Strawberry Layer Cake Recipe
A strawberry layer cake is exactly what you make when you want a dessert that feels bakery-worthy but is still simple enough to pull off at home — because let’s be honest, everyone wants a show-stopping cake without spending all day in the kitchen.
This cake recipe is light, sweet, and layered with delicious flavor that makes it perfect for birthdays, spring gatherings, baby showers, or anytime you want something special without the stress.
It’s super easy to create a dessert that looks impressive and tastes absolutely unforgettable.
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How to Make a Strawberry Layer Cake
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and preparing your cake pans with baking spray.
- Bring your ingredients to room temperature before mixing so the batter blends evenly.
- Puree fresh strawberries until smooth and strain out the seeds.
- In one bowl, mix the eggs, strawberry puree, vanilla, strawberry extract, and food coloring.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then blend in the butter and oil until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
- Gradually add the egg mixture to create a thick, fluffy batter.
- Don’t overmix the batter once the wet and dry ingredients are combined — this helps keep the cake soft and tender.
- Divide the batter evenly between three pans and give the pans a couple taps on the counter to help release air bubbles for smoother layers.
- Bake – the cake is done when it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
- Cool 10 minutes in the pans, then fully on a rack. Turning them out too soon can cause cracks; frosting warm cake will melt your buttercream.
- For the frosting, beat together butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, diced strawberries, and heavy cream until light and creamy.
- Before frosting your cake, be sure to level and torte the layers so they stack evenly and look bakery-beautiful. If you’re not sure how to do that, check out my Cake Decorating Guide where I walk you through this process.
- Spread frosting between each layer, and assemble the cake.
- Apply a thin crumb coat and chill briefly before finishing with a thicker layer of frosting.
- Decorate with piped frosting and fresh strawberries on top for a beautiful finish.
Make ahead tip: Bake the layers a day in advance and wrap tightly before frosting.
Don’t Forget To…
- Scroll down to print the full recipe with step-by-step instructions and exact measurements.
- Check out my Kitchen Essentials for the pans, mixing bowls, and baking tools I use to make this recipe a breeze.
- Save or share this recipe on Pinterest!
OvenStuff HG368-AZ Nonstick Bakeware 9
E-far 9½ Inch Cake Pan Set of 3, Stainless Steel Round Cake Baking Pans, Non-Toxic & Healthy, Mirror Finish & Dishwasher Safe120 Pieces Precut Circle Cake Pan Liners Round Parchment Paper Non-stick Parchment Paper with Lift Tabs for Baking (Brown)McCormick Strawberry Extract with Other Natural Flavors, 2 fl ozAnn Clark Bubblegum Pink Food Coloring Gel .70 oz. Professional Grade Made in USA
Yes! Just thaw and drain them well before pureeing so the batter doesn’t become too wet.
Yes! Freeze unfrosted cake layers wrapped tightly for up to 2 months. Thaw before decorating.
Yes, you can adapt the recipe to make strawberry cupcakes by adjusting the baking time. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Yes. For best results, make a DIY cake flour swap: for every 1 cup of cake flour, use 1 cup all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons, then add 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk well before using. (Repeat for the total flour needed.)
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Baking Troubleshooting Guide
If you’re planning your next baking project, be sure to check out these helpful resources and delicious dessert ideas:
- Want to level up your cakes? This frosting guide shows you different frosting recipes and exactly when and how to use them for the best results.
- If you’ve ever dealt with dry cakes, sinking centers, or frosting mishaps, this baking troubleshooting guide will help you fix common baking problems with confidence.
- Love strawberries? From cakes to sweet treats bursting with berry flavor, these strawberry dessert recipes are perfect for spring celebrations, summer gatherings, and anytime you’re craving something fruity and fresh.
Strawberry Layer Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake Ingredients:
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ C strawberry puree
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp strawberry extract
- 2 – 3 drops Pink gel food coloring
- 3 C cake flour
- 1 ¾ C sugar
- 1 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ C canola oil
- 1/2 C unsalted butter
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:
- 2 C unsalted sweet cream butter softened
- 6 C powdered sugar
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ C finely diced strawberries
- 5-7 TBSP heavy whipping cream
- Strawberries for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray the cake pans with pam baking spray, set aside.
- To puree the strawberries, wash and hull the strawberries, then slice or dice them to aid in blending. Blend the strawberries in a food processor until they transform into a smooth puree and strain the seeds.
- In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, combine eggs, strawberry puree, vanilla, strawberry extract and pink food coloring, whisk until combined.
- Whisk together the cake flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until combined in a separate bowl.
- Slowly beat in the butter and canola oil until combined.
- Once the mixture looks like coarse sand, gradually beat in the egg mixture until combined. The batter will be very thick and fluffy.
- Evenly divide the cake batter among the 3 cake pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the best strawberry buttercream frosting, cream together the butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, diced strawberries and heavy whipping cream until combined and creamy and stiff with peaks.
- Scoop a cup of the creamy frosting into the large piping bag.
- Remove from cake pans and place onto a cutting board to level and torte the cake.
- Place the first layer of cake onto the cake board and scoop about a cup of of the frosting onto the middle of the cake, smooth the frosting out.
- Place the second layer on top and repeat the steps, finishing off with the remaining cake layer.
- Once you have built your cake, apply a thin layer of frosting, known as a crumb coat, to the assembled cake. This layer seals in any loose crumbs and helps the final frosting layer go on smoothly.
- Place the crumb-coated cake in the refrigerator for about 15-30 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator.
- Apply a thicker layer of frosting to the sides and top of the cake, creating a smooth, even finish.
- You can pipe a decorative border along the top and bottom edges with the piping bag or pipe dollops of frosting on top.
- Place strawberries in the middle of the cake.
Notes
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- Refrigerate: Yes — because of the fresh strawberries in the frosting and topping, keep the cake covered in the refrigerator.
- Shelf life: Stores well for 2–4 days when covered properly.
- Best way to cover: A cake dome works best; if using plastic wrap, chill the cake first so the frosting doesn’t smudge.
- Freeze cake layers: Wrap fully cooled layers tightly in plastic wrap (plus foil for extra protection) and freeze for 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting.
- Before serving: Let the cake sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes for the best flavor and texture.
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