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.
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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.
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.
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 Ingredients – Beat 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.
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.
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.
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
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup extra light olive oil, or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour , or 1:1 Gluten Free flour*
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 12 oz strawberries, hulled and divided (6 oz diced and 6 oz halved)
- 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-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
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
Filed Under
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:
- Strawberries Romanoff
- Strawberry Sauce
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Strawberry Lemonade
- Panna Cotta
- Strawberry Scones
- Eton Mess
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes
Have tried and tested a number of your recipes and didn’t disappoint me! Kitchen is my “home” – cooking and baking all day won’t bore me at all!
Thanks for sharing your delish recipes!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing that with me, Mae!
Natasha, I made this cake tonight,and my husband and I just had a piece. I am on for dessert for a party/cookout for 10 for tomorrow. I always like “to practice” something, and this cake passed my husband’s taste test. Delicious! It is a big GO for the small gathering cook out tomorrow. I will make another tomorrow morning! I wanted something strawberry and different than the typical strawberry shortcake. This was it! Thank you for such an easy and great summer recipe!
Hello Karen, that’s a good idea to always test it out before the actual event and I’m glad it turned out pretty great! I hope it becomes a hit tomorrow.
Natasha,
Everyone loved it! 8 of us finished the entire cake, as there were 2 no shows. Our daughter’s family came the next day and polished off our “trial” cake. I do believe we have a new summer favorite during strawberry season. Thanks again for sharing such a great easy delicious recipe!
Hello Karen, that’s so nice to know. I’m happy to hear that the recipe was a huge hit!
Hi Natasha
Can I substitute this recipe with fresh peaches? thank you
Hi Noria, I think it could work. Some of our readers have mentioned wanting to try this with peaches but I haven’t tested that myself. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I had made this strawberry cake several times now, each time it’s a success thank you Natasha
So happy to hear that, Mandy! Thank you for sharing.
Made this for dessert this evening for dinner with friends. Everyone raved about it! So delicious and light.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Penny!
Looks amazing, can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh.
Hi Sheela, I haven’t tested the cake with frozen strawberries so I’m not sure how it would bake up, but it would be easy to substitute them in the strawberry sauce topping.
This look divine! Can I make it the evening before I want to serve it? If so, how should I store it?
Hi Danielle! It is best on day one and should be refrigerated if not eaten the same day. I have enjoyed this for up to 3 days in the fridge.
Thank you! I appreciate you taking time to reply. Looking forward to making this! All of your recipes I’ve made (A LOT) have been keepers!
That’s so great, Danielle!
I baked the cake for 40 minutes and was over done. I will try again, cake was good, but probably at 350 instead of 375.
Hi Natasha,
I have been making this cake for over 1 year now, and we all love it every time! I love how the strawberries ooze a little to make the surrounding cake moist and delicious with their juiciness. I can dress it up with powdered sugar, and the strawberry syrup, like you suggest, or keep it simple without anything extra on top, and it is still delicious.
I made this cake yesterday. Afterwards, I was talking with my kids about my mother’s cooking – we all think she is an amazing cook – and my 8-year old daughter said in a very matter-of-factly way, “mom, you’re a really good cook, too.” I never imagined anyone would ever say this about me, because with work, I feel I don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to cooking, but to have my child say this really touched my heart. And it is because of your recipes! Your website is my go-to because I know whatever recipe I try, it will turn out delicious every time. Thank you for making me look like a good cook to my kids 🙂
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Monica! I’m all smiles reading this wonderful comment!
My husband absolutely loved this cake!!! So did I. It’s so easy and not too sweet!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Diane!
The cake looked great and when I checked it with a toothpick after 50 minutes it came out clean…. However, when I cut through the cake after it cooled down the middle was not baked all the way through :(.
Hi Sana! Did you use a different size pan by chance or make any substitutions? If not, it sounds like it could be the oven not baking evenly. Make sure the oven is fully preheated and I would recommend an internal oven thermometer to see if your oven temperature is right. You may need to adjust the temperature or baking time. I hope this helps.
I haven’t made this yet but am slightly confused by steps 4 & 5. In step 4, the ring is removed but in step 5, it says to run a spatula around the rim but, if the ring is removed, what ring are you running a spatula around?
HI Penny, thank you for asking. I didn’t realize I had duplicated the same instruction in 2 steps. I updated the instructions for it to be more clear. I hope you love the strawberry cake!
Once I watched the video, it became clear as I bought a springform pan specifically for this recipe. I had friends for lunch and we all really enjoyed it and they thought the strawberry sauce was “fancy”! Although I was a little thrown by the consistency, (I should have noticed by the pictures that it isn’t a light cake), it really is delightful.
I made this and although I tasted great and everyone loved it I am wondering what I may have done wrong because he top didn’t cook properly. It was gummy except for where there were gaps between the strawberres. I pushed them into the batter as directed. I had to leave it in the oven for well over and hour. Just wondering if you could give me some feedback because I’d make it again except for that!!
Hi Wendy, were your strawberries possibly overly large? Also, make sure your oven is fully preheated. Using an in-oven thermometer helps to check that.
Perhaps it was large strawberries. I’ll check my oven temperature if I try it again. Thanks for the reply.
This was so popular at a get together a few weeks ago, I was asked to make it again for 16 people. I doubled the batch and put it in a 9×13, baked on 350 for 2hrs 15 mins, covering it with foil for the last half hour. It turned out great!!!
Great to hear that it was a hit! Thanks a lot for the review and good feedback.
Recommendations on how this can be made or prepped ahead for the next day?
Hi Jessica, 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.
Love all your recipes…
I’ve made many.. What I need to know is if you can substitute
the sugar with Splenda in this strawberry cake recipe.. We have diabetics in the family and have to bake accordingly.. Thank you..
Hi Betty, good to hear that you and your family have been enjoying my recipes. I haven’t tested this recipe with splenda though to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Must eggs be on counter or can we use from refrigerator. Getting ready to make it. Did not see on counter for eggs.
Hi Vergie, they need to be at room temperature or the cake will not rise properly.
Good evening thankyou for swift response
Could i use low fat sugar for this recipes
Hi Laximi, I am not sure I understand the question, do you mean low-fat sour cream or less sugar? I have not tested low-fat sour cream but it may work. One of my other readers used low-fat Greek yogurt and it was a success. Regarding the sugar, the recipe relies on this for the eggs to fluff up nicely and become thick. You’d have to experiment to see what the results are if you want to use less. I hope this helps.
Hi could please put cups measurements in grams please as i would love to make this cake
Hi Laximi, If you scroll down to our printable recipe card, most of our recipes have a metric conversion option on the printable recipe card. We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes, but it is taking some time 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.
If you’re making it for the next day will the sauce still be good or should I make the sauce just before serving ?
Hi Debbie, I usually add the topping before serving so the top doesn’t become discolored and it lasts longer that way.