Homemade Strawberry Cake
Learn how to make this strawberry layer cake recipe! Every baker needs a strawberry cake in their back pocket.
This is the ultimate strawberry cake that looks and tastes just like strawberries. The most frustrating thing about most strawberry desserts is when it doesn’t taste like strawberry. This cake recipe changes the strawberry cake game.
You’ll learn exactly how to make this made from scratch strawberry cake!
The strawberry cake is made with fresh strawberries, but you can also use frozen strawberries that are thawed. These frozen berries are picked at their peak of ripeness, so they still make for a delicious cake.
The strawberries are pureed with strawberry jam and buttermilk, so it makes the best strawberry flavor. I also added a few drops of super red gel food coloring to make sure the cake stayed pink when it baked; otherwise, it bakes a dull beige, losing its bright red.
Since the strawberry cake layers are made from scratch and taste just like fresh summer strawberries. But the best part is that you can use fresh or frozen strawberries that make this cake recipe perfect to make all year round.
Tips for success:
- Read through all the ingredients and instructions so you can get a better idea of how much time and what you need to make this cake.
- A single batch of this cake recipe makes three to four 6-inch round cake layers or two to three 8-inch round cake layers. Make sure to fill each cake pan ⅔ of the way for best results.
- In this cake recipe, you need 1/2 cup buttermilk; if you don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can easily use ½ cup whole milk mixed with 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar to make your own.
- Be careful not to overmix this cake batter, or else the cake will come out dense. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- You can bake the cake layers ahead of time. Wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month.
- Serve cake at room temperature and enjoy!
What Tools You May Need:
- 5-quart, Stand Mixer with mixing bowl & paddle attachment
- 3, 6-inch cake pans or 2-3, 8-inch cake pans
- Offset spatula
- 8-inch or 10-inch white cake board
- Whisk or sifter
- Rubber Spatula
- Non-Stick Cooking Spray and Parchment Paper
- Ice Cream Scooper with Trigger Release (for dividing cake batter evenly)
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
Here’s how to make this delectable strawberry cake recipe!
Let’s Get Started!
Strawberry Cake Layers
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Spray three 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
- In a food processor, pulse fresh or frozen strawberries for 1 minute until cut into small pieces, then add strawberry jam and buttermilk, pulse until combined. Set aside.
- Whisk and stir the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- In the stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on medium-high for 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time to the stand mixer bowl and beat on medium until well incorporated.
- Turn the mixer on low, add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and add buttermilk. Add in the remaining flour mixture and until fully incorporated.
- Pour in the strawberry mixture, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and zest. Mix on medium for another 30 seconds and add a few drops of super red gel food coloring. Mix until combined, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Evenly distribute the cake batter among the three to four cake pans and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Remove cakes from the oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks to cool completely — wrap cakes in plastic wrap and place in the freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes or 1 hour (or overnight).
You May Also Enjoy:
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake Recipe That’s Beyond Simple (recipe)
- How to Decorate Your First Cake (free course)
- Cake Decorating for Beginners (masterclass)
I’m so excited to see your Strawberry Cake creations. Please feel free to email me here at xokatierosario@gmail.com with any questions you may have; I’ll be happy to help!
Happy Baking!
Hey, if you liked this tutorial, you really should check out Cake Decorating for Beginners, my signature masterclass. I coach you on everything I teach on these cake tutorials on a deeper level so that you can uplevel your baking and decorating skills. We 10x it to get the results you want most impressive cakes that your friends and family will love. Like any new skill, it’s essential to learn from the ground up to build a foundation so that you can take on any cake challenge. It is an investment your future self will thank you for. So check it out at XOKatieRosario.com/cake-masterclass. I will see you there!
Watch The How-to Video Below:
Strawberry Cake
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake
- 1 cup strawberries, cut in half, fresh or frozen
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large whole eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
- 1-2 drops Super red gel food coloring
Instructions
Strawberry Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Spray three 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray, line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.
- In a food processor, pulse fresh or frozen strawberries for 1 minute until cut into small pieces, then add strawberry jam and buttermilk, pulse until combined. Set aside.
- Whisk and stir the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
- In the stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on medium-high for 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time to the stand mixer bowl and beat on medium until well incorporated.
- Turn the mixer on low, add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and add buttermilk. Add in the remaining flour mixture and until fully incorporated.
- Pour in the strawberry mixture, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and zest. Mix on medium for another 30 seconds and add a few drops of super red gel food coloring. Mix until combined, then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Evenly distribute the cake batter among the three to four cake pans and bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Remove cakes from the oven and let cool in pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks to cool completely — wrap cakes in plastic wrap and place in the freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes or 1 hour (or overnight).
Notes
- Read through all the ingredients and instructions so you can get a better idea of how much time and what you need to make this cake.
- A single batch of this cake recipe makes three to four 6-inch round cake layers or two to three 8-inch round cake layers. Make sure to fill each cake pan ⅔ of the way for best results.
- In this cake recipe, you need 1/2 cup buttermilk; if you don't have any buttermilk on hand, you can easily use ½ cup whole milk mixed with 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar to make your own.
- Be careful not to overmix this cake batter, or else the cake will come out dense. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- You can bake the cake layers ahead of time. Wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and freeze for up to one month.
- Serve cake at room temperature and enjoy!
