A few years ago, I created this Strawberry Lemonade cake that became an instant hit: cake flavored with fresh strawberries (pureed and reduced), filled with strawberry buttercream, topped with lemon buttercream – basically Summer in cake form! It’s been on my list to write an all-strawberry cake recipe ever since, and after getting a request for one via Instagram DM, I knew it was time. I took to the store for a pound of fresh strawberries and a package of freeze dried strawberries to give you the ultimate flavor profile. I promise, it’s as delicious as it is pretty to look at!
I know what you might be thinking: why fresh strawberries and freeze dried strawberries? After tons of testing, fresh strawberries are hands-down the best way to flavor a cake, while freeze-dried strawberries are hands-down the best way to flavor buttercream. Trust me, there is no way around it. The good news is that most groceries stores carry both, but if you have a hard time finding freeze-dried strawberries, you can always order them on Amazon (these are the ones I use, but I get them from my local Trader Joe’s).
When it comes to flavoring a cake with fresh strawberries, it’s not enough to just chop them up and add them to your batter (you’ll just have a vanilla cake with weird strawberry chunks). It’s also not enough to simply puree them, since the excess liquid tends to water down the flavor. Instead, you must puree and reduce the strawberries to intensify the strawberry flavor while evaporating most of the liquid.
For this fluffy and flavorful strawberry cake, I started with my favorite Vanilla Cake recipe as a base and adjusted the leavening agents to accommodate the acidity in the strawberries (aka I reduced the baking soda slightly). After the reduced strawberry puree hits room temperature, I whisked it together with the whole milk in the recipe and added it in at the end. Reducing the strawberries does make this recipe a little bit more involved, but it’s so worth it for the incredible flavor!
Remember how I said freeze-dried strawberries are best for flavoring the buttercream? This is because adding fresh (or even frozen) strawberries to buttercream will add way too much liquid and not enough flavor. As opposed to simply freezing strawberries, the process of freeze-drying eliminates all of the liquid from the berry, leaving only the intense flavor. After grinding those freeze-dried berries into a fine powder, adding them to buttercream is the only way (in my humble opinion) to get that refreshing, pure flavor you imagine when you think of strawberry buttercream.
After filling and frosting these beautiful cake layers with tasty strawberry buttercream, I decorated with pretty piping (using Wilton Tips 1M for the rosettes and 4B for the stars), fresh strawberries, and chamomile flowers. The flowers were an impulse on the way out of the store – I couldn’t stop imagining them on my final cake design and felt safe to use them because they’re 100% edible (although I would not recommend eating them because they don’t taste the best). They did make this cake look extra cute though!
However you decorate, one thing is for sure – this cake is a strawberry lover’s dream! And bonus if that strawberry lover also is a big fan of the color pink.
Homemade Strawberry Layer Cake
Ingredients
Strawberry Layer Cake
- 3/4 lb (12oz) fresh strawberries, stems removed, pureed and reduced to 1/2 cup
- 3/4 Cup (180ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 2 1/2 Cups (265g) sifted cake flour* DIY recipe in notes
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 Cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 2/3 Cups (350g) granulated white sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 Cup (75g) sour cream, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 drops pink food coloring, optional
Strawberry Buttercream
- 2 Cups (452g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 Cups (34g) freeze dried strawberries**
- 6 Tbsp (90ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 7 Cups (840g) powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Make the Strawberry Layer Cake
- Make the Strawberry Reduction: Start by pureeing 3/4 lbs of fresh strawberries with a food processor. Afterwards, you should be left with about 1 cup of puree. Place the strawberry puree into a saucepan over medium-low heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally. When you’re done with the reduction, you should have about 1/2 cup (if you have more, keep cooking!). Place the reduced puree into an airtight container and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes, or until it reaches room temperature. Then, whisk it together with the whole milk and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 9-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottoms with wax or parchment paper circles.
- In a medium sized bowl, place the sifted cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, whip the butter on high until creamy, 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat together with the butter at medium speed for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Add the vanilla and sour cream, then turn the mixer to high and beat for 1 minute.
- Keeping the mixer on low, add all of the dry ingredients at once until just combined, then add the strawberry milk mixture and pink food coloring (if using) until just combined, about 30 seconds. Give the batter a few stirs by hand to make sure everything is incorporated without over-mixing.
- Pour the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool the cakes in the pan for five minutes, after which you can turn them out and continue to cool them on a wire rack or sheet pan for several hours.
Make the Strawberry Buttercream
- With a food processor, grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder and set aside. You'll have between 1/4 and 1/3 Cup of strawberry powder after grinding.
- Whip the butter using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed until it’s creamy and light in color (5-10 minutes). Add vanilla, milk, and strawberry powder and continue to mix on medium for 1 minute.
- Add the powdered sugar a few cups at a time, scraping down the bowl and paddle after each addition. Add the salt and mix on low for another 30 seconds.
Assembly
- After cooling and leveling the strawberry cake layers, fill and frost with strawberry buttercream. To create the look pictured, create a smooth buttercream finish with the strawberry buttercream. Then, divide the remaining buttercream amongst two piping bags – one fitted with Wilton Tip 1M and one fitted with Wilton Tip 4B. Pipe rosettes and stars in a crescent moon shape on top of the cake and as accents on the side of the cake. Finish the look by garnishing with fresh sliced strawberries and chamomile flowers.
Notes
- You can make the reduced strawberry puree up to one week before using in the cake recipe and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the cake. Just bring it back to room temperature by letting it sit on the counter for at least an hour.
- The cake layers can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, you can wrap them and store in the freezer for up to two months before thawing and decorating.
- The buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. When you’re ready to use it, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip with your stand mixer on low for one minute to bring it back to frosting consistency.
Did you make this cake recipe? I want to know how it went! Leave me a comment below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me. I love to see what you create!
Are you able to use already made strawberry puree that’s been in the fridge for a while?
Hi Ella! Yes, you can use refrigerated puree. It usually is good for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator, so if it’s been longer than that I would make new puree.
This cake recipe is so delicious! Instead of 6 inch and 9 inch pans, can I use 8 inch as well or will I need to adjust the recipe?
Hi Dee! You can absolutely use two 8-inch cake pans with this recipe and follow the same oven temp and baking time. I need to update the recipe card to reflect that.
My son’s birthday is in 6 days. I have the cake layers ready in the freezer (3 layers, small at the top, medium size in the middle, and big at the bottom). When can I add the fondant and how can I keep the cake with fondant on top fresh until the party day? Also, should I defrost the layers before adding the fondant?
Hi Anna! I haven’t worked with fondant in a long time so I don’t know all the best practices but I would defrost the layers to prevent condensation, fill and stack the layer cake, frost with buttercream or ganache and chill until firm, then add the fondant. If you want to work ahead you can thaw, fill, stack and frost the cake one day, then store it in the refrigerator overnight and add the fondant the next day.
Hello!
This looks absolutely amazing! I was wondering if you can use frozen strawberries rather than fresh ones for the cake?
Thank you!
Hi Z! You can use frozen strawberries but the reduction might take longer since there’s more liquid content in frozen strawberries. Just be sure to reduce them to 1/2 Cup even if the timing takes a little longer. Enjoy!
I made this cake yesterday and it turned out perfect! The cake itself is moist and delicious without being that punch you in the face sweet that strawberry cake can sometimes be. The buttercream was the star of the show! SO delicious! My husband hates buttercream and even he loved it. I’d never tried using freeze dried strawberries for strawberry buttercream, it you’re right, it’s the only way to do it! It gave the perfect flavor, a beautiful color, plus the dimension and depth of the strawberry seeds in the icing gave it the “this was definitely homemade” vibe while still looking posh and professional. Well done! I can’t wait to try out some of your other recipes.
Yay, Tiffany! I’m so happy it was a hit!
Hi,
I would like to use this recipe to make 2 8” cake. Does anything change in the recipe or the baking time ?
Thank you
Hi Manija! This recipe will definitely work for two 8-inch pans (I just made that a few weeks ago!), no need to change anything in the recipe. I’ll update that in the instructions.
Tried the small batch recipe and it was amazing! Thank you. I do have one question, can you substitute the sour cream for mexican crema?
So happy you loved this recipe, Gabby! I’ve never tried this with mexican crema but my hunch is that it might make the batter too liquidy. The better substitute here would be plain yogurt. Hope that helps!
I’m hoping this feedback lands softly because it’s not my intention for it to do anything but. I was really disappointed with how this cake turned out. It was heavy and dry and the strawberry flavor was negligible. Also, I had to forgo using the buttercream recipe using freeze dried strawberries as the cost was exorbitant at over $45 alone for the needed amount. I had high hopes based on the other reviews.
Hi Jessica, are you sure that you reduced the strawberry puree enough? And where are you finding $45 freeze dried strawberries? I purchased a bag for about $9 at Costco that contained enough for the frosting in this recipe four times over. I don’t think your review is fair.
Hi! Can the buttercream be left out at room temp over night?
Hi Maria! Yes, it can be stored in an airtight container at room temp overnight. You’ll need to remix it on low speed with your stand mixer before decorating with it just so it returns to a smooth consistency.
Hello. Is the grams measurement for the cake flour accurate? 2.5c came up to be closer to 330g for me.
Hi Mariah! Sifted cake flour (sifted before measuring) weighs about 105g per US Cup, so 2.5 Cups ends up roughly 265g. If you’re measuring homemade cake flour (made with all purpose flour which is heavier than cake flour), it will weigh more. And if you’re not sifting the cake flour first, it will weigh more as well. If you’re in doubt, I would go with the gram measurement and sift your cake flour right into a bowl set on your zero-d out kitchen scale.
This cake looks awesome. Thanks so much for sharing it. I made it today for my daughter’s birthday tomorrow. But, I hit a snag and my cake has a texture of a heavy cake like Parkin The problem is, when I came to adding the eggs, they appeared to cuddle in the butter. This always happens to me. I had everything at room temperature. But my kitchen is always cold, about 18c/64f. Do you think that could be why? I was mixing by hand. Only added 1 egg at a time. Also, do you know you can get strawberry powder from Amazon? It worked amazingly for me, it tastes awesome in the buttercream.
Hi Helen! The curdling is normal during the addition of the eggs, but it should come together as a smooth cake batter by the end of the recipe after adding the flour mixture and milk. And when you say you mixed by hand, do you mean you used a hand mixer or a whisk? I’m not entirely sure what caused the cake to be so dense, but it’s typically from either overmixing or in this recipe it could also be not reducing the strawberries enough. If there’s too much liquid content in the strawberry puree it will make the cake a lot heavier.
PS thanks for the tip about strawberry powder on Amazon!
Hi. I plan on making this recipe with three 6-inch layers. Will there be a ton of leftover frosting? Should I halve the frosting?
Hi Sandy! I find that this recipe makes just enough frosting for a 3 layer 6-inch cake decorated in the style shown in this blog post. If you’re not doing any piping and not frosting a thick layer, you could probably get away with 3/4 of the frosting portion of the recipe.
Hi Whitney-
A question. I did read your post about this recipe and the reduction of fresh strawberries for the cake and the freeze dried strawberries for the buttercream. I do have the freeze dried strawberries and I also have Amoretti Wild Strawberry flavoring (which is absolutely amazing) and I have used both for buttercream. The question is: can the freeze dried berries be used for the cake with the Amoretti, or one or the other, instead of fresh berries? Just thinking…appreciate your knowledge and reply!
Hi Paula! So happy you’re loving Amoretti Wild Strawberry! You can absolutely use it in a cake recipe, but I would use my vanilla cake recipe (https://sugarandsparrow.com/vanilla-cake-recipe/) and add the strawberry flavor when you add the vanilla in the recipe. 1-2 Tbsp should be the perfect amount. No need to add freeze dried berries in the cake, they don’t do well in the baking process.
Hello, I am using 3 8″ pans so I am adding 1.5 to the cake ingredients. Is it recommended to do the same for the buttercream?? Thank you.
Hi Erinn! You should still have enough frosting for a triple layer 8 inch cake as-is. Enjoy!
Hi there!
Why not use only freeze dried strawberries in the cake? Wouldn’t that mean even less water added to the batter compared to the strawberry paste?
Thanks!
Hi Miche! I tried this recipe with freeze dried strawberries in the batter and the flavor wasn’t as good in the cake as it is in the frosting. I prefer the fresh strawberries in the cake and the freeze dried strawberries in the buttercream 🙂
Hello! I’m planning on making this cake but I don’t have whole milk. Can I use 2% or Skim instead?
Hi Grace! It should work to use 2% milk in a pinch, but whole milk does create a richer texture due to the extra fat.
Hi there! I can’t wait to make this!! Two questions– 1) should I double for 3 9″ cakes? I’m making for a birthday party with quite a lot of people. 2) Could I thaw frozen strawberries to make the puree? I just picked and froze them a couple weeks ago.
Thanks 🙂
Hi Rae! To make the perfect amount for three 9-inch layers, you’ll want to make 1.5x the recipe (multiply each ingredient by 1.5). If the math gets too complicated you can definitely double it but just note that you’ll have more than enough batter. And yes, you can use frozen strawberries for the puree! It may take longer to reduce them due to the extra water content but they work just as well as fresh berries. Enjoy!
Hi,
Thank you for posting this recipe. I am actually attempting to make it now. I do have a question regarding the puree, do I take it off heat and it goes directly to the fridge in an airtight container?
Thanks so much
Hi Joey! I do place the puree in an airtight container and let it cool in the refrigerator until room temperature. Hope that helps!
Can this recipe be made using three 8- inch pans?
Hi Tianna! Yes, it can if you make 1.5x the recipe. You’ll need to multiply each ingredient by 1.5 to have the perfect amount for 3 8-inch layers. Hope that helps!
I made this cake for my granddaughter’s 3rd birthday. It was delicious!! Everyone loved it. I did add strawberry filling, but this is going to be my go to strawberry cake from now on. Thank you!
Yay, Tonya! I’m so happy to hear this was a hit and happy birthday to your granddaughter!
This looks delicious! I’m wanting to make a number shaped cake from a 9×13 pan size (and cut the number shape and frost) how high do you think it would rise and how much baking time to start checking for doneness? Any other advice greatly appreciated! Thanks 🙂
Hi Peg! I just baked this in a 9×13 pan and it rose to about 2 inches tall. Bake at 350F for 35-40 min!
Hi! I have made a few of your cakes and they have all been huge hits! Thank you so much for sharing your creativity and recipes.
Is there an easy way to calculate this recipe to make a three-tiered 4-inch cake? If this has already been answered somewhere, I apologize I missed it.
If it is possible, what other changes are necessary like bake time and/or temperature?
Thank you again!!
I’m so happy my recipes have been hits, Lindsey! To make a mini version of this cake (3-layer 4-inch), you’ll want to scale the recipe down by 1/3. I usually use a recipe scale calculator like this one to do the math for me: https://www.inchcalculator.com/recipe-scale-conversion-calculator/. To bake it, bake at 350F for about 18-22 minutes. Hope that helps!
I made this for the first time last week. The batter was yummy and they smelled divine. I froze the layers and assembled about 4 days later. I thought it was a very very subtle strawberry flavor. Would doubling the strawberry reduction compromise the integrity of the cake? For reference, I used small greenhouse strawberries, since it’s winter here in Indiana. They were not super sweet, like fresh summer berries. Alternatively, What about a strawberry extract? I don’t want my cakes to taste artificial.
Hi Arden! In-season strawberries will make the flavor of this cake more intense. I would opt for adding a good quality strawberry extract vs. doubling the strawberry reduction, just because adding additional liquid may make the cake more dense or otherwise compromise the texture. I love Amoretti’s Wild Strawberry Artisan Flavor for the most spot-on (non-artificial) flavor: https://amoretti.com/products/wild-strawberry-artisan-flavor. They also have a Wild Strawberry Extract but it’s quite spendy: https://amoretti.com/collections/strawberry/products/wild-strawberry-extract-ws
Hello from Aus!
I’ve just started making this cake for my daughters 1st bday
I’ve bought cake flour and sifted, but 255g is not 2 1/2 cups? Which one is it~ What am I doing wrong?
Also I just went to cream the butter and sugar and also found the sugar amount seemed so much and it didn’t cream it just stayed all sugary and went runny (the butter was quite soft after sitting on bench for awhile)
I’m sorry can I just double check the measurements?
Thanks so much, the cake looks lovely and I can’t wait to make it!
Megan 🙂
Hi Megan! The sifted cake flour should actually measure 265g, which is 2.5 US cups (I hear AUS cups are slightly larger than US). Also, if the butter is too soft it will not cream properly with the sugar, and could ultimately lead to the cake sinking in the baking process. The measurements are correct (I’ve made this cake a LOT using the metric measurements), but the butter and the rest of the dairy ingredients need to be at room temp. This typically means to take them out of the refrigerator and leave them on the bench for about 1 hour. Hope this helps!
Has anyone tried adding strawberry extract as well? like maybe 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp strawberry (instead of 2 tsp vanilla)?
I have! I did the required amount for vanilla & then did the same for strawberry. This cake is PERFECT.
Definitely follow her instructions & let the ingredients get to room temp.
Hi! Is it ok to use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?
Hi Olga! Yes, you can use frozen strawberries for the puree but you might need to reduce it for longer with the extra water content from the ice. Hope that helps!
This looks scrumptious. About how many cupcakes would this make? Thank you for your help!
Hi Randi! This recipe makes about 30-35 cupcakes. Enjoy!
Hey there! I made this cake and really enjoyed the flavor however it felt pretty dense and turned out purple despite having added pink food coloring. Any suggestions to get a slightly more open crum and have it not be soo purple?
Hi Cayla! I can’t think of why the cake turned out purple. Did you make any substitutions to the ingredients list? That will help me determine why the cake turned out dense.
My oven is really small and if I put more than one thing inside, it doesn’t bake evenly. Would it be possible to divide the cake batter recipe in 3 and bake one cake at a time? Or is it possble to prepare the whole batter recipe and let it in the fridge while I bake one at a time? What would you recommend in this case?
Hi Anouck! You can absolutely make the whole batch and bake one layer at a time. Let the batter sit at room temp while you bake the layers. Hope that helps!
Thoughts on using Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
Hi Alicia! That should work fine as a substitute but sour cream is best.
Hi from Australia! I am wondering if I can substitute gluten-free flour for the cake recipe. Making this in our Winter with lovely organic strawberries for my daughter’s 5th birthday on the weekend.
Hi Emily! I’ve never tried that myself but I have heard of people subbing in GF all purpose flour for the cake flour in this recipe with success. You may want to do a trial run beforehand just to see. Hope that helps!
This looks great! I was wondering if you think this can make an hombre cake?
Hi Beatrice! I have never tried that before but you are welcome to experiment!
Hi, I was wondering if I want to serve 20 people will the 2 layer 9 in be enough? Or what do you recommend and how can I multiply the recipe?
Thank you!
Hi Beatrice! Yes – a 2 layer 9 inch cake should be enough to serve 20.
Hi i have few queations:
1. The fresh strawberrys at my place is very sour, can i use the whole strawberrys (jam) in the bottle? This strawberry jam is homemade.
2. Instead of using sour cream and freeze dried strawberry, what ingredients can i use?
Hi Amutha! I wouldn’t recommend using jam because it will make the cake too sweet. Instead, you can add a tsp or two of strawberry jam to the fresh strawberries in the reduction process to sweeten them slightly. The sugar in the cake batter will combat the sour either way. As far as substitutes go, plain yogurt is the best sub for sour cream. I don’t recommend subbing anything for the freeze dried strawberries but if you can’t find them where you live, you can always use this recipe for fresh raspberry buttercream (but use fresh or frozen strawberries instead): https://sugarandsparrow.com/fresh-raspberry-buttercream-recipe/ hope all of that helps!
Hi – This defeats the entire purpose of making the homemade cake I know:)- but do you think it would work -if I was in a pinch for time- to just add the strawberry purée to a boxed white cake mix -without altering anything else?
I have made several of your cakes from scratch by the way- and they’re DELICIOUS!
Hi Melissa! I’ve never tried that before but my hunch is that it would work! Let me know if you do try it, I’d love to hear how it went.
This is an amazing recipe! I’ve used it for weddings/birthdays/nice dinners.
I fill the cake with a Strawberry Cream Filling and Strawberry Lemon Curd. People can’t get enough and request it all the time!
I’m so happy this recipe has been such a hit, David!! Those fillings sound AMAZING!
Flavor was out of this world! FYI-I did a SMBC as I don’t like regular buttercream, it is what I do for all of my cakes, so this rating is strictly for the cake. It was on the dry side, I have made a few of your cakes, this is the only one that came out a tad dry. I baked for 30 mins (8” rounds x2) but it needed more time, I added 5 mins, I should have started with 2 mins then check again. That could be where I went wrong. Any advice? I would make this again!
So happy that you loved the flavor, Amber! Next time I would do just what you suggested – if it needs more time after 30 min add just two more minutes and go from there. I have never had complaints of this one being dry so my only hunch is that it was slightly over baked. Hope that helps!
Where can I find fresh whole chamomile flowers?
I found them at my local organic grocery store but they aren’t usually in season until Spring/early Summer.
could i put fresh strawberries in the layers?
Hi Owen! You certainly can 🙂
Just for future bakers information:
I cut this recipe in half and made cupcakes for my friends birthday. It made approx 12 cupcakes, which was perfect for my needs! I used frozen strawberries that I had from the summer to make the strawberry puree and just used that to make the buttercream instead of the freeze dried strawberries (I cut that recipe in half too) and didn’t use any milk or cream. It turned out awesome! Then I had some puree left over, so I filled my cupcakes with puree and then piped the buttercream on top and it was SO GOOD! The puree filing wasn’t overly sweet so it helped cut some of the sweetness of the buttercream, and it added even more strawberry flavor. My friend said it was probably the best cake/cupcake she’d ever had! This is going to be a go to recipe for me from now on, especially in the summer when the strawberries are in season and I don’t have to freeze them. YUM!
Yay, Katie! I’m so happy this recipe was a hit as cupcakes! Thanks so much for all this info, it’s super helpful!
Want to make this cake what I like to know is can it be bake in a Bundt cake pan
Hi Toni! I’ve never tried baking this recipe in a bundt pan before but I’m sure it would work. Here’s an article that explains how to convert the recipe for a bundt pan: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/layer-cake-to-bundt-cake/
Hi, if I want to make only 12 cupcakes, would it be fine to cut the recipe in half? I don’t want to be short on the batter, thank you!
Hi Haydee! Yes, cutting the recipe in half will yield about 15 Cupcakes, so you should be totally good.
I made this for my daughter’s 1st birthday – it was delicious and beautiful. A wonderful recipe and always easy to follow. Thank you very much!
Yay, Kerry! So happy you loved this recipe 🙂 happy birthday to your daughter!
Hello! Is it possible to leave out or substitute freeze dried strawberries? I am having a tough time finding some that don’t cost an entire mortgage! Thanks
Hi Kate! The frosting recipe is best with freeze dried strawberries, but if you can’t easily access them you can try this method with fresh strawberries: https://www.biggerbolderbaking.com/strawberry-buttercream-frosting/
Awesome cake! I made this Strawberry cake with your Vanilla cake recipe instead.
Turned out so yummy and got me a cake order from one of the guests.
Yay, Lena! I’m so glad this recipe was a hit + congratulations on your cake order! That’s amazing!
I am going to make your Strawberry Cake but have a question. I made some strawberry puree and froze it. I noticed it stays somewhat “soft” in the freezer–is that normal? Can’t wait to make this recipe and love your other recipes as well!
Thank you
Hi Pam! I’ve never frozen strawberry purèe before but I think it should be okay! So excited for you to try this recipe – let me know how it goes!
Hi, Whitney!
I’d love to make this cake! I have a question about the freeze-dried strawberries. The recipe calls for 2 cups. Do you get that much from the TJ product after you grind it? I started looking on Amazon and it was crazy expensive if I’m trying to buy 2 cups of whole/slided freeze-dried strawberries! I’m thinking that I’m missing something….I hope!
Hi Julie! Yes – that’s the amount I get from one package of Trader Joe’s freeze dried strawberries. I would go by the gram measurement (34g) when looking for and measuring freeze dried strawberries. They’re hard to accurately measure in cups. Hope that helps!
How many people does this recipe serve?
Hi Lesley! This cake serves 15-20 people depending on how large you cut the slices. Enjoy!
Thank you Whitney! I am so excited to make this cake for my baby girl’s 1st birthday party next weekend. It looks amazing! I will be serving close to 50 people (20 are kids) . I was going to make a small “smash cake” for my baby and then a larger one for my guests. I have two 12” round metal cake pans and was planning on using one recipe for each cake pan (doubling the recipe). This would create a two layered cake. I’m wondering if that will be enough. Should I do what I just mentioned or:
1) 1.5 x the recipe for each 12” pan (still a two layered cake) or will that overflow the cake pan?
2) Create a 3 layered cake and use a single recipe for each 12” round cake pans, using your recipe x 3?
Or do you have another suggestion? Thank you so much!!
Hi Lesley! I’m so excited for you to make this cake and congratulations on your baby girl turning one. What a fun cake for her party! Since this cake recipe makes about 6 cups of batter and a 12-inch pan needs about 7.5 Cups of batter to fill it 1/2 full (or 10 Cups to fill it 2/3 full), I would either recommend making 1.5x the recipe per 12-inch layer or you can make a single batch per layer and have shorter layers. Another suggestion would be to make cupcakes for the guests using this recipe. If you want to go the cupcake route, be sure to fill the tins no more than 2/3 full and bake at 350F for 15-18 minutes. The recipe should make about 30 cupcakes per batch. Let me know if you have more questions!
Hi! This cake is absolutely amazing!! I just made it and ate it. I love how there’s no artificial ingredients and the taste truly comes from real strawberries. I have one question, does this cake have to be refrigerated due to the fruit, or can it be left at room temperature for a few days? Thank you!!
Yay, Tammy! I’m so happy you love this recipe as much as I do!! The cake can be left out at room temp (covered) for a 3-4 days if you prefer. The fruit that’s baked into the cake will not spoil and the sugar content in the cake and buttercream helps preserve it at room temp. I usually refrigerate my cakes until an hour or two before serving them though, just to keep the decorations looking perfect. Hope that helps!
Hello! I only have freeze dried strawberry powder, not the whole freeze dried strawberries. How much of the powder do I use? Thank you!
Hi Jennifer! You’ll want to use about 1/3 Cup (about 17g) of freeze dried strawberry powder for this recipe. Enjoy!
Sounds delicious! I’d love to try this but am wondering if it needs to be kept refrigerated? I really need a fresh strawberry cake that doesn’t, now that I’ve downsized to one fridge! Please let me know!
Hi Barbara! There’s no need to refrigerate this cake unless you’re using a filling or frosting that needs to be refrigerated. The Strawberry Buttercream in this recipe doesn’t require refrigeration and the decorated cake can be kept at room temp for up to 5 days. Enjoy!
Perfect, thank you so much for responding!
Hi Whitney! Would love to make this cake but be able to decorate the exterior in multiple colors of buttercream. If I fill the cake with strawberry icing but coat the outside and decorate with vanilla will that taste weird? How do you recommend getting to decorate the cakes but not always making vanilla??
Hi Lindsey! That’s exactly what I would do – fill and crumb coat the cake with strawberry buttercream, then decorate with vanilla buttercream. That will taste amazing! Vanilla goes very well with strawberry. Enjoy!
I could only locate whole dried strawberries, help? Can I use them? Advice please.
Hi Raina! Are they freeze dried or just dried? If they can be ground into a powder I’d say give them a try!
What height do you suggest for the 6 inch pans? I used 2 inch and the batter overflowed, I followed recipe to a T but didn’t see what depth you use for cake pans or if you suggest putting them on different racks — wondering if that would have helped make a difference. Thanks!
Hi Kate! I’m so sorry the pans overflowed! I use 2 inch tall pans. It’s important to fill the pans no more than 2/3 full so there’s enough room for the cake to rise. It’s best practice to bake a cake on the middle rack, which is where the heat is most evenly distributed. Hope that helps!
I made this cake for my neighbors birthday and they said it was the best strawberry cake they had.
I am curious can you use substitute blueberries for the strawberries?
That’s amazing, Julie! So happy to hear this recipe was a hit! I have never tried substituting blueberries in this recipe but you could certainly give it a go!
Great recipe
Thank you so much, Teresa! I’m so happy you love this cake as much as I do!
I made this cake for my partner and my mom’s birthday. Your recipe and directions are impeccable! The cake is absolutely wonderful and very very delicious. I got comments from people that it is the best cake they’ve ever had. I’m not a big cake baker so the fact it came out so well is all due to your great recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Yay, Carrie! I’m so happy this recipe was such a big hit! That totally makes my day 🙂 thanks for taking the time to let me know!
How many times this recipe for 3 10×2 layers?
Hi Amy! I would double the recipe for that size.
Hola que tal soy de Perú, es hermoso tu trabajo meencanta lo que haces, una consulta aquí en Perú trabajamos mucho los pasteles con aceite vegetal,
Se puede reemplazar la mantequilla por aceite?? Cuanto seria la proporción??… gracias por la ayuda
Hi Milagros! I haven’t tried replacing the butter with oil in this recipe, so I’m not sure how it would turn out. You are certainly welcome to try it! If you do, let me know how it goes!
So I am in Australia and just made the cakes and am wondering if I used the wrong flour? I used plain, but should I have used self raising? Not sure if you are familiar with these terms in the US?
Hi Laura! Plain flour will make the cake more dense, which is why the recipe calls for cake flour (not self-rising). Here’s more info about cake flour and a diy recipe for making it using plain flour: https://sugarandsparrow.com/homemade-cake-flour
Made this cake to surprise a friend for her birthday and it was a huge hit!!! Thank you so much for a fabulous recipe and lots of inspiration.
Yay, Amy! So happy to hear that this recipe was so loved!!
Hi, is this a recipe you can simply halve for a sheet cake? Thanks!
Hi Janice! Yes, this recipe will make a beautiful sheet cake! Here’s everything you need to know about how to convert my layer cake recipes like this one into a sheet cake: https://sugarandsparrow.com/sheet-cake-recipes/
Hello! Do we have to use cake flour for this recipe? I feel like cake flour never works for me. I love all your recipes, btw. Thanks!
Hi Veronica! I do recommend using cake flour, as it’s what makes this recipe light and fluffy. If you don’t have cake flour on hand, this homemade version is the next best thing: https://sugarandsparrow.com/homemade-cake-flour
I made this strawberry cake for Valentine’s Day and covered it with chocolate frosting. It was fluffy and delicious. I made your vanilla cake today though, and the cake layers were quite tough, especially when compared to these fluffy strawberry layers. I made two 6-inch cake layers, and used the extra batter to make cupcakes. Interestingly, the cupcakes were light and fluffy, even though the cake layers were not. Do you think I could use this recipe as a vanilla cake if I were to increase the milk to 1 1/4 c. instead of using the strawberry purée? Thanks. I’ve had great results with multiple recipes on your blog.
Hi Sam! So happy you loved this strawberry cake recipe! That is a puzzler as to why the vanilla cake didn’t end up as fluffy – I used the vanilla cake recipe as a base when writing this strawberry cake recipe. You are welcome to try experimenting with omitting the puree in this recipe and increasing the milk though!
Thank you Whitney!! I started from scratch because I got too nervous about using the left over puree. Lol. Just came out of the oven, looks and smells amazing! It’s so helpful that you have not only measurements but also weights on your recipe. Very helpful. Your instructions are perfect!
Yay, Anna! So happy to hear the cakes were a success and you found the recipe + instructions helpful. Enjoy!
Sorry, also are frozen strawberries ok for the puree?
You can definitely use frozen strawberries!
Thanks Whitney! When you say reduce it do you mean cooking it down? I did that originally and just stored the leftovers in the refrigerator. Do you think I need to cook it down more? Or should I just start over?
Yes, exactly – by “reducing” I mean cooking it down. You can use those reduced puree leftovers, just make sure you bring it to room temperature before using it in the recipe!
Hi Whitney – I have strawberry puree (made from frozen strawberries) left over from a cake recipe that flopped. I would like to try your recipe. Do you think I can used my leftover puree in your recipe? Also, does this cake come out dense enough to stack?
Hi Anna! You can certainly use the puree you have left over. I would still reduce it as this recipe instructs. And yes, this cake is certainly stackable! Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Good morning…thank you for your strawberry and vanilla cake recipes. Not only easy to make they’re delicious! I’ve made the “Strawberry Crunch” cake a few times and it is constantly requested.
Yay, Patricia! I’m so happy to hear that these recipes have been a hit! Thanks for taking the time to let me know 🙂
Hi Whitney! I made this cake in September and it was SUCH a hit. I am making it again this weekend but I remember the layers not looking as colorful as yours did. Would you recommend adding any gel food coloring to the batter? And if so how much? I have the Wilton Color Right gels and thought maybe a drop of either the red or pink?
So happy you love this recipe, Adriana! I did specify in the recipe to add 1-2 drops of pink food coloring at the end of the recipe if you’re wanting a more vibrant pink cake (like mine!). A few drops of the pink from the Wilton Color Right gels will work perfectly, I think that’s the same gel I used in this cake. Enjoy!!
Thanks so much! I scanned through the recipe to see if you mentioned food coloring and totally missed that you had included it.
Hi Whitney! This cake looks amazing – I can’t wait to try it! How many cupcakes would one batch make, you think? Wondering if I need to double 🙂
Hi Kaitlin! So excited for you to try this cake! One batch of this recipe yields about 36-40 cupcakes. If you do decide to bake this recipe as cupcakes, just be sure to fill the tins no more than 2/3 full and bake at 350 for about 15-17 min. Enjoy!
Hi Whitney!
First of all thank you for your inspiration! You are a true artist! I follow you from Scandinavia Finland!
I could only find freeze dried raspberries so I was wondering if I made this cake completely from raspberries instead of strawberries do you think it will work as well? I love raspberries so much!
Thank you for your reply! ❤️
Hi Heili! You certainly can sub in an equal amount of freeze dried raspberries in this recipe, or any freeze dried fruit – I do it all the time. Enjoy!
I did it!!! And what an amazing cake!!! I had picked wild raspberries last summer from our back yard and frozen them. I made a pure from those, then I removed all the raspberry seeds and cooked a reduction. It was a bit of work but my god it made the cake great!!! For the butter cream I bought the freeze dried raspberries from our grocery store! I loved it!
Yay, Heili! I am going to have to try a raspberry version of this cake recipe now – what a brilliant idea!
Well I love raspberries obviously… But it is a bit more to do compared to strawberries because of the seeds. Some people don’t mind them and me neither when I am eating whole berries. But with a pure and a reduction I think they have to be removed. And of course all the raspberries vary when it comes to seeds. Those wild berries are so tiny but full of flavour and lots of seeds. My mother grows a totally different assortment which nearly has none seeds but I think they are not so sweet.. is there a way to send you a picture of my cake?
I’d love to see your cake! You can tag me on Instagram (@sugarandsparrowco) to show me or email me a photo at sugarandsparrow@gmail.com
Hi Whitney! Can I replace the freeze dried strawberry with fresh strawberry in make the strawberry buttercream?
Hi Audrey! The reason I use freeze dried strawberries in the buttercream recipe is because the moisture has been removed from the berries, so there’s no added liquid to worry about messing with the overall consistency of the buttercream. If you use fresh strawberries, too much liquid will be added with not enough flavor. Instead, I would recommend either finding a recipe that uses fresh strawberries or you can also try making and adding more reduced strawberry puree for the buttercream (to use in place of the freeze dried berries). I’ve never tried it before, but it seems like it would work better than straight fresh strawberries in terms of adding flavor without too much liquid. Just make sure it’s room temp before you add it!
Hi mam greetings from India.. instead of strawberry powder can we add fresh strawberry in making buttercream recipe
Hi Geeta! I find that freeze dried strawberry powder is best for this recipe, mainly because fresh strawberries contain so much water which can ruin the consistency of the buttercream. If you don’t have access to freeze dried strawberries you could try making a strawberry puree from fresh strawberries and then cook it down (reduce it) until most of the liquid has been removed. Bring it to room temp and add it into the buttercream at the end. Again, I haven’t tried this method with this recipe so it would be an experiment!
Hi I want to follow you on insta what is your insta name please
Hi Pauline! You can follow me @sugarandsparrowco 🙂
Hi Whitney,
This cake looks stunning. I would like to make it for my daughter’s birthday. Can i bake them in three 7 inch by 3 inch pans? Or do I need to scale the recipe? For a trial, Can i divide the recipe in thirds and then bake it in 7 inch by 3 inch pan?
Excited for you to make this recipe, Dianne! Scaling this recipe will depend on how tall you want each layer to be. If you want that full 3 inch height for each 7-inch pan, I recommend either making 1.5x or even 2x this recipe. If you don’t mind having shorter layers, this recipe will make three 7-inch layers that are about 1.25 inches tall as-is. I’m not sure about scaling it by 1/3 to test it as one layer, it’s really hard to scale a recipe down that much and make it work. If you do want the full 3-inch layer height, you’ll need to increase the baking time some. I’m not sure exactly how much longer since I’ve never tested this recipe in a pan of that size, but try 5-10 minutes longer and just know you’ll need to keep an eye on it.
Beautiful! I’m going to make this for my husbands birthday tomorrow. You are so talented.
So excited for you to make this cake, friend!!
Can this recipe be used for cupcakes ?
It can! It’s in the Notes section of the recipe – fill the tins no more than 2/3 full and bake for 15-17 min at 350ºF
How many cupcakes does this recipe make?
Hi Jennie! This recipe should make about 30 cupcakes. Hope that helps!
Hi! I was wondering were do you get the freezed strawberries from
Hi Ale! I get them from my local grocery store (Trader Joe’s), but you can also get them on Amazon if you can’t find them locally. They are linked in the portion of this post where I talk about freeze dried strawberries
Thank you!
Target carries them too
I would like to try but can be it so sweet? If needed to reduce to sugar, how much should I reduce? On the cake batter or on the butter cream?
Hi there! I don’t think this cake is too sweet, but you could try reducing the powdered sugar by 1/2 Cup in the buttercream recipe. If you reduce the sugar in the cake batter it could throw off the texture of the entire cake. Feel free to experiment though!
GORGEOUS cake, Whitney!!! It’s soooooo pretty! That decoration is stunning; it looks so fresh and summery. Lovvvve it 😀 If our oven weren’t broken right now, I’d be in the kitchen making this!
Thank you so much, Erin! So sorry to hear about your oven. I hope you get the chance to make this cake once its back up and running!
Sorry messed up would i have to double the recipie to make it in three 8 inch cake pans
No worries, Ale! Doubling the recipe will be more than enough. If you multiply all of the ingredients in the recipe by 1.5 it should be the perfect amount. Hope you love this one!!
Thank you! So much your pictures for the recipies are so pretty!
I also want to make 3 8” pan cakes for my granddaughter’s 16th birthday. I want to get it right so will ask my husband to help with measurements! If it looks good I’ll tag you, thanks for the best recipes! PS: I am using your vanilla buttercream and white chocolate ganache for the drip.
I’m excited for you to make this cake, Diana! I can’t wait to see how you decorate!
I double the recipe for three 8” pans. I had issues with the drip and ended up scraping off excess and then blending the white chocolate ganalche with the buttercream. I think it came out well and my granddaughter who turned 16 loved it! Everyone says that buttercream in The Bomb!
Hi! Would i have t9 double this recipie to make it with 3 8 inch cake pans!
In your buttercream directions, you have raspberry powder instead of strawberry powder.
Thanks for catching that, Kaye!
Hi, how would you execute this as a swiss meringue buttercream?
Hi there! I just made strawberry smbc today using a traditional recipe and added 1 Tbsp Amoretti Natural Wild Strawberry Artisan Flavor! It was amazing. (flavor here: https://amoretti.com/products/wild-strawberry-artisan-flavor and you can get $10 off with my code WHITNEY10). I’ve read that you could also add 1/4 Cup freeze-dried strawberry powder to a batch of smbc as an option.
Hi, this was an absolute hit for mother’s day. I can’t wait to make this again!
Hi Whitney,
This looks gorgeous and I can’t wait to try it! Your cakes have always worked for me. And they always taste fantastic. I do have a question – how do you reduce pureed strawberries? I Googled “how to reduce strawberries” and got how to make a strawberry reduction sauce. Is that the same thing?
Thanks very much and keep the wonderfulness coming.
Eileen
OMG, so sorry. Your Step 1 tells how to do it. D’uh?! I should just get in the habit of reading the recipe through first.
Cheers,
Eileen
No worries, Eileen! I hope you love this recipe!