Show
This flavorful and moist strawberry cake is the perfect summer treat. The cake itself gets a punch of flavor from strawberry purée and a little flavored gelatin, while the filling...This flavorful and moist strawberry cake is the perfect summer treat. The cake itself gets a punch of flavor from strawberry purée and a little flavored gelatin, while the filling...
3 cups Strawberries, fresh 2 1/2 cups Granulated sugar 2 1/2 cup Butter, unsalted 2 tbsp Heavy whipping cream 1 (3 oz.) package Strawberry flavored gelatin This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy. This 100% from-scratch Strawberry Cake recipe has no Jell-O or artificial flavors! It’s a moist cake flavored with real strawberries, filled with a fresh strawberry jam, and covered with a whipped cream cheese frosting. Recipe includes a how-to video! A Delightfully Fresh Strawberry CakeI gave this strawberry cake recipe a makeover a few years ago, and I’m so excited to be sharing it with you again today! This cake is packed full of fresh strawberry flavor (none of that artificial stuff or Jell-O), from the cake itself to the jam filling. To finish, we’ll seal it all in with a whipped cream cheese frosting that’s not too sweet. Sounds heavenly, right? I’ll give you a fair warning: this recipe requires quite a lot of steps and will dirty a few dishes. But it’s all worth it to get the BEST natural strawberry flavor (more on that below), a light, spongey texture (I took a few notes from my white cake for this) and a whipped, flavorful frosting (similar to what’s on my Chantilly cake!). How Do You Get Strawberry Flavor Naturally?So, how does my strawberry cake achieve its strawberry flavor without Jell-O or artificial ingredients? With fresh strawberries, of course! If I’m being honest though, it’s not as simple as it sounds. In fact, it took a lot of attempts to get the flavor and texture of this strawberry cake just right. Sure we could just blend our berries and add them to our cake batter, but too much pulp can weigh down the cake, making it too wet and spongey. To remedy this, we’ll take an extra step to strain out the juice from the pulp and use that in the cake instead. And we’ll even go one step further to cook down that juice to really concentrate the strawberry flavor. However, there is still a lot of flavor in the pulp, and I didn’t want to just throw it away, so we’ll save it to make a homemade jam filling! We’ll spread this between our cake layers for an extra burst of strawberry flavor. Side note: if you’re a total strawberry fiend, you could even try frosting this strawberry cake with my strawberry frosting–yum! What You NeedHere are the key ingredients in today’s perfect strawberry cake recipe:
SAM’S TIP: If you’re not a fan of the frosting I’m using here, you can always try my standard cream cheese frosting, buttercream frosting, or Swiss meringue buttercream. Whichever type you use, make sure your cake is cooled completely before decorating, otherwise the frosting will melt. Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post! How to Make Strawberry Cake
SAM’S TIP: This strawberry cake can be baked in 9 inch pans instead, but it will cook faster, so keep an eye on it if you use them. Frequently Asked QuestionsCan I use frozen strawberries? Yes, you can use frozen strawberries here–but remember, almost all of the flavor comes from the berries you use, and there’s no telling how flavorful your frozen berries will be. I highly recommend using in-season, fresh berries. Can I use this recipe for cupcakes or a 9×13 cake? This strawberry cake recipe will work as cupcakes, but just know they won’t have nice domed tops. It will also work as a 9×13 cake. Does strawberry cake need to be refrigerated? Yes! Because the icing has both whipped cream and cream cheese, this strawberry cake needs to be refrigerated. Make sure you keep the cake covered in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. How do I make strawberry cake in advance? The jam and frosting can both be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. The cake could be made a day in advance as well; allow it to cool completely then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and store it at room temperature. Enjoy! More Recipes You Might Like
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook CAKE
FILLING
FROSTING
CAKE
JAM FILLING
WHIPPED CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
ASSEMBLY
¹May substitute 2 ⅔ cups (330g) all-purpose flour ²Here are some recipes to use up your egg yolks!
For the red swirls in the decorative frosting on top of the cake, I just use a (food-safe) paintbrush to paint stripes of icing into the inside of my piping bag and then fill it with icing. You can see how I do this in my Pinata Cupcake recipe post. Serving: 1slice | Calories: 657kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 352mg | Potassium: 307mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 982IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 1mg Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Why is my strawberry cream cheese frosting runny?Avoid over beating, as over beating can cause cream cheese frosting to become thin and runny, as well. Strawberry cream cheese frosting can be made ahead and refrigerated until needed. Set out at room temperature for about an hour to allow the frosting to soften before piping or spreading.
Can you put fresh strawberries on top of cake?Arrange whole strawberries around the top edge of the cake.
Place the strawberries as close together or as far apart as you'd like. If you're piping the stars, make them wider than the strawberries. Alternatively, slice the strawberries in half, then place them cut-side-down onto the frosting.
How do you keep strawberry cakes from getting soggy?The solution against cake getting soggy from fruit is to simply seal the cake layers against moisture. The traditional way is to glaze with apricot jam - you brush a very thin layer of melted apricot jam on the cake layer, and put the fruit on it after it has cooled.
Does strawberry buttercream frosting need to be refrigerated?Do You Have to Refrigerate Strawberry Buttercream? You can leave this particular frosting recipe at room temperature for three days. It does not need refrigeration.
|