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
Is all purpose flour self raising or plain flour. Also how many grams is a cup of flour please?
Hi Pat, all-purpose flour is plain flour. I have the grams in the recipe ingredients listed above: “2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour” I hope you love it!
I made this today, and it was amazing! I don’t have a springform pan, so I used a cast iron skillet, and it was perfect! Thanks for my new favorite go to dessert!
You’re welcome Ricki! I’m so glad you love it! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Just made this wonderful cake. Perfection with the added sauce. Made this cake a two slice event as I can’t stop at one. So moist and fresh tasting.
Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome Carol! I’m glad you love it! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review! 🙂
Hi Natasha, could you use vanilla greek yoghurt in place of the sour cream? thankyou so much.
I have had several readers report great results using plain Greek yogurt so I imagine that would work with Vanilla.
Hi Natasha, your cake is very good. We actually had to make two because I knew one would be not enough to taste it. I was wondering if there could be a substitute for sour cream? Have a milk allergy person.
Hi Nina, I’m so glad you all loved the cake!! 🙂 I recall one reader shared their experience with dairy free: “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 🙂
Can this be frozen pls
Hi Linda, to be very honest, I haven’t tried freezing this cake so I’m not sure how the baked strawberries would hold up.
Hi Natasha.
Can this cake be frozen?
Hi Nicole, I haven’t tried freezing so I’m not sure how the strawberries in the cake would hold up. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
Hi Natasha,
This cake looks delicious! I was wondering if it would taste the same without the sour cream as I wanted to bake a dairy free strawberry cake?
If you have any tips, it will be very helpful!
Hi Sarah, I recall one reader shared their experience with dairy free: “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’m lactose intolerant but yogurt has little lactose and never bothers me. So yogurt. Or if it’s not the lactose that bothers you and it’s just dairy, there is yogurt made with coconut milk and the same consistency you’re looking for.
could you use a bundt pan instead of a sring form one
Hi Sheryl, I have not tried it in a bundt pan, but readers reported great results in a bundt, recommending baking at the lower end of the time range (45-47 minutes).
Do you think peaches would work ok in this recipe ?
Hi Carrie, yes I do think that would work but I do also have a peach cake recipe that is just as amazing with peaches! It will help you with how to prepare the peaches if you want to apply them to this recipe instead of strawberries 🙂
Simple and delicious!!! Great recipe, simple ingredients, scrumptious result! Very versatile, we tried it so far with strawberries, peaches, plums and apricots/raspberries. Definitely a keeper for us! Great with coffee or tea! Thank you so much Natasha!
My pleasure Saniya! I’m glad to hear how much you love this recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review! 😀
Hello Natasha! I appreciate very much that you also add the ingredients in METRIC measures! But happiness would be total if you can convert the oven temperature to Celsius, as most European bakers are used to Celsius degrees. Please! It really would be nice! (^.^)
Here is a link to a converter for you, I hope it will come in handy! I have to use it in recipes to get Fahrenheit into Celsius all the time, as I n-e-v-e-r remember it by heart! (sigh)
I forgot the link! See? Short memory (^.^) http://www.rapidtables.com/convert/temperature/celsius-to-fahrenheit.htm
I’m so glad you find that useful!
5/5. This is a recipe made in heaven. Replacing the strawberries with raspberries 1:1 also works, and in my opinion is a bit tastier.
I’m glad you love it Erik! Thanks for sharing your suggestion and review! 🙂
Hi Natasha! I made this cake and baked it in a cast iron pan. It came out beautifully and was so delicious! Our friends loved it. Thank you so much!!
My pleasure! I’m glad to hear everyone loves the recipe! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review! 🙂
Switched to almond flour and got a gluten free version . Absolutely delicious !!!
Can be done with peaches and apricots.
I’m so glad to hear that Tanya! Thanks for sharing your review and suggestions with other readers!
did you use all almond flour?
Do you substitute the almond flour without adding guar gum?
Such an excellent and easy alternative to strawberry shortcake. I also topped with whipped cream. I found that I did have to bake it longer. Maybe my oven is off.
That does sound really good with whipped cream! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Hi, With wat can i replace sour cream?.. or can i make sour cream at home?
Hi Khan, there are tutorials online on how to make sour cream but you can also replace it with plain yogurt. I have had several readers report great results using plain Greek yogurt.
Yammy!!!
I made this cake today it so dilisious, my family really enjoyed, only two pieces left. Thank you so much for dilisious recepies!!!
I’m so happy you loved it!! Thank you for the amazing review! 🙂
I am interested in making this but my husband needs dairy free- any suggestions or can I just omit the sour cream?
Hi Karen, I recall one reader shared their experience with dairy free: “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.”
Hi Natasha,
I made this cake for a party and I doubled the recipe and made it in a regular pan. It was amazing everyone loved it:) Natasha you and your recipes are just out of this world. Thank you for feeding my family with such amazing food. Please think about a cookbook!
You’re welcome Caroline! I’m glad to hear everyone loves the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review…and a cookbook is something I’d like to do in the future!