Strawberry lovers, discover a delicious strawberry layer cake that’s bursting with the irresistible sweetness of ripe strawberries. Indulge in this delightful treat and elevate your dessert game.
This easy strawberry layer cake with buttercream frosting is a decadent dessert that’s as visually stunning as it is delicious.
A strawberry cake with buttercream frosting is the perfect combination of moist and tender cake layers infused with a sweet and vibrant fresh strawberry flavor and finished with the perfect strawberry buttercream recipe.
The cake layers are a lovely shade of pink or red, thanks to the addition of pureed strawberries, ensuring that every bite is packed with fruity goodness.
This strawberry layer cake is a true showstopper at any celebration like a birthday party or a delightful treat for a special occasion such as Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day.
How to Make Strawberry Cake
What are the ingredients of strawberry cake?
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 C strawberry puree
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp strawberry extract
- 2 to 3 drops Pink gel food coloring
- 3 C cake flour
- 1 3/4 C sugar
- 1 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 C canola oil
- 1/2 C unsalted butter
Strawberry Frosting ingredients
- 2 C unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
- 6 C powdered sugar
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 C finely diced strawberries
- 5-7 TBSP heavy whipping cream
- Strawberries for topping
Directions
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 a buttercream frosting for a strawberry cake, 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.
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Tips for an Old Fashioned Strawberry Cake Recipe
- Opt for fresh, ripe strawberries to maximize flavor. Choose the sweetest and juiciest strawberries at their peak ripeness for both the cake and any strawberry filling or decoration.
- Grease and flour your cake pans or line them with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking. This ensures easy removal and intact layers.
- For the best texture and flavor, let the cake sit at room temperature for a little while before serving.
- Store the finished cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep it fresh. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
Easy Strawberry Cake Recipe FAQs
While fresh berries are preferred for that wonderful strawberry flavor, you can use frozen strawberries for the cake. Thaw and drain them before pureeing and incorporating them into the batter.
Yes, you can make the cake layers in advance and freeze them. Wrap each layer tightly in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container. Thaw before assembling.
To achieve smooth frosting, beat the butter and powdered sugar at a low speed initially and gradually increase the speed. Use a spatula to remove air bubbles as needed.
The ideal serving size depends on personal preference, but a standard slice is usually about 1/8th of the cake.
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.
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recipe for strawberry layer cake
Ingredients
- Strawberry Cake Ingredients
- 4 large eggs,
- 1 1/2 C strawberry puree
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp strawberry extract
- 2 to 3 drops Pink gel food coloring
- 3 C cake flour
- 1 3/4 C sugar
- 1 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 C canola oil
- 1/2 C unsalted butter
- Strawberry Frosting ingredients
- 2 C unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
- 6 C powdered sugar
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 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.