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
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 + 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk (low-fat is fine)
- About ¾ lb strawberries, hulled and halved
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter a 9-in (23-cm) deep dish pie pan (or 9-in/23-cm 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 they completely cover the batter, using more or less as needed. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar over the strawberries.
- Bake for ten minutes, then reduce the heat to 325°F (165°C) 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.
- The cake can be stored at room temperature for several days, loosely covered.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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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I have made this cake 5 times! It has become a HUGE family favorite. It never lasts longer then 2 days. I make it EXACTLY how it it written. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I am excited to make this for a friend’s birthday!! Perhaps I missed info for number of servings if I use ingredients as listed and bake in a pie baking dish. Please advise! THANK YOU!
Hi Kathy, It will serve 8 to 10. Hope everyone enjoys!
I’ve made this three times before and it’s amazing.
I’m lactose intolerant now – think it would be ok with almond milk? Thank you!
Yep 🙂
Will the cake stick greasing only with butter, rather than butter & flour?
No, you shouldn’t have a problem with it sticking. Hope you enjoy!
Hey Jen, is there any way I can substitute frozen blackberries in this recipe? I also need to know if would need to double all ingredients if using a 9×13 dish. Wasn’t sure if cooking time would vary or not but your help would be appreciated!
Hi Staci, Yes, you can double this and prepare it in a 9 x 13 dish. Cooking time should be about the same if not a tiny bit longer. And you can use frozen blackberries (no need to thaw them). Enjoy!
I made this today all sugar free. Not calorie free not Keto.I have been tinkering around with baking sugar free deserts with different types of baking alternatives. I made this today with a sugar baking alternative and used Splenda to sprinkle on the top . Came out AWESOME! I will make this again I have so many strawberries I will make two more and freeze !
It is peak strawberry season here in central Florida (which means our local grocers are basically giving them away) and needed ways to use up the last of our bulk strawberry purchase. This recipe was simple to prepare, DELICIOUS and only used ingredients I already had on hand. Served with whipped cream and some julienned fresh mint from the garden – A+!
I have made this so many times with strawberries and raspberries!! It is so delicious and never lasts long. Could I do this in a 10×9 glass dish? If not that size what rectangular size would you suggest? And does baking time need to be adjusted? Thank you so much Jenn!!!
Hi Vikki, so glad you like this! Yes, you can get away with baking this in a 10 x 9“ baking dish. The bake time may be just a tad shorter so keep an eye on it. Please LMK how it turns out!
Hi Jenn
I’ve done this cake before. I’m making again as I’m typing. Great recipe, thank you.
Sounds delicious. I love almond flavoring. Could I use it in this recipe to good effect? Would you substitute it for the vanilla or use both. How much would you use if it is okay to use? I love your recipes and your baking tips!
Hi Viki, So glad you like the recipes! Yes, you can definitely add some almond extract. I would keep the same amount of vanilla extract and use only 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract (as almond extract is much stronger in flavor so you don’t need much). Please LMK how they turn out!
Love this recipe! So delicious and easy to make with simple ingredients. Always a winner with my family and friends.
Jenn,
First off thank you for your help about subbing sugar with stevia. I added a half cup of stevia and it was perfect.
Anyway, your recipe is amazing! The most perfectly moist strawberry cake I’ve ever made. Recipe printed and filed among my favorite dessert recipes!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. Adrienne ❤️