Fresh Strawberry Cake
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A simple, beautiful cake that lets ripe berries shine—this strawberry cake is perfect for spring and summer baking.
This strawberry cake recipe was sent to me by Karen Tannenbaum, a longtime reader, avid baker, and all-around lovely person. In her note, she described a dinner that ended with this dessert as “just like a night in heaven.” I was sold. A few days later, I gave it a go—and it turned out to be one of the simplest, prettiest, and most delicious cakes I’ve ever made. The batter comes together in under 15 minutes with just a handful of ingredients, and it’s a great way to use up extra strawberries (even the ones that are a little past their prime).
This recipe originally ran in Martha Stewart Living back in June 2005, but I’ve made a few tweaks to make it even better. If you have extra strawberries on hand, be sure to also try my strawberry shortcake and strawberry muffins. You’ll be glad you did.
“The most requested cake I have ever made.”
Strawberry Cake Ingredients
- All-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt: The base of the cake. The flour gives it structure, baking powder helps it rise, and the salt balances the sweetness. For best results, always measure flour using the spoon-and-level method.
- Unsalted butter and sugar: Creamed together, these create a light, fluffy base. The butter adds richness, and the sugar sweetens the batter and helps the top caramelize a bit as it bakes. A little sugar is also sprinkled over the strawberries before baking—it creates a pretty, slightly crisp topping.
- Egg and vanilla extract: The egg adds structure to the cake and binds everything together, while the vanilla adds that warm, bakery-style flavor.
- Milk: Thins the batter just enough to make it smooth and pourable (low-fat works just fine).
- Strawberries: Halved and arranged on top, they bake down into the cake and add sweet-tart bursts of flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set the mixture aside.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. his step helps incorporate air into the batter, which gives the cake a lighter, more tender texture. Don’t rush it—give it a good 3 minutes or so.
Step 3: Add egg and vanilla. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
Step 4: Finish the batter by adding wet and dry ingredients. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. This keeps the batter smooth and helps everything incorporate evenly without overmixing.
As you can see, the finished batter will be quite thick—that’s exactly what you want, since the strawberries release a lot of moisture as they bake.
Step 5: Assemble the cake. Transfer the batter to a buttered 9-inch deep dish pie pan (or a 9-inch round cake pan) and smooth the top with a spatula. Arrange the strawberry halves on top, cut side down, covering as much of the surface as you can. They’ll sink slightly as the cake bakes. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining sugar. Don’t skip this step—it balances the tartness of the berries and creates a deliciously crisp, golden crust as the cake bakes.
Step 6: Bake. Bake the cake at 350°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325°F and bake for about an hour more, until the top is golden and a tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a rack, then serve warm or at room temperature—plain, or topped with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Either way, it’s hard to stop at one slice!
The cake is best enjoyed fresh on the day it’s made, but it’ll keep nicely on the countertop for a few days, or you can freeze it for longer storage.
More Strawberry Recipes You Might Like
Fresh Strawberry Cake
Sweet, a little rustic, and just right with a scoop of vanilla ice cream—this is the strawberry cake recipe you’ll come back to all season long.
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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What a fantastic cake!! First class!
I replaced the all-purpose flour with my own home milled flour, in this instance, a mixture of spelt, oats and barley berries.
I reduced the sugar to 50 gr just in the batter and used coconut palm sugar which imparted a delicious flavor to the cake.
I used 5 oz of blueberries in the batter and topped the cake with 7 oz of halved strawberries.
I baked it 10 minutes at 350F, then 35 minutes at 325F, at which point an instant read thermometer indicated it was cooked, as the internal temperature was at 195F (it might have been quicker because I used a glass bunds pan).
I will definitely make it again, in winter, it would be great with apples or pears.
What a great recipe! Thanks for sharing.
This was a big hit. Simply delicious!
A must have recipes, so versatile…
Thank you for your blog and all your fabulous recipes.
What a delightful dessert for summer when the strawberries are at their peak! This turned out so lovely and delicious (served with a scoop of low-fat frozen yogurt). Everyone ate the leftovers for breakfast the next day!
I’ve made this dessert a few times and love it!! I’d like to make it for a bigger crowd. Have you tried to double it and bake in a 9×13 pan with success? Do you think I should increase the baking time?
Glad you like it! Yes, you can double it and prepare in a 9 x 13 dish. Cooking time should be about the same if not a touch longer.
This cake is very good. My mom even asked for the recipe. However, for sone reason most of my strawberries sank to the bottom of the pan?!
Glad you enjoyed it Catie! Are you by chance using really large strawberries? If so, try cutting them smaller.
Really good recipe, which I thoroughly enjoyed. But I have an equipment question. What would you use instead of an electric mixer? My first attempt was with a hand-held mixer, and that gave me the unwanted opportunity to clean the kitchen. I finally ended up with two knives and then the spatula, which worked pretty well. Suggestions?
Hi Giaco, Sorry to hear about the kitchen mess :)! If your method of the knives and then the spatula worked well, that’s a good alternative to stick to. Glad you enjoyed the cake!
My husband let me know this was the best cake he’d ever had. There are three of us and we ate the whole thing in one night. Amazing.
Home from work & baking this a SECOND time already in 1 day. The incredible aroma wafting through the house is Devine! Was & IS incredibly delicious. Turned out as pretty as the picture, yet is a snap to make. My co-workers polished off every last bite & thoroughly enjoyed it. One even commented it looked like one of those recipes you see on the front cover of a magazine. Unable to recommend this moist, easy-breezy cake highly enough. This site is so inspirational – already have 2 other recipes in progress. Since we eat with our eyes first, makes me want to try them all!!! Thank you for sharing your recipes and passion with everyone. Know when you start reading a good book & are unable to put it down? Same deal with your site.
That is so sweet, Kelli. Thank you! I’m so glad the cake turned out well. 🙂
Hi Jenn,
Just wondering if gluten free flour would give me the same results as all purpose. I wanted to make this cake on Friday, because we have friends coming over for dinner.
Hi Michelle, I haven’t tried this cake with gluten-free flour, but I think it should work. Enjoy!
Made this with gluten free flour turned out great no other substitutes needed.
I did have to cut strawberries smaller since I had big strawberries.
It looked good and tasted great! Praise Yahshua for sweet ideas!
I also made icing to go on it and ice cream with real strawberries. Was delicious praise Yahshua!
could this basic cake be used with other fruit?
Sure, Jane. I’ve also made this with peaches or different berries and both worked well.