecting a girl :)

  19. Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe

    Looks delicious, and SO pretty! I will have to save this recipe for when strawberries start popping up around here (which unfortunately won’t be for another couple of months)!

  20. Joanne

    Man do I miss strawberries. I should probably move to FL so I can have them in the middle of winter and they’ll still taste good.

    With all the pink and red, this is the perfect V-Day cake!

  21. Diana @ Sweet y Salado

    $4 for a HUGE pallet of strawberries?! Oh man, I’ve been working on a strawberry jelly roll and like you, I’ve failed twice so I’ve had to throw my brick cakes away. At $6.99 for each pint of strawberries… it makes me wanna move to Florida just to save up some money on strawberries. Lovely cake, lovely colors, lovely pictures. Perfection!

  22. Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine)

    I love the way you decorated this cake! And you can never go wrong with fresh strawberries! We’re still six months away up north I’m afraid.

  23. Shauna in Dallas

    I have been looking for a Strawberry cake that is actually made with FRESH STRAWBERRIES as opposed to the nasty and artificial taste of Strawberry Cake Mix or the dreaded addition of Strawberry Jello! One question, any idea for a sub for strawberry extract? I think the cake recipe is AH-MAZING apart from that, I am just concerned about an “artificial taste” from the extract. Ideas? Thanks so much! ~ Shauna :-)

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      It needs the boost in flavor, otherwise it is just kind of “hinted” with strawberry. I bought my strawberry extract at Whole Foods and it is natural. :)

    2. Carrie

      I know it’s been a long time since this comment, but I found a recipe a while ago, and it called for double the strawberry puree, but it was cooked down on the stove until it was approximately two cups and the strawberry taste was amazing!

  24. Cathy @ Noble Pig

    I love it..it’s so beautiful!! What is it about pink frosting and sprinkles that makes a girl smile!

  25. Averie @ Averie Cooks

    My daughter is turning 6 in a couple weeks and she has requested a strawberry cake. I’m like oh you mean a pink cake? No mom, a strawberry cake. I have been trying to find ‘the best strawberry’ cake and wondering what I was going to do. I think this will pretty much be the end-all be-all for her! It’s beautiful!

  26. Jessica

    Your cake looks so perfect & delicious!
    One time I made a cake and it was so lopsided but still delicious :P practice makes perfect though!

Thank You For Being Here!

Jessica
For the past 15 years, Jorge & Jessica have loved getting to share their families' favorite recipes with all of you. They live in Florida with their 3 kids.