This easy Strawberry Cake has a soft and moist crumb and is bursting with fresh strawberry flavor. You’ll absolutely love it with the irresistible fresh strawberry sauce drizzled over the top. Watch the video tutorial and see why this is my favorite summer strawberry recipe.

Easy Strawberry cake with a slice cut out surrounded by fresh strawberries

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Helpful Reader Review

“This cake is fabulous. I have made it several times and will be printing it to have in my recipe file. Only the keepers get printed. The texture is wonderful – not too light and crumbly, but not overly dense. The sweetness is just right.” – Jayel ★★★★★

Strawberry Cake Video

Easy Strawberry Cake

This strawberry cake is winning in every way: simple ingredients, easy to make, perfect for entertaining, and completely yummy. Everything about this cake is good. This is a crowd-pleasing dessert, but (so you can’t say I didn’t warn you) it disappears fast!

This recipe is based on our wildly popular Blueberry Cake, which was an instant hit. Part of what makes this such an easy cake is that there’s no frosting or layering required, but the strawberry flavor really pops, especially when you drizzle every slice with the 2-ingredient strawberry sauce.

Slice of easy strawberry cake drizzled with strawberry sauce

Ingredients for Strawberry Cake

The ingredients here are pantry staples. This cake is loaded with fresh strawberries inside and out. Between the cake and sauce, you will need almost 2 pounds of strawberries.

  • Eggs – at room temperature
  • Sugar – you can adjust sugar to taste if you have very sweet or very tart strawberries
  • Sour cream – adds flavor and richness to the cake. You can substitute plain whole-milk Greek yogurt.
  • Oil – creates a soft and moist crumb. You can use either extra light olive oil or vegetable oil
  • All-purpose flour – forms a soft crumb without being too dense or heavy. You can substitute 1:1 gluten-free flour (it was tested with Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour).
  • Baking powder – leavening that gives rise to the cake
  • Fresh strawberries – you will need 12 oz for the cake and 16 oz for the strawberry sauce. You can use frozen strawberries for the sauce but fresh strawberries are preferred for the cake. My best tip for buying strawberries is to smell them – they should have a sweet strawberry aroma.
Ingredients for cake with fresh strawberries

Natasha’s Tip for Rinsing Strawberies

Rinse strawberries under cool running water just before using them, then pat them dry with a clean towel. Do not wash produce with soap, detergent, or commercial produce wash since it can be absorbed by strawberries.

How to Make Strawberry Cake

  • Prep – Butter a 9-inch springform pan (a springform helps with easier release for serving) and line the bottom with parchment paper. Dice half of the strawberries and cut the rest in half.
  • Mix Wet IngredientsBeat the eggs and sugar on high speed for 5 minutes, or until the mixture looks thick, pale, and fluffy. Mix in the sour cream, oil, and vanilla.
  • Mix Dry Ingredients and Combine– Whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add them to the batter in three additions, mixing just until combined. Don’t overmix.
  • Add batter to the pan – Pour half of the batter into the pan and sprinkle the diced strawberries over the top. Add the remaining batter, then place the strawberry halves over the surface, cut-side down, pressing them in slightly.
  • Bake – Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes before removing the ring.
Fresh strawberry cake served with strawberry sauce

Tips for the Best Strawberry Cake

  • To quickly bring eggs to room temperature – place cold eggs into a bowl of warm water (not hot) for 5-7 minutes, then dry them with paper towels and use them in the recipe.
  • Do not overmix – Once the flour is incorporated, stop mixing so the cake stays soft and tender.
  • Measure flour correctly – Spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup and level the top with a straight edge. Watch my easy video tutorial on how to measure ingredients correctly.
Strawberry cake dusted with powdered sugar

To Serve the Cake

Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, dust the top with powdered sugar and serve individual slices drizzled with the strawberry sauce – it’s so good it will make you want to lick your plate! It’s also really good over Dutch Baby Pancakes, Waffles, Crepes or French Toast.

Can I turn this into a 2-layer cake?

This works best as a single layer because it is a heavier cake. For a layered cake, we recommend our Strawberry Sponge Cake.

Slice of easy strawberry cake - one of our favorite strawberry recipes

If you love strawberries, this strawberry cake is a must-try. I’d pass you a generous slice if I could, covered with plenty of strawberry sauce, of course.

Strawberry Cake

4.94 from 463 votes
Fresh strawberry cake served with powdered sugar and strawberries
This easy Strawberry Cake is soft, moist, and loaded with fresh strawberries. Serve it with a simple 2-ingredient strawberry sauce for a fresh and easy dessert.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Cooling time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 10 slices (9″ cake)

Strawberry Cake Ingredients:

Strawberry Sauce Ingredients:

Instructions

Cake Prep:

  • Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Prepare the strawberries for the cake: dice 6 oz and cut the remaining 6 oz in half.

How to Make Strawberry Cake:

  • Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the eggs and sugar on high speed for 5 minutes, until thick and pale. Add the sour cream, oil, and vanilla, then mix on low speed just until combined.
  • Mix Dry Ingredients and Combine: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
  • Add Batter to the Pan: Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the diced strawberries over the batter, then spread the remaining batter on top. Arrange the halved strawberries over the surface, cut-side down, pressing them lightly into the batter.
  • Bake at 375°F for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center, avoiding a strawberry, comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Mine was done at 50 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes before removing the ring.
  • To Serve: Run a thin spatula around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan, then transfer it to a cake plate. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired, and spoon the strawberry sauce over individual slices.

How to Make Strawberry Sauce:

  • While the cake bakes, add the strawberries and sugar to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Taste and add more sugar, if needed.

Notes

Strawberries: Use fresh, thoroughly dried strawberries in the cake. Thawed frozen strawberries can be used for the sauce.
Oil: Extra-light olive oil or neutral vegetable oil will give the cake the mildest flavor.
Gluten-Free Substitution: You can substitute all-purpose flour with 1:1 gluten-free flour (it was tested with Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour).
Measuring flour: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level the top instead of scooping directly from the container.

Nutrition Per Serving

368kcal Calories51g Carbs4g Protein16g Fat4g Saturated Fat44mg Cholesterol91mg Sodium293mg Potassium2g Fiber29g Sugar195IU Vitamin A46.9mg Vitamin C90mg Calcium1.8mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Strawberry Cake
Amount per Serving
Calories
368
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
16
g
25
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Cholesterol
 
44
mg
15
%
Sodium
 
91
mg
4
%
Potassium
 
293
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
 
51
g
17
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
29
g
32
%
Protein
 
4
g
8
%
Vitamin A
 
195
IU
4
%
Vitamin C
 
46.9
mg
57
%
Calcium
 
90
mg
9
%
Iron
 
1.8
mg
10
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy strawberry cake, strawberry cake
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 368
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Try My Best Strawberry Recipes

If you enjoy sweet summer strawberries as much as we do, then you will love these top-rated strawberry recipes:

4.94 from 463 votes (145 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Jackie peterson
    November 27, 2018

    Love this recipe I can’t eat that much sugar can you modify this for us diabetics

    Reply

    • Natasha
      November 27, 2018

      Hi Jackie, I honestly haven’t tried but you can add sugar to taste and I think it would be worth experimenting with a different kind of sweetener that is diabetic friendly. I wish I had a better answer for you. If anyone else has tried, please let us know! 🙂

      Reply

  • Flower
    November 24, 2018

    Thank you for this simple and easy yet ridiculously delicious cake. It was plate and finger licking good. My whole family loved it and finished it all on the spot. ❤️

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 24, 2018

      That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!

      Reply

  • Galina
    November 23, 2018

    Hi Natasha, I love your blog and use it often. Can I substitute butter for oil here?

    Thank you.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 23, 2018

      Hi Galina, I haven’t tried it with butter. Some of my readers have omitted the oil and replaced it with apple sauce to make it healthier.

      Reply

  • Jared
    November 20, 2018

    Hi Natasha, could you do measurements by weight as well? It’s easier for lazy people like me.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 20, 2018

      We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes as that should help with weight, but it is taking some time as we have to add them one at a time. Thank you so much for being patient! In the meantime, check out our post on measuring which should help

      Reply

  • Christine Constantin
    November 15, 2018

    you posted Nutrition facts per serving. Is the serving size per slice? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 15, 2018

      Hi Christine! Yes that would be per slice!

      Reply

  • Diana
    November 6, 2018

    Wow! This cake is AWESOME! So soft and moist ,and that sauce yuuuum!super easy to make too.Will making this again and again! Thx for sharing

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 6, 2018

      You’re so welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • jeffrey Fortson
    October 26, 2018

    HI, the cake is very good but not sweet enough for my taste so i added another cup of sugar to it and the cake’s sweetness turned out great but the top was very crunchy to the point that when i checked it with a toothpick the top crust cracked a lot and didn’t look as good as yours. Is there a way that i can have the same look and softness on top with the added sugar?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      October 26, 2018

      HI Jeffry, I honestly haven’t tried it with an extra cup of sugar so it is difficult to guess what other substitutions would have to be made without testing it that way. You might try just 1/2 cup sugar extra next time and make the sauce a little sweeter.

      Reply

  • Fernanda de Lacerda Mottin
    October 20, 2018

    I will make this for a colleague’s birthday on Tuesday.

    I am thinking of making the syrup by cooking the strawberry with the sugar, some lemon juice and basil–rather than blending berries and sugar.

    Hopefully it will be ok!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 21, 2018

      I’d; love to hear how you like this!

      Reply

      • Fernanda de Lacerda Mottin
        October 24, 2018

        Made it yesterday and took to work today. Everyone loved it!!
        I particularly loved the batter—so tasty I am surprised there was enough left make the cake. (I had a few spoonfuls throughout!)

        I cooked the strawberries first with basil and pepper but did not like it blended. So, I swirled the strawberry purée with freshly whipped cream (we have amazing dairy products here in New Zealand) and it was soooo good!!!!

        And here, being the beginning of strawberry season, I will be making it many times more.

        Thank you!

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          October 24, 2018

          That’s so great Fernanda!! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!

          Reply

  • Emilie
    October 19, 2018

    Is the oven temp is based on conventional oven and not fan forced? Just trying to get it cooked without the top burning. Easy to make. Still cooking so yet to taste.Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      October 19, 2018

      Hi Emilie, our recipes are written for standard conventional ovens.

      Reply

  • KitchenDust
    October 14, 2018

    This cake was wildly successful and the whole family loved it! Thank you for a fabulous recipe that will definitely get made time and time again 🙂

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 14, 2018

      You’re very welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!

      Reply

  • Josée
    September 28, 2018

    I made it yesterday and it was a success. Easy to make. 😋

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 28, 2018

      That’s so great, Josee! I’m happy you enjoyed that!

      Reply

  • Julie Jules
    September 23, 2018

    I substituted Coconut Yoghurt because I’m dairy-free and used Nutellex instead of olive oil. The cake was delicious, will definitely make again this strawberry season. Thank you for the recipe 🙂

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 23, 2018

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Julie! Thank you for the wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Claudia G L
    September 19, 2018

    Wow!! 5 stars!! loved this cake, easy and not too sweet! Husband loved it too. Will definitely make again!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 19, 2018

      Sounds like you found a new favorite, Claudia! Thank you for the great review!

      Reply

  • Zuly De Caal
    September 18, 2018

    Hi Natasha!!! I love your recipes, I have tried to make some. Sorry for my English, I’m from Guatemala and I speak Spanish …. This cake especially I loved it and I have prepared it many times, so, I wonder, I can use apples instead of strawberries, except for the sauce … Thanks and greetings from Central America

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 18, 2018

      Hi Zuly. Your English is great! Thank you for reaching out! I haven’t tried this with apple but here is what one of our readers wrote: “Made this cake the other day..it was sooo delicious! I added apples to one half (i have a very picky toddler).” I hope this helps

      Reply

      • Zuly de Caal
        October 23, 2018

        Thank you very much Natasha, you are very kind to respond. I wanted to try with Apple before I answered you. I think it was…. super delicious. Thanks for sharing your recipes. Greetings to all your nice family 🤗

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          October 23, 2018

          You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it

          Reply

  • Judy
    September 16, 2018

    This was amazing! I had rants and raves when I served it at a dinner party in fact I am serving it tomorrow.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 16, 2018

      That’s so great, Judy! Thank you for sharing this awesome review with us!

      Reply

  • Monika Sudull
    September 15, 2018

    It is spring in Australia so I thought this was an ideal dessert for a neighbourhood BBQ. I was a bit nervous as I hadn’t tried this recipe before. It was a HUGE hit – and the sauce amazing! Will certainly add it to my repertoire 🍰 🎂 🍓

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 15, 2018

      That’s so great Monika! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!

      Reply

  • John
    September 9, 2018

    I am wondering if butter can be used instead of oil. I used oil and it tasted very oily. Spoiled the cake taste.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 9, 2018

      Hi John. I haven’t tried it with butter. Some of my readers have omitted the oil and replaced it with apple sauce to make it healthier.

      Reply

      • John Redman
        September 10, 2018

        Thank you Natasha, I want to try again because I love the idea. I just couldn’t get past the oily taste. If I try butter I’ll let you know the results. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. I’m addicted!

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          September 11, 2018

          You’re so welcome!

          Reply

  • Barbara
    September 9, 2018

    can I substitute Splenda for the sugar. son is diabetic.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 9, 2018

      Hi Barbara. I honestly haven’t tried this with splenda so I can’t say. If you experiment please let me know if it works for you.

      Reply

      • Kathie Patti
        May 13, 2019

        I have made with Splenda and it turns out wonderful

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          May 13, 2019

          Thank you for sharing that with me Kathie!

          Reply

  • gerald brevard
    September 8, 2018

    The cake looks delicious , where can I buy a case pan like that?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 8, 2018

      Hi Gerald. We used this pan here 🙂

      Reply

  • Michael Conlon
    August 28, 2018

    I have just made the easy strawberry cake. With cream it is heaven on a plate. Make it when Strawberrys are in season. I made it in a rectangular tin cut it up and put it in the freezer. Otherwise it’ll be too tempting.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 28, 2018

      It sure is tempting, Michael! Thank you for the awesome review!

      Reply

    • Stanelle
      August 30, 2018

      Hi, I was wondering to save money could you substitute for box cake or self rising flour?

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        August 30, 2018

        Hi Stanelle, I honestly haven’t tried making this strawberry cake with self rising flour so I can’t advise on that. I wish I could be more helpful.

        Reply

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