Fresh Strawberry Cake
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Jam-packed with fresh strawberries, this strawberry cake is one of the simplest, most delicious cakes you’ll ever make.
This strawberry cake recipe was sent to me by Karen Tannenbaum, a longtime reader, avid baker, and all-around lovely lady. In her email to me, Karen described a dinner she made that ended with this dessert as “just like a night in heaven.” I was sold. Within a few days, I had the cake in the oven and, sure enough, it was the one of the simplest, prettiest, most delicious cakes I’d ever made. The beauty of the cake is that it’s made with very few ingredients, and you can whip up the batter in under 15 minutes. What’s more, it’s a great way to use up extra strawberries or salvage berries that are less than perfect, and it keeps well for days. The recipe was originally published in Martha Stewart Living in June 2005, though it has been modified just a bit.
If you have an abundance of strawberries on hand, or find them on sale during the season, try my strawberry shortcake and strawberry muffins as well. You’ll be glad you did.
What You’ll Need To Make Strawberry Cake
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Whisk to combine and set aside.
Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Add the egg and vanilla.
Beat to combine.
Add some of the flour.
Mix to combine, then add some of the milk.
Alternately add the remaining flour and milk, beating until smooth. The batter will be quite thick.
Transfer the batter to a buttered 9-inch deep dish pie pan (or 9-inch round cake pan) and smooth with a spatula.
Arrange the strawberry halves on top of the batter.
The sprinkle with the remaining sugar. (Don’t be tempted to omit the sugar here; it balances the tartness of the berries and forms a deliciously crisp crust on top the cake.)
Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325° and bake for about an hour more.
Cool the strawberry cake on a rack. Serve warm or room temperature, either plain or topped with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
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Fresh Strawberry Cake
Jam-packed with fresh strawberries, this strawberry cake is one of the simplest, most delicious cakes you’ll ever make.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk (low fat is fine)
- About ¾ pound strawberries, hulled and halved
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and butter a 9-inch deep dish pie pan (or 9-inch round cake pan).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat on low speed until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, and beat on low speed until smooth. (Note: the batter will be thick.)
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. Arrange the strawberries on top, cut side down, so that they completely cover the batter (the recipe calls for approximately ¾ pound of strawberries; use more or less if necessary). Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the strawberries.
- Bake for ten minutes, then reduce the heat to 325°F and bake until the cake is lightly golden and a tester comes out clean, about an hour. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack. Serve with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.
- Cake can be stored at room temperature for several days, loosely covered.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, cover it tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 241
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Sugar: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 185 mg
- Cholesterol: 38 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Made this cake the day before, absolutely delicious and such an easy recipe to follow.
Thanks
Saved some strawberries from going in the bin at my local market today so found this recipe. I was in a bit of a hurry when I made it so didn’t read the instructions as well as I could. I saw the pic of a layer of strawberries and assumed they were on the bottom with the sugar on the top. Oops. Luckily I put some strawberries on the top as well. It was still absolutely delicious. It still had that crunchy top that you mentioned so think you could get away with not sprinkling the sugar on the top as I didn’t. I will definitely be making it again and I am going to try it with Apple’s.
Will be having it again tomorrow but with custard as it was crying out for it. Thanks for sharing.
The flavor of this cake was amazing!!!! The only issue I had was that the strawberries sunk to the bottom. Could they have been too large? Still tasted amazing, though!!
Yes, the strawberries were likely a little too big. Next time, cut them into slightly smaller pieces. 🙂
This is now one of my favorite recipes! I’m usually skeptical when I make something for the first time, but this completely exceeded my expectations. I made my family a cottage-aesthetic breakfast, and this was our favorite item in the entire meal. This tastes amazing with some ice-cream and tea. Please make this, you won’t be disappointed! 🙂
I am going to make this strawberry cake tomorrow, everyone loved it the first time I made it, it is delicious and so easy to put together. I never thought that something so easy and simple could be so good. It is so pretty when baked that I would not hesitate to serve it to company for high tea
I promise this is so easy to make and by far a family fave! Thanks 4 sharing. Although strawberries r a little pricey in the fall & winter
I have made made this cake several times and has become a family favorite. Light and flavorful and super easy to make. Absolutely delicious!!!!
This is a spectacular dessert (or who am I kidding, I sneak it for breakfast) that is easy and really flexible with other types of fruit. I have tried many of Jen’s recipes and they are as reliably successful as Barefoot Contessa.
Oh how I love this cake! It’s simple, but delightful, and can be made with ingredients we usually have on hand.
Absolutely awesome! I never ever use white sugar, so I used brown sugar for this recipe, and I ditched the powdered sugar as well, but it was still a winner! Not to sweet! My family really enjoyed it.
You do know that brown sugar is just white sugar with molasses added to it, right?
Since discovering this website I must admit that most new recipes I make come from here. Why? Because they are reliably delicious! This recipe in particular has become a family favorite. I cringe at the thought of baking, but I love making this for the fam – and they LOVE eating it – because it is easy for a novice to make and always comes out delicious. I went outside my comfort zone over the weekend and made the Rustic French Apple Tart…although it was good, after eating it my 12 year-old son invited me to make this strawberry cake again instead. High praise that he could’ve picked any dessert and this strawberry cake, which I haven’t made since late summer, is what came to mind. Thanks, Jenn!
Perfect recipe for the end of a summer meal. I love that all the ingredients are things I always have in the pantry or refrigerator, too!
This cake is a family favorite. It’s fresh, light, but extremely satisfying. Bonus that it’s easy to make. It’s a recipe that we usually already have the ingredients to if we need a quick dessert. It’s always a hit to take to family and friends and it looks so beautifully made.
I just made this for my Mom’s birthday last week and it turned out absolutely wonderful. I served it with fresh whipped cream. The next day my Mom heated it for a few seconds in the microwave and served it with vanilla ice cream. The only thing I would say is watch it carefully so that you do not overbake it. I think it takes less than what the recipe calls for.
I have made this cake numberous times through the pandemic–the batter is so smooth and luxurious. I have often substituted blueberries and other fruit for the strawberries, having success each time! I have baked it in both a square 9 inch pan and in a round pan and it turns out perfectly each time!! quick, easy, and delicious!!
Wow what a wonderful dessert! Easy to make, tastes delicious!
Amazingly simple but absolutely delicious!
The first time I made this I did not have access to a mixer so I mixed it with a whisk. It came out beautifully. So if you don’t have a mixer don’t let that stop you from trying this recipe.
I would recommend you follow Jen’s instructions for the strawberries. The second time I made this I chopped some of the berries. It messed up the ratio of cake to berry flavor so stick with her instructions.
This makes a beautifully moist cake. So much so that I can never have only one slice!!
I made this strawberry cake recipe twice because it was gone so fast the first time!
This is easy, pretty and delicious! Great for dessert or breakfast (my favorite!)
It was my birthday on Tuesday and my 15 year old son wanted to make a cake for me. I saw this one and thought it looked pretty simple and something he could pull off! Wow, it has such a simple and amazing flavor. So happy we tried it! My son was so proud of himself! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!
This was so light and delicious. It turned out perfect and was really easy. Topped with some fresh whipped cream was delightful!
This is the first, of yours, recipe that I made. It immediately became a family favorite. I followed the recipe as printed and it hasnt failed me yet. Good as a coffee cake, snack or evening dessert.
MAKE THIS CAKE! This cake is perfect for summer, as it has the perfect balance of sweet and tart. I followed it step by step and it came out perfect every time. I’ve made it three times since summer and I get a little more adventurous each time. I added real vanilla bean to the batter and then baked it without the strawberries in the cake. When the cake was done, I added the strawberries on top with whipped cream for more of a strawberry shortcake feel. I’m not a baker, but I think sprinkling the sugar on top adds so much to the cake.
A fresh berry cake doesn’t get much easier or more delicious than this! I’ve made several cakes like this, and while they are similar, this works the best…straightforward and perfect! I’ve used Demerara sugar on the top and I prefer it…it adds a nice, small crunch factor, but doesn’t change the taste or balance of this wonderful recipe.
Super easy and delicious! I’ve made this several times for parties and the dish is always empty by the end of the night.
I have made many of your desserts and all have turned out wonderfully! Made this one last night but feels heavy and dense…. any idea what I did wrong? Thanks Jen!
Hi Stephanie, Sorry you had a problem with this! Two things come to mind. By heavy, do you mean overly moist? The strawberries add some moisture to the cake; if you felt like it was too moist, next time I’d try cutting them into smaller pieces. Also, do you use the spoon and level method to measure the flour? Even a few extra ounces can make a big difference. This article/video explains it nicely. Hope that helps!
I had the same issue :(. And it wasn’t very sweet.
I made this exact recipe tonight and it was fantastic….wouldn’t change a thing.
I have made this several times and everyone has loved it! It basically tastes like the Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins in a cake!! Love it!
I have made this at least 5 times, always perfection!
I have loads of perfect just-picked strawberries but our party is not for two weeks – is it better to freeze the strawberries and make the cake on the day of the party, or make the cake in advance and freeze the whole thing and defrost it the night before?
Hi Gail, The cake freezes nicely so it’s really a matter of personal preference — you can go either way. 🙂
My sister raved about this cake, which her family loves. I clearly understood her compliments for this cake after I made it. It is absolutely delicious! My family loves this. Thank you Jen!
This recipe was delicious easy to make and super tasty. I’m going to try it again with other fruit I think it would be fantastic with raspberry as well
Absolutely delicious. The cake was super tender and soft, the flavor of strawberry was unreal! I will make this again. Very easy. Served with ice cream. Don’t change a thing!
Super delicious
What other types of pans/sizes would this recipe do well in? I do not have a pie dish.
Thank you
Hi Gail, you can use a 9-inch square or round cake pan. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jennifer,
Does the cake need to be refrigerated or can it stay out? I made the cake for Monday night family dinner, 2 days away and wanted to check to see if I should refrigerate.
I will send review after I get feedback from family.
Thank you.
Donna
Hi Donna, you can store it on the counter. It keeps nicely for several days. Hope everyone enjoyed!
Absolutely delicious! I like it warm with some cream. I reduced the sugar in the sponge to 150g and it still seemed a bit on the sweet side to me. The texture at 150g seemed to be unaffected, it was like a light sponge cake/ pudding. The strawberries did sink right in to the sponge actually so visually maybe not as appealing, but as I say still really very good!
I really enjoyed this cake! Very simple to make. Required about 15 min less time than the recipe called for. Just kept checking on the level of brownness on the top, and for a toothpick to come out clean. I appreciate the step-by-step pictures included in the recipes — very helpful!
I followed this recipe exactly as it is written. It was absolutely perfect. My family devoured it hot out of the oven. The flavor was perfect – a sweet but mild vanilla cake with juicy, fruity berries. I would recommend checking the cake a few times as mine needed ~15 minutes less cooking time than it called for. This will remain in my rotation of perfect recipes. Thank you Jennifer!
I made this cake with great anticipation, using some lovely organic strawberries, and brought it with a flourish to a safely-distant, outside gathering. The strawberries were still good but the cake was so stodgy. And dense and heavy. I thought I’d followed the recipe exactly. What did I do wrong?
Hi Beverley, Sorry you had a problem with this! Did you make any adjustments to the recipe?
This strawberry cake is simply amazing! My family is absolutely in love with it.
Hello Jen,
Thank you for this recipe. I haven’t tried it yet, but I am sure it will be delicious (the somewhat similar plum cake certainly is). However, I think the metric equivalent of 450g for 3/4 lb. strawberries is incorrect. I occasionally go to metric equivalents because I have a hard time measuring butter in tablespoons. It is very helpful. As far as I can tell the measurements are usually correct, which is why I was surprised. I hope you don’t mind me questioning it.
You’re right, Anne — thanks so much for pointing that out — it takes a village!! I’ve just updated it; hope you enjoy the cake if you make it! 🙂
I was so pleasantly surprised by this cake!!! It is delish!! I might try a little less sugar the next time but I mean if you’re going to eat cake, eat cake! 🙂
Hi, I need to watch my sugar intake, is there any advice you can give on swapping the sugar out for a replacement such as Stevia? And if so what quantity? Thanks
Hi Holly, I wish I could help but I’ve never worked with sugar substitutes so I can’t say how it would impact the recipe. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it with one!
I don’t know if this helps but I LOVE this recipe and have made it a few times and have gradually been reducing the sugar. I’m still using regular white sugar but so far I am down to 2/3 cup and it’s still great, fluffy and wonderful (just sprinkling 1 tbsp on top). I know sugar is not just about the sweetness but the structure of the cake so need to be careful, but so far so good.
Hi. I made the cake with half the sugar, and it was delicious (most folks who prefer less sweet might want to cut it down to 3/4c). I used 1/4 tsp almond extract instead of vanilla, & substituted 1/2 c ground almonds for 1/2 c flour. Baking time was about 15 min shorter (when the edge browns and pulls away from pan, it’s done! –even if top is only very lightly browned). The berries make the dish sweet enough, and I only wish I could stuff more in. Simple but beautiful presentation. Drizzle on some dark chocolate balsamic vinegar, and it’s a marvel!
I don’t know what I did wrong, but the cake part came out tasting a little like cornbread to me.
OMG this cake was sooooooo good! I only had oak milk so I used that. I used a 9 x 9 glass dish and it was perfect. This one is a keeper!
I’ve made this many times with strawberries — so fabulous. How do you think this recipe would do with peaches?
So glad you like this! Yes, it will work nicely with peaches too. 🙂
I made this Fresh strawberry cake and it tastes nice but the sponge came over the sides of the tin and ended up being about less than an inch deep. After reviewing the recipe it states 225 gms of sugar. Is this too much sugar? Any advice would help please.
Regards Teresa
Hi Teresa, Sorry You had a problem with this! You mentioned that the batter ran over the side of the pan, but that the cake was very shallow. What size pan did you use a 9-inch deep dish pie pan or 9-inch square cake pan? (The 225 grams of sugar is correct.)
Wonderful recipe Jenn and I agree with you….simplest and most DELICIOUS cake!!!
Can you make with frozen strawberries?
Sure, Kate. Enjoy!
Thank you for the great recipe. Baked it today for my daughter’s birthday and the whole family enjoyed it. It was delicious and the only thing I would change next time is reduce the sugar. Thanks again!
I’ve made this cake about 6 times this summer! It’s easy and fool proof. The consistency is very similar to a moist shortcake/biscuit. We (my family) are not fans of fruit baked in cake, so we use it as a shortcake and pile the strawberries or peaches on top. It’s perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning too!
This cake is absolutely amazing. I’ve made it five times and it’s always a hit with my guests. I’ve used both a deep dish pie pan and a 9 inch springform pan. This cake comes out awesome in a springform and the sides are a bit crunch like the top.