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
Can the syrup be made without a blender or food processor? Other than that it looks amazing! I’m making it for my mom’s birthday!
Hi Alex, you could use an immersion blender or mash it really well with a potato masher.
Looks really good. Hope i can makeit sometime.
I hope this becomes your new favorite, Janice!
Should there actually be leftovers from this delicious cake, will it store well at room temperature or should it be refrigerated?
It should be refrigerated if not eaten on 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.
This was absolutely the very best strawberry cake!!! And you were correct…no need to worry about storing leftovers.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I’m going to make this tomorrow. Plus I’m thinking about doing it also with plums.
That sounds like a good plan, Cindy. Please share with us how it goes!
Hello. Great recipe, I have made it numerous times and now I wonder if it would be possible to exchange the sour cream for cream cheese in order to have a more velvet texture ?? Thank you for your answer
Hi Thomas, I haven’t tested that yet to advise. You can substitute sour cream with plain Greek yogurt. Whole milk Greek yogurt will yield the best results.
Thank you for your answer. I am already using Greek yoghurt as I am Greek, I will try the cream cheese thought and advise on the results. Have a great weekend
Hello, Natasha! Your recipes are fantastic. Is it possible to make this recipe without sour cream? Also, how long would it take to steam this cake using a steamer? because I don’t have an oven, so this isn’t an option.
Hi, I haven’t tested in a steamer so I can’t advise on that. You can use a full-fat plain Greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream.
Hi Natasha,
What the different with this sauce and strawberry sauce recipe ya? Which 1 can stay longer in the fridge ? thanks
Hi Aishah, the strawberry sauce in this recipe doesn’t have lemon vs. this Strawberry Sauce Recipe with lemon.
Made today for the first time this cake. Yummy 😋😋😋
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Helloo can i substitue sour cream? By what?
Hi Safo, you can substitute the sour cream by using Plain Greek Yogurt.
The strawberry sauce is so delicious. Do you think I a could make it and put it in the freezer?
Thank you for that wonderful review! 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.
omgosh!!! Super simple construction, and the results were as pleasing to the eye as they were to the palate! I’ll be making this many more times! Love your page!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Can I make this keto using almond and/or coconut flour?
Hi Lori, I haven’t tested those substitutions to know if they would work well. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
One of the most delicious cakes I have ever had!! That puree puts it over the top!! So easy and pretty! My family loved it and we will definitely be making it often this summer!!
So wonderful to hear that! Thank you for your great comments and feedback. I’m glad you enjoyed this cake recipe.
Can I use Canola Oil instead of Vegetable oil?
Hi Gail, yes, that substitutions will work!
what is the substitute for the eggs in this?
Hi Carolyn, I haven’t tried using anything else other than eggs in this recipe.
I tried a few of your recipes, and they are just marvelous. I made this strawberry cake before, but this time, I want to use 2 small container, do you think it will work?
Hi Serena, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
We love this cake I used cake flour and it came out great awesome cake thanks for the recipe I’m visually impaired and have fun cooking
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Kasie!
Can you make it with frozen strawberries?
Hi Nora, 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, however, think it would be easy to substitute frozen for the sauce.
I never write reviews but this cake was just too good. So moist and delicious and the amount of sugar was so perfect and not too sweet. I didn’t even try the sauce yet! And I ate 3 slices. This is a dangerously good cake.
I didn’t have sour cream so used yoghurt instead. Worked out great. Had to bake for a bit longer, covered the top with foil so the top doesn’t brown too much.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Maha!
Hi Natasha, can I make it on Sunday for Mondays dinner, will it still be fresh tasting
Thank you
Hi Jennifer, 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.
Hi! This was so easy to make! Hiowever, the middle/ center was not baking right. I tried your lemon blueberry cake as well and the same thing happened. What do you think is wrong?
Thank you!!!!
Hi Janis, ovens vary in temperature, especially at different altitudes, and if a different sized pan was used. Was anything altered or changed with this recipe?