This is the easiest Strawberry Cake with a soft and moist crumb, bursting with fresh strawberry flavor and you will love the strawberry sauce. Watch the video tutorial and see why this is one of our all-time favorite strawberry recipes.

Fresh strawberries add incredible flavor to desserts like our popular No-Bake Cheesecake, Strawberry Pretzel Salad, or Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes. I hope this Easy Strawberry Cake becomes a new favorite for you.

Easy strawberry cake dusted with powdered sugar with strawberry sauce in a pitcher on the side and surrounded by fresh strawberries

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Strawberry Cake Recipe

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 and continues to be one of the top cakes on our site. Just like with blueberries, fresh strawberries are wonderful on their own but when you bake them into a cake, their flavor is amplified and every bite is loaded with satisfying strawberry flavor.

Fresh Strawberry Cake Video

Part of what makes this such an easy cake is that there’s no frosting or layering required, but the flavor is definitely there, especially when you drizzle every slice with the super simple 2-ingredient strawberry sauce. It will make you want to lick your plate – it’s just THAT good and super versatile. Try it over Dutch Baby Pancakes, Waffles, and Crepes. It’s also delicious over French Toast.

Slice of easy strawberry cake drizzled with strawberry sauce

Ingredients

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.

The easy strawberry sauce has only 2 ingredients (strawberries and sugar) and comes together quickly in a food processor or blender. Here’s what you will need to make this simple strawberry cake:

  • Eggs – make sure they are at room temperature
  • Granulated sugar – sugar is used for both the cake and the strawberry sauce and you can add sugar to taste if you have very sweet or very tart strawberries
  • Sour cream – adds flavor and richness to the cake
  • Oil – creates a soft and moist crumb. You can use either extra light olive oil or vegetable oil
  • Vanilla extract – we love using Homemade Vanilla Extract for the best quality and flavor
  • All-purpose flour – forms a soft crumb without being too dense or heavy
  • Baking powder – leavening that gives rise to the cake
  • Salt – balances the flavor. We almost always use fine sea salt in our cooking
  • 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.
Ingredients for cake with fresh strawberries

How to Buy Strawberries

Here are some tips when shopping for strawberries. The last one is my favorite. I always smell the strawberries!

  • Color – look for strawberries that are a bright and vibrant red. If they are dull or have a lot of white or green patches, they are either underripe or no longer fresh.
  • Stems – check the stems which should look fresh and green (not brown or dry)
  • Firmness – fresh strawberries should be firm to the touch. If the package is clear, inspect the bottom of the container. Strawberries should not look soft, mushy, or squished/ leaking.
  • Aroma – I always sniff the package of strawberries – it’s the best way to tell if the strawberries will actually be tasty. Good strawberries will smell sweet and fragrant.

Tools for Baking

This recipe comes together fast with simple ingredients and basic cooking tools. For best results, be sure to use an electric mixer to whip the eggs and sugar.

Fresh strawberry cake served with strawberry sauce

Pro Tip: Rinse your strawberries just before using them. Wash under running water and avoid soap or commercial produce wash (these can be absorbed by strawberries and are not recommended according to the FDA). Once rinsed, set on cloth or paper towels and pat dry.

Tips for the Best Strawberry Cake

  • To 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 over-mix – This is KEY! Once the flour is incorporated, stop mixing or the cake can become dense.
  • Measure flour correctly – spoon flour into a dry ingredient measuring cup and scrape off the top with a straight edge. Why? Pushing your measuring cup into the flour bin can result in up to 25% more compacted flour. Watch our easy video tutorial on how to measure ingredients correctly.
Strawberry cake dusted with powdered sugar

Common Questions

Can I Substitute Sour Cream?

Yes! You can substitute sour cream with plain Greek yogurt. Whole milk Greek yogurt will yield the best results.

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.

How to Make it Gluten Free?

A reader shared this: “I used Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Multipurpose Flour. It is expensive but the best I’ve tried so far. Anyway, the cake came out great. We loved it and I’m planning to make it again for Easter. Just wanted to let any possible gluten-intolerant folks know.”

Can I make this Dairy Free?

A reader shared the following: “I completely replaced the sour cream, with whole-fat coconut milk from a can. I mixed it completely before measuring, and to compensate for the added wetness I reduced the oil to about 1/3 cup. It was still a little runny, but the bake was perfect.”

Can I use a different-sized pan?

We have only tested this in a 9″ springform pan. If baking in a smaller pan, bake a little longer or until a toothpick comes out clean. If you experiment with various sizes, please let me know in the comments.

Love Strawberry Recipes?

Strawberries always taste best in summer when they are in season so we like to take full advantage of their flavor and abundance. I also love that they go on sale often in the summer so we can use them for everything from Strawberry Lemonade to Chocolate Covered Strawberries. If you enjoy sweet fresh strawberries as much as we do then you will love these top-rated strawberry recipes:

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, pummeled with the strawberry sauce of course.

More Easy Cake Recipes

If you love easy cakes like this strawberry cake don’t miss these easy, one-pan cakes that are always crowd-pleasers:

Easy Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Sauce

4.94 from 452 votes
strawberry cake with slice cut out
Easy Strawberry Cake recipe loaded with strawberries. So soft, lightly sweet, moist and bursting with strawberry flavor. Don’t skip that easy and amazing strawberry syrup!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients 

Servings: 10 slices (9″ cake)

Strawberry Cake Ingredients:

Strawberry Sauce Ingredients:

Instructions

Cake Prep:

  • Butter a 9" springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Prepare 12 oz of strawberries for the cake: dice 6 oz of strawberries and slice the second 6 oz into halves.

How to Make Strawberry Cake:

  • In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer (or stand mixer), beat together 2 eggs with 1 cup sugar on high speed for 5 minutes or until light in color and thick.
  • Add 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup oil, 1 tsp vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together: 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt until well incorporated. With the mixer on med/low speed, add flour mixture to the batter 1/3 at a time, letting the flour incorporate with each addition and continue mixing just until well combined. Do not over-mix. 
  • Pour half of the batter into prepared pan. Top with 6 oz of diced strawberries then spread remaining batter over the top. Cover the surface with 6 oz of halved strawberries (cut-side-down), pressing them down just slightly into the batter. Bake at 375˚F for 45-55 minutes (mine was perfect at 50 min), or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Let cake rest in pan 15-20 min before removing the ring.
  • Run a thin spatula around cake edges to loosen from pan. then transfer to a cake platter. Cool until just warm or at room temperature. To serve, dust with powdered sugar if desired. Drizzle individual slices generously with strawberry syrup.

How to Make Strawberry Sauce:

  • While the cake is baking, make the strawberry sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine 16 oz strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar (or add sugar to taste) and blend until pureed.

Notes

*To measure flour correctly: spoon flour into dry ingredients measuring cup and scrape off the top with a straight edge.

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
Easy Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Sauce
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
4.94 from 452 votes (145 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Annie
    July 17, 2019

    this is my to go to cake, it’s so quick and easy and very tasty. I use all sorts of soft fruits, and choose self raising flour to make things even more simple.
    It works wonderfully with 1/2 teaspoon of rose water and some lemon zest, or with some poppy seed and blueberries.

    Reply

    • Annie
      July 17, 2019

      ps I use greek yoghurt instead of cream.

      Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 17, 2019

      That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Annie!

      Reply

  • Jan Pace
    July 13, 2019

    Is there anyway to get away from using the food processor or blender on the sauce?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 13, 2019

      Hi Jan, you could use an immersion blender or mash it really well with a potato masher.

      Reply

  • Kelley Cozzolino
    July 6, 2019

    This is the MOST wonderful Strawberry cake! I’ve made it several times before and it’s delicious every single time. I’m making it now for a friend to serve at her party tomorrow! Wondering if I should refrigerate it until tomorrow morning after it’s cooled, or leave it out and covered tonight? I put the puree in the frig.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 6, 2019

      Hi Kelley, I’m so happy you enjoyed that! It is best on day one and should be refrigerated if not eaten the same day. I have enjoyed this up to 3 days in the fridge after making it but it has never lasted longer than that.

      Reply

      • Kelley Cozzolino
        July 6, 2019

        Thank you! I’ll refrigerate it tonight but in the future eat it the same day! Looking forward to trying some of your other recipes!

        Reply

  • Alexandra
    July 3, 2019

    Hi Natasha,
    This is a wonderful cake recipe! I was just wondering if you have tried freezing it. Does it freeze well? The reason I am asking is because I have tons of fresh strawberries and this is a perfect cake to use them for!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 3, 2019

      Hi Alexandra, I haven’t tried freezing it but here is what one of our readers said “Just for anyone asking about freezing. I tried it and it wasn’t as good, the strawberries don’t freeze terribly well. It was still good though.” hope this helps.

      Reply

  • Tanya
    July 1, 2019

    Hi Natasha, can this cake be made with frozen strawberries?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 1, 2019

      Hi Tanya, I haven’t tested it with frozen strawberries so I’m not 100% sure. If I were to try, I would thaw in the refrigerated and drain well before adding them, maybe toss them with 1 Tbsp of corn starch to keep them from being too juicy. I do think it would be easy to substitute frozen for the sauce.

      Reply

  • Karla
    June 23, 2019

    I made this strawberry cake but I used blueberries instead. Wow!! It was delicious. Very light and not too sweet. I will be making it again for my dad’s birthday along with strawberry and the royal walnut cake. Natasha, I love your recipes and your videos. Thank you

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 24, 2019

      I’m so happy you enjoyed that with blueberries! Thank you for sharing that awesome review with me!

      Reply

  • Ginger Jarnagin
    June 22, 2019

    I made this cake for my son while visiting him. Oh my goodness, it was so good. We both loved it.
    Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 22, 2019

      I’m so glad you enjoyed that Ginger! Thank you for sharing that with me!

      Reply

  • Aqilah
    June 21, 2019

    Hi Natasha, thank you so much for this recipe! I used cherries and turned out so good and i think i can use the base for a lot of other toppings! My oven temperature is 180 degrees and i always use that because every oven is different 🙂
    I made a few adjustments though, i used creme fraiche instead of sour cream and butter instead of oil. And also reduce the sugar a little bit. I’m so eager to try out your other recipes! Hugs & kisses from Austria 😉

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 21, 2019

      I’m so happy to hear your enjoyed that!! Thank you for sharing that with me!

      Reply

  • Scarlet
    June 20, 2019

    Hi Natasha, Thank you for this recipe. My family have just moved to another country, an exciting but stressful time. I have only just begun to get into cooking as I have a bit more time on my hands. We have a glut of strawberries so was looking for a recipe to use a whole load. I made the strawberry cake last week and it was delicious, didn’t last long in my house! I’m making it again today. I used strawberry yoghurt last time and it worked great. My cakes are always a bit soggy in the middle though and burn on the outside but I think it’s just the oven in my new house. I’m going to turn the oven lower today and see if that helps.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 21, 2019

      This one always goes fast at our home also! Ovens do vary, I recommend checking the temperature with an in oven thermometer. Thank you for sharing this with us!

      Reply

  • NIGELHOWELLS
    June 19, 2019

    Hi Natalia i’v just tried your recipe and I have not cut into it yet as it is still cooling. It has risen very well may be a bit to well as the strawberry’s on the top have all sunk into the cake so please HELP.
    thanks NIGEL.
    Can you also tell me if you can substitute the sour cream for cream because I don’t normally buy sour cream.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 20, 2019

      Hi there Nigel, I haven’t tested this but here is what one of our readers said “I also replaced the sour cream with yogurt and the oil for apple sauce to make it healthier. My family loved it!” I haven’t experimented using any other kind of sweetener so I can’t really advise on that.”

      Reply

      • Nigel Howells
        June 21, 2019

        Hi Natasha I have now cut into the cake and all of the strawberries had sunk to the bottom which made the bottom very soggy so can you tell me why the fruit sunk or at least how to prevent this happening to ot again as I do want to try it again

        Reply

        • Natasha
          June 22, 2019

          Hi Nigel, I haven’t had that happen but I am happy to help troubleshoot. Was anything changed in the recipe? Any substitutions or modifications? Also, it may help to review this article on how to measure since we use these techniques. Also, overly large/heavy strawberries might sink down and lastly, be sure to put it in the oven right away and bake in a preheated oven. I hope that helps!

          Reply

  • Natalie
    June 16, 2019

    Followed your step by step instructions and it came out PERFECT! Everyone came back
    for seconds and it was gone within minutes! I might have to make two next time. Loved it! Thank you!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 17, 2019

      That’s just awesome, Natalie! Sounds like a new favorite for all parties to come! Thank you for that great review!

      Reply

  • Yolanda Mates
    June 16, 2019

    I made this, as I randomly came across your recipe via FB and instantly went to the blog! I loved this I followed your recipe to a T, (on the strawberry drizzle I added just a dab of lime zest) but it was gorgeous, tasted amazing my friends husband and I loved it thank you!! Will be making more of your recipes

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 17, 2019

      I’m so happy you found this recipe and our blog! Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • kate
    June 15, 2019

    I am making this a day ahead should I refrigerate?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 15, 2019

      Hi Kate, Yes, you can make this strawberry topping 1 to 3 days in advance, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

      Reply

  • Madeleine Hanley
    June 12, 2019

    Hi Natasha, loved your recipes! I’m hoping to make your strawberry cake for a 78th birthday. My question is that the gentleman loves rhubarb and would it be possible to make a strawberry and rhubarb cake? Any suggestions on adding this to the strawberries?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 12, 2019

      Hi Madeleine, to be honest, I don’t have much experience with rhubarb – it was just one of those things we never ate growing up so I haven’t tested that. If you experiment, let me know how it goes.

      Reply

    • Annie
      July 17, 2019

      hi Madeleine, what a good idea, I am sure that could work, I have used it with a veriety of fruits (nectarine, black berries etc), and always comes out perfectly. Some orange zest would probably go well with rhubarb too. Good luck!

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        July 17, 2019

        Thank you for sharing that Annie!

        Reply

    • Colette
      August 1, 2019

      Thank you for the recipe. I came across the recipe on FB posted by a friend. I followed the directions. I had to make a double batch of the cake to get the strawberries properly covered. The extra batter went into a six inch pan. It was all delicious!

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        August 1, 2019

        Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!

        Reply

  • Sophie & mommy
    June 8, 2019

    Thanks for this great video!My 9 yo daughter tried this easy recipe today, to get ready for school baking sale, because the video is very clear(love it) and the cake looks wonderful!

    turned out our cake was very dense like a mochi cake :P…taste good but doesn’t look right. we went thru the comments, maybe we over mixed the batter? (it was pretty stiff to spoon off from the bowl to pan),
    also we used a ceramic baking dish instead and took us 1 hour 15mins. Would you please suggest when should we stop mixing the batter? we will need to make for a 30-servings on wednesday and would really love to use your recipe, because it looks so yummy!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      June 10, 2019

      Hi Sophie, I”m sorry to hear that – that’s no fun. I am always happy to help troubleshoot. I am assuming that there were not any substitutions made. If the batter seemed unusually thick compared to what you are seeing in the video, be sure you are measuring the wet and dry ingredients correctly (spoon the flour into the measuring cup and scrape off the top), otherwise you can get up to 25% more flour. Also, stop mixing the batter once all of the flour is incorporated and you no longer see streaks of flour. Over-mixing can make the cake more dense. Lastly, make sure your leavening (baking powder) is still active and not expired. I wonder also if it could have been due to the longer than usual baking time which can dry out the cake and make it seem more dense.

      Reply

  • Reyan
    June 1, 2019

    Natasha, I made this cake yesterday. It was perfect. Thank you so much.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      June 1, 2019

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

      Reply

    • Jenn
      June 8, 2019

      Hi,

      Can I check if I could substitute the oil using butter? 🙂

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        June 8, 2019

        Hi Jenn, 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

  • Carmen castillo
    May 29, 2019

    Made this amazing strawberry cake for my husband’s birthday, it was the bomb my son said hands down the best cake ever !

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 29, 2019

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

      Reply

  • Barbara Bucaro
    May 29, 2019

    Loved this cake. It was so moist and delicious and the strawberry sauce was a hit. I will make this again and again. I was wondering if this cake could be made with other fruit for example apples or blueberries.

    Reply

  • Melinda
    May 28, 2019

    I made the cake for my daughter . She said it was dry.
    I followed the recipe to the letter. Won’t be making it again.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 28, 2019

      Hi Melinda, this is one of our most popular cakes and normally comes out moist and soft. A dry cake is usually due to over-baking. Also make sure to bake on the regular bake mode and not convection mode which bakes faster.

      Reply

      • melinda jean nabulsi
        May 28, 2019

        I have a gas oven nothing fancy. Your recipe says 45-55 minutes ..it wasn’t done (toothpick inserted in the middle) at 55 minutes. It actually took 65 minutes before the tooth pick was clean. I don’t know where it went wrong..

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          May 29, 2019

          Hi Melinda! Ovens do vary in temperature especially at different altitudes and if a different sized pan was used. Was anything altered or changed with this recipe?

          Reply

  • Katrina
    May 20, 2019

    Hello, made this recipe today 5/20/19 I think I over mixed the sugar and egg, once everything else was combined it was not easy to transfer to pan. I think next time I’ll mix for 3min only. 🤷🏽‍♀️ Cake took 1hr at 375. Will definitely make again the boys loved it! Thank you

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      May 20, 2019

      Thank you for sharing that with me, Katrina. Over mixing may have been the culprit but I hope you loved this recipe!

      Reply

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