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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Just made this simple cake while on holiday
Found some beautifully ripe strawberries at a farmers market but couldn’t manage to eat them all so we tried this. It’s perfect!!! Cant wait to try it with fresh peaches too as another reviewer suggested. Seems like a very versatile cake recipe! Many thanks!!!
Can I use self raising flour or plain
Hi Deirdre, I’d use plain (aka all-purpose) flour here. Hope you enjoy!
I’ve made this four times now. My husband is obsessed!
This is such a wonderful recipe! It was so tasty, the two of us ate it within 24 hours 😀 Easy to make, looks good, super tasty. Thank you very much 🙂 I’ll be checking out your other recipes too!
Another lovely recipe! This turned out fantastic and was so easy. Looks just like the photo. Thank you!!
Cake is good, but to me cooked strawberries just end up tasting like strawberry jam. Will eat my strawberries uncooked. I have made a similar cake with peaches, so will try that instead.
Could you double the recipe and make it in a 9 x 13 Jen?
Yep, that should work. Enjoy!
My strawberry cake came out great – it was just as beautiful as the picture. We served it with icecream to lots of compliments. Last week when I had three ripe peaches, I made this cake with peaches (soaked in brown sugar). Since the peaches were very juicy, I saved some of the juice and poured it over the cake before serving it.
Made it twice this summer, every time successfully. Jenn, your recipes are so delicious and easy. Thank you very much.
Baked this Strawberry Cake twice. So easy to bake, and it really does taste delicious. Please try this recipe, you really won’t regret it.
Second recipe of yours that I have made and again AMAZING with ice cream and a spoon of sugared strawberries. Big hit and recipe has been shared with friends. Would like to try next with a mixture of strawberries and some saskatoons. Mmmm. Thank you so much, you have a faithful follower.
Hi Jen,
I love your recipes. Always successful and delicious!!
In your Strawberry Cake is it possible to use frozen strawberries (that I picked and froze) or would they be too watery? If not in this recipe which recipe would you recommend for these wonderful flavourful strawberries?
Thank you so much for your inspiration and advice.
Hi Gayle, It’s perfectly fine to use frozen strawberries for this cake. Hope you enjoy (and glad you like the recipes)!
This cake is terrific! I’ve wanted to try it for a long time… once I finally did, I’ve made one every week since;) I’ve made it with just strawberries and a strawberry/blueberry combination, we loooved them both! Tastes so good warm with vanilla ice cream… Next time I’d like to try it with your no churn cheesecake ice cream from your book! Thanks for another winner!
This cake was just ok – kind of boring and bland really. Topping it with ice cream made it a decent dessert, but wouldn’t make again. There are much better desserts out there.
you neglect to say how much of the sugar you set aside for the topping – is it part of the 1/12 cups sugar or is there additional sugar. want to bake this tomorrow but need help
Hi Pat, the recipe calls for 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar. One cup goes into the batter and the remaining 2 tablespoons are sprinkled on top. Hope that clarifies and that you enjoy!
Hey Jenn,
I used this with fresh strawberries a month ago and it was fantastic! If I decide to use frozen strawberries do I need to let them thaw out first or not? Please advise when you have a chance.
Glad you liked it! No need to thaw frozen strawberries.
Hi Jenn,
I tried this cake today and it came out delish! My son is celiac so I made it gluten-free with 1 cup gf four and 1/4 +1/4 cup of coconut flour and almond meal. I am so happy I found this quick, yummy and very forgiving recipe. Thanks for sharing it!!
I’ve made this cake quite a few times now, and it is delicious!
Yesterday I picked some rhubarb from the garden. As there wasn’t quite enough for a crumble I decided to make this cake using the rhubarb instead of strawberries.
It was absolutely beautiful!
I think my next experiment might involve strawberries AND rhubarb 😋😋😋
Just as you said: This is so simple, so easy, and SO delicious!! I frequently bake different things for my family and this one has been hands down among their favourites.
This is a wonderful treat–simply delicious–loved the texture and the flavor! I suggest placing a little foil or a pan under your pie dish to keep your oven clean 🙂 It gets juicy while it cooks, but it settles perfectly as it cools.
Today I’m trying this recipe with beautiful Michigan cherries and blueberries, and I’m sure it will be huge hit! Thank you for the great recipe, Jenn!
It’s good, but 1 hour is not enough, last time I baked it 80 min, and it was still wet near strawberries. Any advice?
Hi Marta, because of the juice that the fruit releases, it’s normal for the cake to be a little wetter near the berries (so it sounds like you didn’t do anything wrong).
Thank You for this fantastic recipe – I used soft dark brown sugar and egg replacer – such a simple recipe but what a success! Totally delicious, moist and the strawberries are almost jam-like. Definitely one to try with different fruits as well. 😊
Super yummy. I added some strawberry chunks in the batter. still nice in texture👍👍👍
This is a fabulous cake and so easy to make. I made it for my three teenage grandchildren yesterday and they loved it so much they finished it before they went to bed. My daughter just asked me for the recipe as they want another one tonight. My son-in-law loves it too!
This is such a delicious cake. It’s very easy to make and looks beautiful! Made 2 today, will freeze one. I love that I can count on your recipes, Jenn!
I liked that the sugar on top made the surface crusty, but I’d use less sugar in the recipe than indicated — it was a bit too sweet. Also, even after baking for more than an hour, the bottom of the cake remained kind of mushy (despite a toothpick test coming out clean). My son said that texture reminded him of cookie dough ice cream (which was a compliment) but I’d have preferred a more typical moist cake texture.
I’ve made the dish twice. First time, I followed the recipe. Very tasty. Second time, I added one cup of fresh blueberries to the batter. Even better! The blueberries added additional flavor and moisture. I took it to a 4th of July cookout. It received rave reviews. Will definitely make it again.
This cake was quick, easy, and most importantly, delicious! I will definitely make this again. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
I have frozen strawberries I would like to use. Would that work?
Sure – enjoy!
Easy to make and delicious cake!
Amazingly simple recipe and delicious results! Cake looked stunning and tasted so good! Highly recommend it!
I made this recipe BUT unfortunately it didn’t look as good as the picture. It tastes yummy. Will definitely give it another go. Any tip on how not to make the strawberries sink?
Hi Teresa, Next time, I’d cut the strawberries in slightly smaller pieces. Glad it tasted good though! 🙂
I just made this cake..followed the recipe and the result was brilliant..I will definitely make this many many times..loved it..
I’ve tried many of your recipes and like the rest, this one is a keeper. It blew me away how perfect the cake was! I will have to make it again next strawberry season when I can actually share with others. For now, I get it all to myself. 🙂 Thank you!
Loved this recipe! Tasted great. The cake finished by day 2.
I’ve made five of these in the last three weeks, all to rave reviews. My pie plate is yellow with scalloped edges, so the presentation is really nice. I can’t believe how moist the leftovers stay, even after two days. Yours is my favorite recipe site, and I appreciate all the comments you make as you go, since it answers the questions that arise as I follow your directions. Kudos!
Yours is my favorite recipe website.
❤️
I love this cake❤️
made this last night. absolutely totally wonderfully delicious. easy to make. I didn’t use a specific amount of strawberries; I just put enough to cover the top in a pretty pattern. I used a springform pan and it worked perfectly. i can see this doing equally well with blueberries, raspberries, even peaches, etc. will serve this to any guest proudly! keeper recipe!
Hi Jenn,
How many days in advance can the cake be prepared? I love all of your recipes and look forward to enjoying this one!
Hi Leslie, It keeps nicely for several days. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Thanks so much for your quick reply!! I’m sure I’ll enjoy it as much as I do all of your other recipes!
I have been wanting to make this cake for ages. Now that strawberries are in season I made it today. I used a square 8×8 pan. It turned out wonderfully. This is definitely in my personal cookbook now and I will be making it again.
Easy, delicious, and came out just like the picture!! I love this recipe, just went strawberry picking and wanted a new recipe to use up some of the berries. The crust that forms on the top with the sprinkled sugar is amazing. I will definitely be making this one again.
This was really easy to make, and it was perfect for the remainder of the strawberries from strawberry picking! I added in a few blueberries for color and to make up for a slightly smaller amount of strawberries. There were no leftovers!
I don’t have any unsalted butter. Can I use salted butter and omit the 1/2 teaspoon of salt?
Hi Pam, If using salted butter, I’d cut the salt to 1/4 teaspoon instead of omitting it. Hope you enjoy!
I had a bumper crop of strawberries and was looking for some new ways to use them. This is simple and really delicious. Family loves it!
I made this cake today after reading several of the comments from people who had difficulty with the strawberries “sinking” so I cut the strawberries into quarters and arranged them in a lovely pattern that way. My cake turned out beautifully however I think I will try it with large fruit next time as it seemed as if there was too little fruit for the amount of cake. We do have extra strawberries so I will serve those with the cake when we have it next time. This is a very nice recipe; I did add about a half teaspoon of almond extract along with the vanilla just because I love almond and a bit of sparkling sugar on top along with the regular sugar. My husband loved it ~ he is a dessert lover!
Hi Jen-This cake is so awesome as is – I’ve made it many, many times!!However, I was wondering if I can use buttermilk instead of the regular milk? If so, are there any other adjustments to the recipe?? Thanks so much:)
ps-My apologies if you’ve already answered this type of question- There were too many reviews to comb through!!
Hi Ellen, Glad you like it! For the best results, I’d stick with regular milk here.
Hey Jenn, for the sweetened whipped cream, would you use the same as you do for your Strawberry Shortcake or do you have another recipe that you like better that you would be willing to share? Thanks!
Hi Cheryl, you could use that but I’ve decided that I actually prefer using [the same amount of] confectioners’ sugar instead of granulated sugar (the cornstarch in confectioners’ sugar helps to stabilize the whipped cream a little better). Hope that helps!
Really like this cake!
So simple to make and delicious to eat. I have made the recipe 3 times this week so far and baked them in 2 small 6 in round tins and gave them away as gifts. They are well accepted!
Easy and simple to make…I used oat milk and it turned out great…yummy cake
I had too many strawberries and wanted to try something new. I stumbled on this recipe, it’s super easy to follow…basic ingredients (everything you have at home). It came out perfectly. I used oat milk and it worked. Awesome recipe
I don’t have a 9-inch deep dish pie pan or a 9-inch square cake pan, but have a 9 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ quiche pan. Would that work???
Hi Suzanne, I think that should work.
Thank you. It worked. Love the cake!!!
What a beautiful cake! Need to use up my giant strawberries! Can I use oat milk instead? Also would like to reduce the butter and sugar a bit for health purpose…..also don’t have a handheld blender. 😅
Hi Win, You can definitely use oat milk, but I wouldn’t reduce the butter and sugar too much or the cake will be dry. (You could easily omit the sugar that gets sprinkled on top though.) Mixing by hand will work but it will take some elbow grease!
I made this recipe last night – it was delicious! My family loved it and my husband had seconds.
Great recipe. Very easy and very tasty. Turned out just like the picture too. Do not hesitate to try it, especially in June! It’s strawberry season!
Hey Jenn!
Love your recipes. Can I use frozen strawberries?
Thank you!
So glad you like the recipes (and yes, frozen strawberries will work here) – hope you enjoy! 🙂
Thanks for your response. I just made the recipe and the cake is delicious!! Thank you for another amazing recipe.
So glad you enjoyed! 🙂
This was delicious and so easy! A huge hit with everyone – I’ll be making this again!