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
Hi This just looked so good so had to try it. Struggled a bit with conversions as I’m Scandinavian and only use metric so not used to oz, cups and all that, Now it’s out of the oven and looks very nice so suppose I’ve done something right. I wondered especially about the oil and how many dl 1/2 cup would be. Thank you anyway for your lovely recipes :-))
Thank you for the wonderful review, Wibeke. We are currently working on adding metric measurements to all of our recipes but it is taking some time as we have 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.
Can I use almond flour instead of regular flour?
I haven’t experimented with this myself, but one of our readers wrote “I’ve made this using Almond flour instead of regular flour and it turned out good! I also replaced the sour cream with yogurt and the oil for apple sauce to make it healthier. My family loved it! Hope this helps 😀”
My 9″ springform leaks – but I looked at some pan conversions – they said a 10″ cake pan could be a substitute so that’s what I used. It worked great and used my 10″ cake pan. It worked great. Loved the cake!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
What about a good old-fashioned Oatmeal Cake with broiled Coconut Topping? Its dense & amazing!
I don’t have anything like that but sounds great! 🙂
I just made this cake. Followed exactly and it turned out exactly like your picture! Delish to boot! Taking some over to a neighbour’s house right now. ( maybe whipped cream in the works too) lol Thank you for posting this recipe 🙂
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me :). I’m all smiles!
D’oh – never mind, just found where to add the eggs!
Oh good! I’m glad you found it 🙂 I hope you love our strawberry cake! 🙂
Hi – in the ingredients list you mention 2 eggs, but in the recipe itself you don’t say where to add them. I’m assuming I add them to the sour cream/oil/vanilla in step 2?
Hi Kim, in the print-friendly recipe, please see step 1 under: “How to Make Easy Strawberry Cake:”
What can I substitute sour cream with? We are dairy free.
Or can it work just without sour cream at all?
Hi Irena, 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 have had several readers report great results using plain Greek yogurt.
Hey Natasha!! I love how simple your recipes are. As much as I am tempted to try this recipe my dietary restrictions thrown a spanner. What would you replace eggs with in this recipe?
Hi Shantan, I honestly haven’t tested this with anything else to make it an egg free cake so I can’t make any suggestions without trying it first.
If anyone else has tried to make this egg-free, please share your results and thanks in advance!
2 cuillères à café de poudre à pâte – qu’est-ce-que la poudre à pâte ? merci et bonne continuation
Hi Marie-Christine, Baking Powder is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and cream of tartar, used instead of yeast in baking.
could this be made in a 9×13 pan?????????? it sounds wonderful!!!!!!! and easy too!!
Hi Betsy! It will work in a 9×13 baking dish, I would probably do 1 1/2 times the recipe or it will be a fairly skinny cake.
Hi Natasha.
I don’t have a cup measure for the flour, so I only work in grams. Could you tell me how many grams that ‘2 Cups 260 grams’ is please? Or do 2 cups equal 260 grams? You can tell I’m not a baker.
The two cups of flour are equal to 260 grams of all-purpose flour. If not using a measuring cup measure out 260 grams of flour. Hope this helps!
Is there a way to make it without flour or alternative replacement?
Hi Heather, I haven’t tried that myself but one of my readers shared the following: “”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 now.” I hope that helps!
Hi Heather, I’ve made this using Almond flour instead of regular flour and it turned out good! I also replaced the sour cream with yogurt and the oil for apple sauce to make it healthier. My family loved it! Hope this helps 😀
Shirley,
Thank. You so much! I am going to try it this way
Hi!
Just wanted to say THANK YOU for this great, delicious and easy recipe. Gave it to my mother in law for Mother’s Day and she loved it. My husband also tried it and said it was REALLY good. Thanks SO much!!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Nidia!
Hi Natasha this is the BEST cake recipe ever. I buy frozen berries I made this cake with different berries and it taste so good. I really impressed my in-laws. They were asking me for recipes.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Vicki!
Vicki, when you used the frozen berries, did you thaw them first or just throw them in? Did you cover them in
cornstarch?
I made this cake & strawberry sauce. I sprinkled it with powdered sugar just like & it turned out excellent! My husband enjoyed it. I’d like to post a pic too, but haven’t figured that out yet.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Barbara. If you are a Facebook user you can upload photos to our VIP group here Join the group and share away we’d love to see your creations!
Hi Natasha, your easy strawberry cake, can you freeze it?
Hi Gina, to be very honest, I haven’t tried freezing this cake so I’m not sure how the baked strawberries would hold up.
what is flour is it Self raising or Plain ..no eggs looks nice and easy
We used regular all purpose flour.
How many people would you say this would serve? I make desserts for an old people’s group in our village and would need 16 servings all together. Would you say two of these cakes would do that or 3?
Hi D.A. 8 slices per cake sounds very reasonable. 2 cakes should do it for 16 servings. I hope they all love the cake! That’s so sweet of you to do that 🙂
I can’t wait to make this….. all the ingredients I have or will add to my grocery list….. About 30 years ago a friend made something like this, but with green grapes…. I loved it, tried to duplicate it, total fail….. have you tried this with any other fruit ????
Hi Nancy, I haven’t tried using peaches or raspberries but it works great with blueberries. Click Here for the recipe. Also, one of our readers wrote “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”
Delicious strawberry cake! Easy to make!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Nataliya! Thank you for the wonderful review!