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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Perfect for the wonderful fresh strawberries we have now. So many compliments for such a simple and simply delicious cake!
Well, mine didn’t look anything like the photo although I thought I followed the directions in a deep-dish pie pan. Mine was much darker and the strawberries sank to the bottom and became mushy. No fresh strawberry taste at all although the taste was pretty good. The cake was quite ugly. Maybe it was my convection oven….
Same!
This cake was simple to make and absolutely delicious!
My strawberries were not as sweet as in the local season so I baked it without the sugar on top and added some confectioners sugar after it baked. Gave it a little more flavor and sweetness (did not use the whipped cream) . I also used both almond and vanilla extract because I love almond, it was a hit. Thanks for the recipe.
Made this for a graduation party cookout and it was well received. It came together quickly, baked for the time specified, and is a great summer dessert! The presentation is nice in the way the top bakes around the berries. Will make and take to more summer outings!
Has anyone used salted butter in this recipe? I want to make this tomorrow, but do not have unsalted butter.
Hi Diane, I may be weighing in too late to help, but for future reference, while it varies by brand, most salted butter has approximately 1/4 tsp. salt per stick, so you can use the salted butter and reduce the salt in the recipe as needed. Hope that helps!
This is a quick and easy recipe with a beautiful presentation. It tastes just like pound cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream. Next time, I will try serving it w strawberry ice cream and strawberry puree. This is a perfect light summer dessert!
Made this today and it was as delicious! The cake is light and fluffy but not too sweet, the strawberries are the perfect addition to this cake. Recipe came together quickly. Everyone raved about this cake.
Recipe is fabulous ! I can’t believe what I did though …. I had company and was distracted while I was putting the ingredients together. I’d read the reviews and decided to double the recipe and bake it in a 9 x 13 pan. Since I’m kind of OCD, I always read through the recipe a second or third time to make sure I got the amounts correct and realize I had put 2 cups of milk in the mix instead of one cup.
Other than that, I followed the directions to a T and baked it an extra 20 minutes to get a light, scrumptious, and beautiful cake. WHEW!
I love your stuff! Thanks again for sharing!!
Hi, l love your recipes. I would like to try this with spring rhubarb. Would it work?
Hi Dawn, So glad you like the recipes! I think rhubarb would be good, but I’d probably mix it with strawberries, otherwise, the cake might be a little too tart. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jenn,
Can I use a Bundt pan for this recipe? If yes, do I have to adjust the temp? Also, when putting in the strawberries would I put them in first with the sugar or last (essentially being on the bottom)? Do I need to double the recipe?
Hi Christine, I wouldn’t recommend a bundt here; I’m concerned that it would stick. Sorry!
First time I made this with our most delicious strawberries! Turned out great and everyone just loved it. It’s a winner! I will make this often and might try to use other fruit. Thanks for this recipe. It’s awesome!
Just made this today for the first time and I’m so happy with the result – it is delicious! Even my picky husband loved it. It’s so easy and packed with strawberries – love it! It’s a great alternative to strawberry short cake.
This is my go-to recipe for our fresh
Strawberries. Easy, delicious and a show stopper. Thanks for the recipe-Can’t wait for June to come!
I have made this a number of times, and it’s always wonderful. A few times I’ve added some blueberries and that also turned out well.
Thank you for sending this recipe around again! I made it before, and happened to have some strawberries I needed to use up…so perfect timing! This is such an easy recipe and comes out perfect every time. I would call it strawberry “short” cake 😉 it is less cake and more like a biscuit, whatever you call it – call it delicious! It disappears quickly! I wonder if you could use pears or apples for a twist on a great basic recipe?
Hi Jenn, so I’m looking at this recipe and thinking about trying it but what’s confusing is your picture shows those fancy cut outs baked on the top of your pie but nowhere is it mentioned in the recipe and how to do that. Is that something that easily can be done? I don’t make a lot of pies but I have strawberries left over from entertaining last night and I don’t know what to do with them.
Hi Judy, the picture may be a bit deceiving as this is a cake and not a pie. The pattern you see on top is made by pushing strawberries into the top of the cake batter and what you’re seeing just forms naturally as the cake bakes around the strawberries. Hope that clarifies and that you enjoy if you make it.
I have made this many times – it is my go to recipe for a quick dessert. Thank you so much – your recipes are the best!!
I was looking for an easy recipe with strawberries and simple ingredients, and this cake it is! I used frozen strawberries, added dried coconut flakes on top, and cut the sugar content by half (because I follow a low sugar diet) and it was really delicious!
Thank you for this recipe! I will be using it again and again. 🙂
I never comment on recipes, but my family loved this cake so much I wanted to thank you for it! It stayed moist and tasty for several days and my husband couldn’t get enough!
Thanks!
Traci
Hi! I made this cake so many times in the past and it’s simply amazing! I want to make it again today but I don’t have access to butter but to sunflower seeds oil only. Do you think I can substitute? 😕
Thank you!!
Hi Carla, Glad you like the cake! Unfortunately, sunflower seed oil won’t work here as you need something solid for cream with the sugar — sorry!
Another hit, Jenn. Thank you. This was so easy to make and the only ingredient I needed to buy was strawberries. So tasty. Some had it with ice cream and some had it with whipped cream. A re-make for sure!!!
This looks so good. Is there any way to make 1/2 recipe for two people? If so, what adjustments would be needed. Thanks.
Hi Kathy, if you wanted to halve the recipe, you’d need a 6-inch round pan (which is pretty unusual). The bake time should be about the same.
Do you have any thoughts about baking this in an 8 inch springform pan? I think it would be easier to remove that way.
Hi CJ, an 8-inch springform pan should work; the bake time may be slightly different so keep a close eye on it. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Love your recipes and excited to try this! Could this be made the night before you plan on using it?
So glad you like the recipes! Yes, the cake keeps nicely for several days. 🙂
I was excited to make this cake after reading the reviews. Unfortunately, my family and I were totally disappointed. This is a plain white cake with strawberries on top. It is quite bland, even though I added strawberry emulsion to the batter, along with the vanilla extract.
I will not make it again.
I was looking for a strawberry pie recipe, and happily found this cake instead, since I’m more comfortable baking cakes than pies. It was excellent! Easy to make, simple ingredients; I followed the recipe to the letter and it came out beautifully. I brought it to a potluck where someone had brought a Whole Foods strawberry-blueberry tart and this was better! A new go-to, especially during strawberry season!
Love this cake recipe! If I want more servings should I make it in a 9×13 and double the recipe? Will it taste the same?
Hi Tara, Yes I would double for a 9×13, and it should taste just as delicious. Please LMK how it turns out!
If baking in a 10-inch pie dish (deep dish), do I need to increase any of the ingredients?
Hi Diane, Yes I would increase everything by 1.5.
Do you have any thoughts about a way to remove it from the pan after baking? I’m taking it to someone & would prefer not to leave my large Pyrex pie pan. Maybe it would come out easily anyway? Or, I could line with foil? A good coating of “cake goop”? If not, I can fall back on your Strawberry Muffins, which I love anyway! Thanks for any help.
Hi Carol, if you’d like to remove this from the pan, I’d recommend using a 9-inch round cake pan (instead of a pie dish) and lining the bottom with a round of parchment sprayed with cooking spray as I do in this recipe. You could also use a parchment sling And bake this in an 8 in.square pan. Hope that helps!
Spring perfection!
So light and delicious !
Easy and beautiful looking cake. My husband said that it was like strawberry shortcake but way better! Will definitely be making again and sharing this recipe with my friends and family.
Hi! I’m going to make this for my little girl’s birthday and I was wondering whether the oven temperature is with the fan or without?
Without 🙂
Delicious! Baked in my 9.5 inch GLASS deep dish pan and cooked 10 minutes at 325 then 40 minutes at 300 and was perfect!!
Perfect as is! Next time I make it I’d like to try mixing strawberry pieces in the dough or dividing the dough in half, adding a middle layer of strawberries. Not sure how that would turn out but I think it might be worth a try.
Made it tonight. Really delicious!!
I have made this cake several times and it has become one of my summer go-tos. Sometimes I use regular ingredients and sometimes I substitute non-dairy alternatives, depending on who I’m cooking for (some family members are vegan). It is absolutely a hit both ways, and I have also veganized the French Apple Cake from this site. My substitutes are Just Egg, plain almond milk, and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks. Depending upon your substitutes, the cake may not brown as much as you think it should, so don’t rely on that alone to check for doneness.
This dessert was a hit as a pretty finish to a meal I gave to my friend, a new mother. She said that she and her husband enjoyed it for a few days, and she recently asked me for the recipe. It was easy to make, easy to transport, looks pretty and is delicious. It checks all the boxes for me!
Very easy and amazing!!!
An easy recipe.The family loved it.Will definitely make it again and again. Thanks for the recipe
Hi Jen,
I added a comment last night and I’m not sure why it was taken down asking about if you could use other fruit for the top. In particular could you use any frozen fruit.
Also, I love almond flavor and I was wondering if you could substitute part of the vanilla extract for almond extract, and in what quantities you would suggest.
Thanks!
Hi, I responded to the question yesterday, but maybe you missed it: It’s fine to use frozen strawberries and also OK to mix up the berries. Regarding the almond extract, you can replace ¼ teaspoon of vanilla with almond extract; I wouldn’t use anymore than that as it’s very potent. Hope that helps that you enjoy the cake!
Hi Jen,
I would love to try this recipe, it looks great!! I have a couple of questions:
Since it’s not summer any more, good fresh strawberries are harder to find. Is it possible to use any frozen fruit and could you use other than strawberries also?
Also, I love almond taste, do you think you could add some almond extract in place of part of the vanilla extract? Do you think it would test good and if so what proportions would you use?
Thank so much!!
Yes, it’s fine to use frozen strawberries and also OK to mix up the berries. Regarding the almond extract, you can replace ¼ teaspoon of vanilla with almond extract; I wouldn’t use anymore than that as it’s very potent. Hope that helps that you enjoy the cake!
Thank you! I can’t wait to try it!!
Recipe turned out great.
Would this recipe would work with fresh cranberries?
Glad you liked it! I think fresh cranberries would be too tart. Sorry!
Thanks for another brilliant recipe, Jenn! I subbed Bob Mill’s 1:1 GF and the texture and flavour was absolutely perfect, however the whole cake went very dark brown, like the batter had caramelised or something? Wasn’t overcooked by any means and it didn’t take away from the flavour, but just wasn’t as pretty as yours and looked more like a pudding. Any idea what might have caused that? Also, any tips on preventing the strawbs from sinking? Add them and the rest of the sugar at the half-way mark, perhaps? 🥰
Hi Ashlyn, based on what you’re describing, I’m wondering if perhaps you used baking soda instead of baking powder? (Baking soda causes things to brown a lot more.) Also, did you use a dark metal pan? That would add to more browning (at least on the exterior of the cake). Regarding the strawberries sinking, I wouldn’t add them halfway through baking. Rather, I’d just cut them into slightly smaller pieces to make them a bit lighter. Hope that helps!
I’ve made this heaps of times and it’s always great. The one change I make is switching out the vanilla for almond extract. Thanks for a great recipe!
Made this and loved it. Do you think I could try it with raspberries?
Yep, definitely 🙂
Would love to try this! Any chance of British weights and measures, and temperatures *C?
Hi Janski, The great majority of my recipes (including this one) include conversions to metric/weight measurements. To view them, scroll down to the recipe, and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Hope that helps! 🙂
Today is the fifth time I’m make this delicious cake since I found your recipe in July. I accidentally used a whole stick of butter instead of six tablespoons. It was great. Have used a whole stick every time. Everyone loves it, especially me. Always love any of your recipes I’ve tried.
This was delicious ! I baked it for 50 minutes once the temperature was lowered to 325 because
my new oven seems to bake faster than my former oven. So glad I did as the cake itself was
moist. I wondered if I can use turbinado sugar on top or is it best to stick to granulated sugar?
I gifted this for an anniversary ( they loved it ) as I thought the strawberries on top looked like hearts . They saved me a piece to try which is why I can leave this comment and question. Thank you.
Glad both you and your recipients enjoyed it! Yes, it would be fine to use turbinado on top of the cake if you’d like.
I had some leftover strawberries and came across this recipe. I had to make a few changes because I didn’t have all the ingredients it calls for. I cut down the sugar for the cake to about 3/4 cup because I didn’t have any more sugar left. I used Earth Balance plant-based butter, 3 TB of the egg beaters, and cashew milk to replace the unsalted butter, large egg, and dairy milk. Lastly, I wasn’t able to sprinkle the top of the strawberries with sugar so I drizzled honey onto them. As expected, the top wasn’t crisp as it would’ve been if I had any sugar left. I was afraid that these changes would mess it up, but it actually turned out so good! I don’t like cake that is too sweet, so this had just the perfect amount. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
This is great to know! I made this cake today using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pastry Flour and it came out perfect. I was afraid to sub out the eggs, milk, and butter at the same time, but will use vegan substitutions and GF flour next time for my vegan, celiac daughter. It’s so great to have delicious recipes even with these constraints!
I am wanting to do this recipe for my parents anniversary! Was just wondering can I use normal milk? Also, is it possible to use frozen strawberries?
Hi Latisha, This recipe calls for regular milk so yes, and frozen strawberries are fine as well. Hope your parents enjoy! 🙂