Strawberry Cake

Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

I have a bit of a hot take when it comes to strawberry cake: I genuinely dislike most of them. They’re usually neon pink, packed with Jello mix or artificial flavoring, and somehow manage to taste nothing like actual strawberries. And listen, I love a nostalgic dessert moment as much as the next person, but that flavor just isn’t what the good Lord intended strawberries to taste like.

This cake is my answer to that.

It’s a beautiful, fresh strawberry cake that’s entirely naturally flavored and colored. The flavor comes from real strawberries in two forms: homemade strawberry milk and freeze-dried strawberry powder.

The strawberry milk is lightly cooked to concentrate the flavor and gently remove excess water from the berries. That step is key, it keeps the cake tender and soft without turning gummy or dense, which is a common issue with fresh fruit cakes. The freeze-dried strawberry powder adds an extra boost of true strawberry flavor and gives the cake that soft, naturally pink hue.

The result is a cake that actually tastes like strawberries, fresh, bright, and lightly sweet. It’s delicate but flavorful, nostalgic without being artificial, and honestly one of my favorite cakes I’ve ever created.

This recipe has me so excited for spring, for fresh fruit, longer days, and baking that feels light, joyful, and new again. If you’ve ever wanted a strawberry cake that tastes real, this one’s for you.

For the Strawberry Milk

Make first so it can come to room temperature

Ingredients

1 lb fresh strawberries

1 cup (250 ml) whole milk

Instructions

Blend strawberries and milk until completely smooth.

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds.

Transfer to a saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened and reduced. The mixture should lightly coat the back of a spoon.

Cool completely.

Measure 1¼ cups (300g) for the cake.

For the Strawberry Cake

Ingredients

4 cups (460 g) cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp baking soda

¾ tsp fine sea salt

¼ cup (25 g) freeze-dried strawberry powder, sifted

10 Tbsp (140 g) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar

½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil (I use avocado oil)

1 large whole egg, room temperature

4 large egg whites, room temperature

1¼ cups (300 g) cooled strawberry milk

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

¾ cup (180 g) full-fat sour cream, room temperature

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).

Grease three 8-inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and freeze-dried strawberry powder. Whisk well and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, and oil on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes, until very pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl thoroughly.

Lightly whisk the whole egg and add to the batter, mixing until fully incorporated.

Lightly whisk the egg whites and slowly stream them in, mixing until smooth and emulsified. Scrape the bowl again.

In a separate bowl, whisk together strawberry milk, vanilla, and sour cream until smooth.

With the mixer on low speed, add the dry and wet ingredients in alternating additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients in three additions and the strawberry milk mixture in two additions, mixing just until combined after each addition.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold once or twice by hand to ensure everything is fully incorporated without overmixing.

Divide batter evenly between prepared pans (about 570 g per pan).

Tap pans firmly on the counter several times to release excess air bubbles.

Bake for 28–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and cool completely before frosting.

For the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

1½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened

16 oz (454 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened but still cool

6½ cups (780 g) powdered sugar, sifted

¼ cup (25 g) freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground

2 tsp vanilla extract

¾ tsp fine sea salt, to taste

Instructions

Beat butter on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes, until pale, light, and fluffy. Scrape the bowl well.

Add cream cheese and beat just until smooth and fully combined. Do not overmix.

With the mixer on low speed, add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Once incorporated, increase speed to medium and beat until smooth.

Add freeze-dried strawberry powder, vanilla, and salt. Beat briefly until evenly incorporated.

Cake Assembly

Level cake layers if needed.

Place the first layer on a cake plate or stand.

Spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly over the layer.

Repeat with the second layer.

Add the final layer, apply a thin crumb coat, and chill for 30 minutes.

Apply final coat of frosting and decorate as desired.

To Serve

Bring cake to room temperature before serving. Cold cake firms the butter and cream cheese, muting flavor and making the crumb feel denser. At room temperature, the cake softens, the strawberry flavor blooms, and the texture is noticeably more tender. If needed, individual slices can be warmed gently in the microwave for 5–8 seconds.

Storage

Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.