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. A few days later, I had the cake in the oven, and sure enough – it turned out to be one of the simplest, prettiest, and most delicious cakes I’ve ever made.The beauty of this 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. This recipe originally appeared in Martha Stewart Living back in June 2005, but I’ve made a few tweaks to make it even better.
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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Since discovering this website I must admit that most new recipes I make come from here. Why? Because they are reliably delicious! This recipe in particular has become a family favorite. I cringe at the thought of baking, but I love making this for the fam – and they LOVE eating it – because it is easy for a novice to make and always comes out delicious. I went outside my comfort zone over the weekend and made the Rustic French Apple Tart…although it was good, after eating it my 12 year-old son invited me to make this strawberry cake again instead. High praise that he could’ve picked any dessert and this strawberry cake, which I haven’t made since late summer, is what came to mind. Thanks, Jenn!
Perfect recipe for the end of a summer meal. I love that all the ingredients are things I always have in the pantry or refrigerator, too!
This cake is a family favorite. It’s fresh, light, but extremely satisfying. Bonus that it’s easy to make. It’s a recipe that we usually already have the ingredients to if we need a quick dessert. It’s always a hit to take to family and friends and it looks so beautifully made.
I just made this for my Mom’s birthday last week and it turned out absolutely wonderful. I served it with fresh whipped cream. The next day my Mom heated it for a few seconds in the microwave and served it with vanilla ice cream. The only thing I would say is watch it carefully so that you do not overbake it. I think it takes less than what the recipe calls for.
I have made this cake numberous times through the pandemic–the batter is so smooth and luxurious. I have often substituted blueberries and other fruit for the strawberries, having success each time! I have baked it in both a square 9 inch pan and in a round pan and it turns out perfectly each time!! quick, easy, and delicious!!
Wow what a wonderful dessert! Easy to make, tastes delicious!
Amazingly simple but absolutely delicious!
The first time I made this I did not have access to a mixer so I mixed it with a whisk. It came out beautifully. So if you don’t have a mixer don’t let that stop you from trying this recipe.
I would recommend you follow Jen’s instructions for the strawberries. The second time I made this I chopped some of the berries. It messed up the ratio of cake to berry flavor so stick with her instructions.
This makes a beautifully moist cake. So much so that I can never have only one slice!!
I made this strawberry cake recipe twice because it was gone so fast the first time!
This is easy, pretty and delicious! Great for dessert or breakfast (my favorite!)
It was my birthday on Tuesday and my 15 year old son wanted to make a cake for me. I saw this one and thought it looked pretty simple and something he could pull off! Wow, it has such a simple and amazing flavor. So happy we tried it! My son was so proud of himself! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!
This was so light and delicious. It turned out perfect and was really easy. Topped with some fresh whipped cream was delightful!