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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
Common Questions
Yes! You can substitute sour cream with plain Greek yogurt. Whole milk Greek yogurt will yield the best results.
This works best as a single layer because it is a heavier cake. For a layered cake, we recommend our Strawberry Sponge Cake.
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.”
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.”
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:
- Strawberries Romanoff
- Strawberry Sauce
- Panna Cotta
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Strawberry Scones
- Eaton Mess
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
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup light olive oil, or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour , (*measured correctly)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 12 oz strawberries, hulled
- 1 tsp powdered sugar , for dusting, optional
Strawberry Sauce Ingredients:
- 16 oz strawberries, hulled and halved
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
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
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
I made this cake yesterday, was so disappointed. I will not make again, It came out of the oven looking perfect. The taste of the cake is not good.
Hi Debra, this is a well-loved cake on our site. Consider if you used any substitutions in the recipe which could change the flavor. Also, this isn’t an overly sweet cake so if you prefer sweeter, dusting the powdered sugar and serving with strawberry sauce adds just the right amount of sweetness.
I feel i cant even try .no butter no cake for me!
I cannot imagine baking a cake with oil, oh my
i melted butter and substituted it worked fine
I’ve made many cakes with oil instead of butter and they turn out just fine! My favourite chocolate cake recipe, is the moistest cake I’ve ever had!
Hi, Natasha!
When should the sauce be used? I plan to make the cake the night before I serve it to my family. Should I pour on the sauce once I take it out of the oven while it is still warm, once it’s cooled, or right before serving?
Hi Victoria, we add it once it is cooled but you can also add it before serving based on your personal preference.
Made your strawberry cake in spring pan for Memorial Day and it was luscious. So appropriate for the celebration.
Now I can’t wait to make the lemon blueberry one.
Thanks for sharing and I hope you love every recipe that you try!
Made your strawberry cake in spring pan for Memorial Day and it was luscious. So appropriate for the celebration.
Now I can’t wait to make the lemon blueberry one.
I made this cake for Memorial Day. I changed it somewhat. I added some blueberries to the first layer along with the chopped strawberries. I also added a 1/2 tsp of lemon zest and I sprinkled 2 tablespoons of sugar on the top of the cake before baking. This is much like my favorite cake, the olive oil cake from Cook’s Illustrated so I felt ok about making some slight changes. It was delicious and so pretty. Thank you, Natasha!
That sounds so delicious and lovely. I hope you all enjoyed it!
I made this cake yesterday. Everyone loved it. Even though I accidentally left out the oil. Everyone e said that they wouldn’t change a thing. So now it’s also a low fat cake!
That’s just awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe Barb!
I made this cake twice. Both times it came out perfectly. When guests ask for another piece you know it’s delicious. I didn’t make the sauce the second time and I think it really doesn’t need it. Now I am going to make your peach cake recipe. Thank you so much for your recipes.
So great to hear that it came out wonderful! Thanks for your excellent feedback, Mattie. I hope you love every recipe that you try.
I “KonMari”-ed myself out of a springform pan, so used my Teflon angel food cake pan, lined with parchment be paper, cake came out well. If I was serving it at a party, I might fill the hole in the center of the cake with fresh strawberries. Very tasty, making it next for a co-worker’s birthday. Thank you, Natasha! I looked at many recipes and watched many videos, your cake seemed healthier and simpler than the others. So glad the video and recipe was specific about beating the eggs and sugar, very important!
That’s a great idea! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Love your recipes! Easy and simple! Going to try this one tomorrow… Can I use cream n mascarpone cheese instead of sour cream? I have some left over from your no bake cheese cake that I made a few days earlier so wanted to utilize that
Thank you, Pearl. I haven’t tried mascarpone yet but you can substitute sour cream with plain Greek yogurt. Whole milk Greek yogurt will yield the best results.
For a dairy-free version, one of my readers shared the following helpful review: “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.” I hope that helps.
Thanks! Made it today with the yoghurt instead of cream and it was great. Did not need make the sauce as the cake was moist enough by itself!!! 🍰👌
That is awesome Pearl. Thank you for sharing and for giving this recipe a good feedback!
Have a surplus of strawberries and like the idea of the cake but there are only two of us in the household. Does the cake freeze if portioned.
Thank you.
Hi James, I haven’t tried freezing so I’m not sure if it would hold up well or discolor.
The absolute BEST thing about your recipes is that you include the quantities withing the instructions. And the thing that is even better is that your recipies are so simple … cannot thank you enough.
So me who has NEVER baked a cake and only loves chocolate cake tried this out and the love I got from my family was unbelievable.
THANKYOU!!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m so inspired reading your review. I’m all smiles
Forgot to mentio, I only used powdered sugar – did not have enoughvstrawberries for the sauce. No one thought any thing was missing.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing that!
Delicious and easy! I take my baked goods to work and always risk new recipes w/o a try-out. This is now a fav! As hospital workers, we need the love – this provides it! Thanks!
I’m so happy to know that you enjoyed this recipe, Nancy. Thank you so much for everything that you are doing to help with what is happening. Take care always and stay safe!
This cake is divine although my strawberries weren’t quite ripe. I used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and it was really moist and delicious even after two days!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Lol..my batter looks like a science experiment. The batter is bubbly….I can hear it fizz.
Could you have possibly used baking soda instead of baking powder? Baking soda would cause that reaction and it is 4x stronger than baking powder.
HI, followed the recipe, delicious case but the top strawberries did not remain on the surface and merged with the cake. What did I do wrong?
Hi Anya, I usually add the topping before serving so the top doesn’t become discolored and it lasts longer that way.
I am making a similar cake just with less flower, one egg more and Greek yoguhrt instead of sour cream. Playing with different fruits each time. I am baking your cake for the first time as I write a comment.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I hope you love this recipe!
Hii can I bake this cake with mangoes nd put mangoes on the top like you have to strawberry will it work that ways
Hi Juhi, I haven’t tried mangoes yet to advise. If you want to do an experiment, please share with us how you liked it.
Just made this cake and it was awesome!! Big hit in my house. Thank you
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Just want to say this the family’s go to cake. Everyone loves it. Next favorite is the is the blueberry lemon bake. Thanks!
Love your two favorite cakes too! Thanks for sharing that with us.
This is amazing! I have a 10″ springform pan so I made it 50% larger recipe. Today I doubled it,except the strawberries. It is a winner!
Yay so great to hear that, Amy!
I made this with not the ripest strawberries, and it is still delicious! I like that the recipe uses basics and isn’t complicated. My German husband and I both think it tastes a lot like German Kuchen!
So glad to hear that you and your husband loved this recipe, Patti. Thanks for giving this a wonderful feedback!
Hi Natasha, just wondering if I can use Pamela’s baking flour mix and/or almond flour instead of regular flour.
Hi Adelina, I haven’t tested that specific flour to advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe