Fresh Strawberry Cake
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.
More Recipes You Might Like
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I planned fresh fruit for dessert last weekend and had all the fruit I needed. My son bought more strawberries than I could ever use and I didn’t want them to spoil. I frantically started looking for a recipe that used fresh berries and stumbled on yours. The cake has been a hit ( the 4 times I baked it!) Have another one in the oven as we speak!
I just made this cake with this recipe ( used 3/4 cup brown sugar with 1/4 cup white sugar). It turned out great and so yummy!!
I made the cake and it turned out very good. I added some blueberries as well. Thanks for the recipe.
Can cherries be substituted for strawberries?
Hi Galina, cherries should work (however, because the cherries are a little heavier than strawberries, they may sink to the bottom a bit). Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Can this recipe be doubled and baked in a 10 inch springform pan?
Hi Barb, that should work. Bake time may be a little longer, so keep a close eye on it. Hope you enjoy!
This recipe is very easy to make and absolutely delicious!!!
The whole family loved this cake! I like to cook it 75% then add the top layer of fruit so it stays on the top! We love it with strawberries, cherries, and blueberries! so good and really beautiful for a 4th of July cake! I also recommend the recipes I found on http://www.californiastrawberries.com Isn’t strawberry season just the best!
This cake was so easy and so delicious. And very little sugar and butter for a cake.
This cake is excellent and I have made it many times to stellar reviews. I’ve always made it the day I am serving it, but this time, I will need to freeze to enjoy at a later date. My question is what is the best way to warm it up after it has defrosted so that I can serve it warm.
Glad you like it Judy! To warm it, I’d put the cake on a baking sheet and place it in a cold oven. Set the oven temp to 250 degrees and let it heat up for 10 to 15 minutes. Hope everyone enjoys!
It was very easy and tastyyyy!!!
Jenn,
I made this yesterday morning for the first time. It was finished around noon and that’s when we ate it. With the aromas wafting through the kitchen it was impossible to resist 🙂 My son gave me the “make again” rating and says this and another cake are now his top 2 favorites. Thanks again for another great recipe!
I have made this three times now, and it was perfect every time. I now consider it a guaranteed go to if I want to make a nice dessert for others. The cake has short cake type flavor but is light like the consistency of a Twinkie.
My pretty 9″ pie plate broke so I use a 9″ springform pan. It takes 4 cups of sliced strawberries to cover the top. I serve it w/Haagen Daz Vanilla Bean ice cream, I didn’t care for whipped cream w/it as much. The key is to let the ice soften a few minutes before dolloping it on the cake, then it kinda melds in w/the cake. It is delicious and makes for a nice summer dessert.
All my strawberries sunk to the bottom of the pan, any way to fix this?
Hi Jatasha, Sorry to hear they all sunk! Next time, I’d cut them a bit smaller.
can i use wheat or almond flour instead of all purpose flour?
Hi C, I wouldn’t suggest almond flour, but if you want to use whole wheat, I’d suggest starting by using half whole wheat and half all-purpose to make sure you like the texture. If you do like it, the next time you make this, you can up the ratio of whole wheat to white a bit more. I’d love to hear how it turns out! Also, you may want to consider white whole wheat as it’s lighter and milder tasting than regular whole wheat flour (yet just as nutritious). Hope that helps!
I’m in the UK – would you recommend self raising flour or plain flour? Thanks Cathy
Plain (which is like our all-purpose flour). Enjoy!
I absolutely love this cake!
I made it for the first time a couple of weeks ago, in a square 9″ tin. It didn’t resemble anything like the pic on here, but oh my! We ate it the first day with ice cream, and the second, warmed up with custard.
I made it again tonight, again in a square tin. The strawberries didn’t sink as much as previously, as I chopped them smaller, and I also cooked on a slightly lower heat too. Me and my partner have eaten half the cake tonight with ice cream. Tomorrow it will be with custard . . . . . if the cake doesn’t disappear overnight 😉
LOL – glad it’s been such a hit! 🙂
Hi , I’ve made this cake today for the first time , most delicious but my strawberries sank to bottom ! What caused this to happen and how can prevent it next time . Many thanks
Hi Bev, sorry to hear the strawberries sunk. We’re they particularly large? If so, next time try cutting them a bit smaller.
We make this cake every year (along with Jenn’s strawberry muffins) as soon as we go strawberry picking and it’s one of our favorites! It’s super easy to make – my daughter loves to do it herself – and absolutely delicious. It barely lasts a day. 🙂
Can you give me up measurements in ounces please. Really want make this tonight
Hi Deb, this recipe has both volume and 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 you enjoy the cake!
Delectable! 😋
Hi Jen. I loved your Fresh Strawberry Cake. I have made it several times. For our July 4th gathering I swap out a few strawberries and pop in some blueberries here and there making it a true red, white and blue dessert. It’s always a hit on our dessert table with a bowl of yummy stabilized whipped cream sitting right beside it. This recipe is a true keeper. It’s quick and simply stated, a delicious summer dessert. Thanks!
Hi Jen! Just made this cake using some strawberries that I picked and it is, as always, delicious. We love peach dishes (can’t wait for fresh local peaches later in the summer) and I’m always looking to expand my list of peach options. Do you think this would work with peaches?
So glad you like it! I have tried this with peaches too and it works well. I have a number of other peach desserts too if you want to check those out! 🙂
I made the strawberry cake and it was delicious but a little dry. What can I add next time to make it more moist?
Hi Virginia, Sorry this turned out a bit dry for you! Dryness is usually caused by measuring the flour incorrectly. Did 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.
I found that the cooking time is way too long for me.. including the initial 10 mins on a higher heat I baked my cake for 45mins and it came out fully cooked and not too dry..
Also.. just to be clear.. it was delicious and I’ve now used this recipe twice and will continue to use with the shortened baking times due to my oven.
I’ve made this cake with King Arthur measure for measure gluten free flour several times, and it comes out amazing! I have also added fresh rhubarb and had great results, although it doesn’t last as long before getting a bit soggy. Just wanted to share in case other GF bakers were eying the recipe! I use both King Arthur and Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 regularly, and in my opinion King Arthur is better for this particular cake.
This is a fabulous recipe!! Had company this evening for dinner …6feet apart👍 I served this for dessert and all 4 people asked me for the recipe and asked me to make it again! Thank you Jenn for this magnificent recipe. So moist and the sugar on top so lushily crisp👍
Delicious! Simple ingredients, easy to make, and a beautiful presentation. I serve it with lightly sweetened whipped cream and it is perfect. Thanks, Jenn!
Hi there,
I needed your input on why some of the strawberries in my “Strawberry Cake” sort of sank in the batter/cake giving it an unattractive presentation after I baked it in the morning and let it cool on a baking rack…?
Hi JooJoo, Sorry to hear the strawberries sunk. Did you use really large strawberries? If so, try cutting them smaller next time around.
I don’t normally leave reviews online but this cake was delicious, everyone loved it and my partner has asked if I can make it again when we next have people over. After reading previous reviews I was concerned about the strawberries sinking, so I chopped them into smaller chunks and they stayed on the top. I also only used 120g sugar instead of the amount shown and it was brilliant! Thank you for such a lovely recipe!
This cake is delicious. Reminds me of butter cake except with strawberries. I don’t have a beater so I used a wisk. Works like a charm and works my arm muscle! Very easy to make.
What does 3/4 lb strawberries equate to in cups?
Hi Lynne, I would guesstimate it’s around 2 cups. Hope you enjoy!
I completely love this cake recipe! Everything from the batter to the final cake was absolutely delicious. It was simple and not too much work. This is a great cake recipe that I will definitely being making again! Thanks!
Wow! I’m new to the site and this was a total hit! Super easy to mix up and put in the oven before dinner and the whole family devoured it. The cake was especially delicious – crispy edges, not too sweet, and just a perfect combo with the strawberries. I’ve been asked to make another one. I’m so glad to have found your site and excited to try my next recipe!
This cake is so easy! But most importantly, it is DELICIOUS! The cake itself is very moist, the strawberries are very sweet and soft. It baked as long as the recipe indicated. I put a simple lemon glaze on it and the two flavors work very nicely! I will put this recipe in my favorite recipe binder……..
I have made this recipe three times, baking it in a glass pie plate. The taste and texture is delicious. However, each time I’ve made it, the edges have burned.
Is the glass pie plate contributing to this. I will make it again, but I need some guidance. Thanks.
Yes, I do think the edges are probably burning because of the glass (which holds more heat than metal). I’d reduce the oven temp by 25°F next time. Hope that helps!
I have made this cake about 5 times now – always super easy and such a hit!!
This is probably the first time I’ve ever reviewed a recipe, but I am going out of my way to do this because this is hands down the best cake I have ever made, and the best cake I have ever eaten. Seriously. I gave this to my husband who doesn’t even like fruit in desserts and he raved about it for days. Then I gave the recipe to a friend of mine, who said her husband told her it was the best cake she had ever made! It is gorgeous, the cake is fluffy and moist, the sugar crust on top is divine, and the strawberries just take it to a whole other level.
One of my husbands favourite cakes. So easy to make, moist and flavoursome.
Hi Jenn!
I want to thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I modified it by adding diced strawberries, use palm sugar instead of white sugar and sprinkled fine sugar for the top, it made the top really hard you could knock on it and heard it replied with a “hello?”
Even my mother who doesn’t like cake love this! She said it tastes like the Dutch cakes she ate when she was young.
Thank you so much!
where can I get the pan that is pictured in the recipe? Thank you
Hi Susan, It’s an Emile Henry pie dish. You can find it at a number of places including Sur la Table.
I made this in my (buttered & lined) springform pan, exactly as directed, and it turned out perfectly. Served with whipped cream. Yum!
Perfect! Easy to make and lovely presentation. THANK YOU!
Wondering, though, if this will freeze well.
Glad you liked it! Yes, it freezes nicely. See freezer-friendly instructions at the bottom of the recipe.
I bake this all the time with my daughter who is 4. It’s easy, simple and delicious. We have one in the oven right now!
This cake is phenomenal! I have had my eye on this recipe since it was posted and finally got around to making it this weekend. This batter is particularly light and my husband and I love the crunchy-sugar topping. Funny story, as all ovens are different, we baked the cake as instructed, timer goes off, the cake is still jiggly in the middle, Hubby timed it for another 20 minutes. The cake was perfect. It turns out, that our over is 25 degrees off! Amazing, we got a cake. Didn’t know until Friday, so we will get that fixed. Thank you for the tasty recipe. Sissy
Since I cannot celebrate my birthday with family or friends this year, I have decided to make this for myself. Just made it with the designated time but the tester came out with raw batter attached. Set the timer for an additional 15 minutes. I used the biggest berries and they all stayed on the surface just slightly surrounded by the cake and covered in crunchy turbinado sugar. Looks stunning and smells amazing. Will serve with Strauss Vanilla Bean ice cream and will cry if I want to.
🙂 Hope you enjoy (and happy birthday)!
Hi Jen! Can I use canned peaches for this recipe?
Hi Sandra, I actually have a peach version of it — you can find it here. (The only change is the addition of the streusel.) And I haven’t tried it with canned peaches, but another reader said he did and was happy with the results. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Thanks Jen! My first time on your site. Delicious And easy recipe. Had some very ripe strawberries that were about to go bad, so decided to use them in a cake! This was the perfect solution. Happened to have some visitors, and it was a real hit! Comments that it’s very light and delicious.
I reduced the sugar to 150 g and used about 1 tablespoon of sugar to sprinkle over the cake before baking. Personally, I prefer cakes that are not too sweet, so I probably could’ve reduced the sugar to 135-140 g and it would’ve been just fine. Also, I would have wanted even more strawberries in the cake, as there are only strawberries covering the surface.
Used an 8 inch round cake pan. Presentation was lovely! Husband and daughter approved to make again!
Another great recipe! Thanks. I’ve made the Strawberry Cake twice and each time it was a total success. My cakes looked just like your picture. I served it once with ice cream and whipped cream the next time. Good either way. My daughter made the cake too and put some of her home made strawberry jam with her whipped cream to sweet the cream. She said it was delicious.
Can I use Splenda or Truvia for baking instead of the sugar? Diabetic husband.
Hi Jacki, 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!
Be sure you have a crowd to share this strawberry cake with, otherwise you’ll eat the whole thing by yourself! It’s that good!
I’ve used fresh raspberries, blackberries and blueberries (or a mix) – all wonderful. I prefer these to cooked strawberries. I have also used drained morello cherries (and added a few drops of almond essence to the vanilla essence).
I use a square 8x8x2inch tin and line it. I put about 16 berries into the cake, then push them down into the mix and then add another layer of berries on top! In this way, you get two lots of berries. I lift the cake out of the tin along with the baking paper as soon as it is cooked- otherwise it might dry a little. A fabulously moist cake – my “go to” cake.
Hi Jenn! I want to make this cake as it is strawberry season in the south. Because I’m not able to get to the store to get ingredients, could I use half and half instead of the milk?
Sure, Colette, half and half should work. Hope you enjoy!
hi Jenn. Can I use fresh raspberries for this recipe? Thank you.
I haven’t tried it with raspberries, but a number of readers have commented that they have with good results. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
I’ve been cooking and baking for 15 years and this is one of the best, most balanced cakes I’ve ever made. It’s so simple yet delicious. Making cakes with fresh fruits can be risky as the fruits release their juice and wet the cake. This recipe is perfect in that sense as well. It was a real hit among my colleagues at the office. I’ll definitely try it again, maybe with other fruits, mix of berries etc. One thing I noticed about my cake was that I could’ve used larger strawberries because I put small ones in the centre and the dough rose more than I wanted, swallowing the strawberries. The taste was still good but for a nicer look, I’ll use larger strawberries next time. So, thanks so much Jenn for this great recipe. I’ve already shared it with friends and family.