Fresh Strawberry Cake
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
We love it, a very good recipe, a small cake which is good for two people who love leftovers for the next day.
I made this cake to take to the office after the 4th. It got rave reviews. I would probably cook for only an hour next time, or less, but it was still very good. I sprinkled a little cinnamon on top with the sugar prior to baking and it worked great. Will make again!
Hi! How have I only just seen this recipe?! This is the nicest and most delicious cake EVER!
I’m wondering would it work with raspberries????
Glad you discovered and enjoyed it! I haven’t tried it, but think it will work with raspberries. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Made this recipe and I brushed the top with strawberry lavender jelly and a sprinkle of turbindao sugar before baking. It turned out and is delicious!!
P.S. I make your blueberry muffins recipe all the time and they are awesome!
I loved how easy this was to make. Never had a problem with the berries sinking.
Only thing for me is I found an hour a bit long. I did 57 minutes at 350 and I think I would go closer to 50 min next time. It’s a great recipe that you could put with any fruit on top I would think!
This cake is delicious and so easy! It has become my husband’s favorite and most requested cake! I do sometimes add a ring of blueberries between each ring of strawberries, especially on July 4th to make the cake patriotic!
I also used this batter to make a cinnamon coffee cake which turned out delish as well!
I would love to know how you make your cinnamon coffee cake.. Recipe for topping ? Many thanks… and yes, Jen’s strawberry cake and other recipes are fantastic !!!
I have prepared many of the recipes on Jenn’s website and never once was I disappointed. I followed the recipe and the cake was delicious. I was wondering if i could use a spring pan instead of a 9 inch round cake pan.I think the presentation would be prettier. Thank you for wonderful recipes and professional guidance.
So glad you like the recipes (including this one)! Yes, it’s fine to prepare this in a springform pan.
Made recently and my guests ate it for dessert….and for breakfast! A hit! Wondering if this would work with peaches and blueberries? Anyone try this with other fruit?
Hi Amy, Glad it was a hit! Yes, both blueberries and peaches will work here. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Can buttermilk be used in place of whole or low fat milk? This is a delicious cake, I once made it with fresh peaches, also tasty!
Hi Deborah, I’d stick with regular milk here (And so glad you like the cake!)
I’ll do that then! Thanks for your quick reply!
So delicious and buttery…. I appreciate how lovely the strawberries look arranged around the cake.
Very happy how this turned out! Some said they had issues with the strawberries sinking. I cut mine in thin slices and didn’t have any issues. The batter is quite thick so think next time I’ll slice them a bit thicker.
Definitely will make again!