Description
The Best Fresh Strawberry Cake recipe made from scratch with real strawberry puree! Tender, moist layers with fluffy strawberry buttercream frosting. Perfect for any celebration.
Ingredients
Strawberry Puree
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped (choose ripe, sweet berries for best color and flavor)
- ¼–½ cup granulated sugar (start with less if your berries are very sweet)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional (brightens the strawberry flavor)
Cake Batter
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (this is key for proper creaming!)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature (cold eggs can cause the batter to curdle)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt (adds moisture and tender texture)
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup strawberry puree (from the recipe above)
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4–5 cups powdered sugar (adjust based on how sweet and thick you like it)
- ½ cup strawberry puree
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or cream (for consistency)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt, optional (trust me on this — it balances everything beautifully)
Optional Decorations
- Fresh strawberry slices
- Pink or red sprinkles
Instructions
Place your hulled and chopped strawberries in a blender or food processor along with the sugar and optional lemon juice. Blend until completely smooth — you want no chunks left behind.
Measure out 1 cup for your cake batter and set aside the remaining puree for the frosting. This is also a great time to taste it — if it needs more sugar, add a tablespoon at a time until it’s just right.
Turn your oven to 350°F and let it preheat while you prepare your pans. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans generously — don’t skip the corners!
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until everything is evenly distributed. This simple step ensures your leavening is spread throughout the cake so you don’t get random dense spots.
In your largest mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for about 2–3 minutes. You’re looking for a light, fluffy mixture that’s pale in color.
Add your room temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This helps them incorporate smoothly without deflating all that air you just whipped into the butter. Once all four eggs are in, add your vanilla extract and give it one more quick mix.
Here’s where the magic happens. Add about one-third of your flour mixture to the batter and mix on low speed until just barely combined. Then add half of the combined sour cream, milk, and strawberry puree.
Add another third of the flour, then the rest of the wet ingredients, and finish with the last of the flour. Mix only until you can’t see any more dry flour streaks.
Overmixing at this stage develops too much gluten and makes your cake tough, so resist the urge to keep beating!
Divide your batter evenly between the two prepared pans — I like to use a kitchen scale for this, but eyeballing it works too. Smooth the tops with a spatula and give each pan a gentle tap on the counter to release any air bubbles.
Slide them into your preheated oven and bake for 25–30 minutes.
Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 10 minutes. Then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack and let them cool completely before frosting.
While your cakes are cooling, make your frosting. Beat the softened butter in a bowl until it’s smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed so you don’t create a sugar cloud in your kitchen. Once it’s all incorporated, add your reserved strawberry puree and vanilla extract.
Add milk or cream a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency — you want it spreadable but not runny. Then turn the mixer to high and beat for 2–3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
That pinch of salt at the end? It’s optional but highly recommended if your frosting tastes too sweet.
Place your first layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread a generous layer of frosting on top — about ½ to ¾ cup should do it. Place the second layer on top, bottom-side up for a flat surface.
Now frost the top and sides with the remaining buttercream. Finish with fresh strawberry slices arranged on top and a sprinkle of pink or red sprinkles.
Notes
- Freeze your cake layers — If you’re short on time, bake the layers ahead and freeze them wrapped tightly in plastic wrap; frozen cakes are actually easier to frost because they’re firmer and shed fewer crumbs
- Reduce your puree — For the most intense strawberry flavor, simmer your puree down by about one-third before using it; this concentrates the fruit flavor without adding extra liquid
- Use gel food coloring sparingly — If you want a more vibrant pink, add just a tiny bit of pink or red gel coloring to the batter, but remember that real strawberries give you a natural, gorgeous color
- Apply a crumb coat first — Spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake, refrigerate for 15 minutes, then apply your final frosting layer; this traps crumbs and gives you a cleaner finish
- Don’t overmix the batter — Once you add the flour, mix only until combined; overmixing develops gluten and creates a tough, dense cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American