Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe
This easy strawberry cake recipe features plump, fresh berries folded into a tender, buttery batter with a crunchy, sugary top. It's an incredibly simple cake to make and delivers pure berry flavor and perfect texture in every slice. It's going to become your favorite way to celebrate strawberry season!
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You Will Love This Strawberry Dessert!
This easy, humble cake is the best way to showcase juicy, fresh strawberries when they're at peak season. The batter is made with sour cream for a moist, perfectly tangy crumb, and a sprinkle of sugar on top gives it the most satisfying crunch.
Unlike recipes using artificial ingredients like strawberry gelatin, strawberry extract or pink food coloring, this homemade strawberry cake gets its vibrant taste from a full pound of real strawberries!
For the best results, choose berries that are fully red with no white shoulders—these have the most concentrated flavor. Local strawberries from farmers' markets will have more taste than the larger, less flavorful varieties found at the regular grocery store.
This cake truly shines when it's made at the height of strawberry season when berries are naturally sweeter. Here in New Jersey, strawberry season lasts just a few short weeks, and this homemade strawberry cake is a great way to make it last just a little bit longer!
Want more great strawberry desserts? Try my apricot strawberry rhubarb crisp with its crunchy oat topping, these individual strawberry rhubarb shortcakes that are perfect for entertaining, or this simple mixed berry clafoutis.
Why This Recipe Works
- Sour cream creates an incredibly moist cake with a tender crumb.
- The sugared cake pan and sugar topping add delightful crisp edges.
- Ready in just over an hour with minimal hands-on time.
- Can be made ahead and enjoyed the next day!
Homemade Strawberry Cake Ingredients
Fresh strawberries - Choose peak-season strawberries that are bright red, fragrant berries for the most flavor. During strawberry season (late spring to early summer), berries will be at their peak sweetness and require less added sugar. Hull and slice them carefully for the best presentation. Be sure to use fresh real berries and do not substitute frozen or freeze-dried strawberries.
Sour cream - One of the key ingredients that makes this the best strawberry cake, sour cream adds moisture and a subtle tang to balance the sweetness. You can substitute full-fat Greek yogurt if needed.
Butter - Use high-quality unsalted butter at room temperature for the best texture.
Vanilla extract - A high-quality vanilla extract enhances the strawberry flavor without overpowering it.
All-purpose flour - Creates the perfect structure for this cake. No need for cake flour here - the regular purpose flour works beautifully in this fresh strawberry cake recipe without making it too dense.
*Find the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
Helpful Equipment
- 9-inch or 8-inch pans
- Electric mixer or stand mixer
- Rubber spatula
- offset spatula
- Large bowl
- Wire rack
How To Make Strawberry Cake With Strawberries
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8 or 9-inch cake pan, then sprinkle with one tablespoon of sugar. Swirl the pan around to coat, then tap out any excess.
- Use an electric mixer at medium speed to beat the butter with 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. This step is crucial for creating air in the cake batter, so don't rush it—the mixture should be pale yellow and noticeably increased in volume.
Pro Tip: For the best texture, make sure your butter is truly at room temperature. Cold butter won't cream properly, while overly soft butter won't hold enough air.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, then continue beating until well combined. The mixture might look slightly curdled, but that's perfectly normal.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the salt, baking powder, and flour to create a dry mixture. Add it to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Don't overmix at this stage or you'll develop too much gluten, which can make the cake tough rather than tender.
- Mix in the sour cream, then use a rubber spatula to fold in the fresh strawberries. The batter will be thick, and the strawberries will release some juice as you fold them in - this is exactly what you want for the best fresh strawberry flavor!
Pro Tip: Save a few of your prettiest strawberry slices to arrange on top of the cake before baking for an especially beautiful presentation on the top of the cake.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and smooth out the top with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar on top for a delicious crackly crust.
- Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top should be golden brown and slightly crisp from the sugar.
- Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack, then cut into wedges and serve. For a more casual, homestyle presentation similar to strawberry shortcake, you can also serve warm by spooning it out of the dish.
Tips for Success
- Don't overmix the batter after adding the dry ingredients or your cake may become tough.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before serving it so it sets.
- Don't skip sprinkling sugar on top of the batter before baking, this will help create that wonderfully crisp and flaky texture on top.
Fresh Strawberry Cake Recipe Variations
- Add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and lemon juice to the batter for a pop of citrus.
- Swirl in a bit of fresh strawberry puree or strawberry jam for a more intense strawberry flavor.
- Substitute almond extract for vanilla and add ⅓ cup sliced almonds to the top before baking.
- Divide the batter among 12 lined muffin cups and reducing the baking time to around 18 minutes to make strawberry cupcakes.
- Top with strawberry frosting or a homemade strawberry buttercream!
How To Serve Strawberry Spoon Cake
This cake is perfect for special spring occasions like Easter, Mother's Day, bridal showers or baby showers when strawberries are at their peak.
Serve with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, or serve warm with a scoop of ice cream. Add a few fresh strawberry slices on the side for an extra pop of berry flavor!
For a lovely late spring dinner, serve this cake after a hot bowl of New England clam chowder or this silky spicy carrot soup paired with a crisp asparagus salad or charred grilled romaine wedge.
Storing Homemade Strawberry Cake
Store this cake in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, for up to 5 days. The sugar topping may lose some of its crispness over time, but the strawberry flavor will deepen and meld even more with the cake.
While this cake is best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze individual slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then foil for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
FAQ
This is actually normal for this style of cake! If you want more even distribution, you can toss the strawberry pieces in 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture before folding them into the batter. This is the best way to prevent sinking.
Absolutely! Raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries would all work beautifully in this recipe. You can use a single type or a mix of berries, keeping the total weight the same.
The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown. The edges should be pulling away slightly from the sides of the bowl, and the top should spring back when gently pressed at high speed. If using an 8-inch pan, baking will take slightly longer than with the 9-inch.
Fresh strawberries are strongly recommended for this recipe, as frozen berries release too much liquid when thawed and can make the cake soggy. If you must use frozen, defrost and drain them first, and expect a slightly different texture in the finished cake as well as a longer baking time.
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Strawberry Spoon Cake
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for cake pan
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus 3 tablespoons, divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 lb fresh strawberries hulled and sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F degrees.
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan, then sprinkle with one tablespoon of sugar. Swirl the pan around to coat, then tap out any excess.
- Use an electric mixer to beat the butter with 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, then continue beating until well combined.
- Add the salt, baking powder, and flour, then mix until just combined. Mix in the sour cream, then use a rubber spatula to fold in the strawberries.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar on top.
- Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely, then cut into wedges and serve. You can also serve warm by spooning it out of the dish and topping with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Don't overmix the batter after adding the dry ingredients or your cake may become tough.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before serving it so it sets.
- Don't skip sprinkling sugar on top of the batter before baking, this will help create that wonderfully crisp and flaky texture on top.
Can I use a pie dish instead of a cake pan?
Sure, don't see any reason why that wouldn't work. Let me know how it is!