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. 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.
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.
This simple Strawberry Cake was really just that….simple, straight forward comforting flavor and texture. Will make again!!
The cake is fantastic! I enjoyed it with a side of vanilla ice cream. Thank you Jenn for posting the recipe.
Hello, a quick query: do you only butter the pan or butter and flour (which is what I usually do for cakes)? Thanks! And thanks so much for this website, I have discovered it recently, but it is totally my favorite!
Hi Ilaria, Glad you are enjoying the site! It’s only necessary to butter in this case because the cake is served straight from the pan.
Hi Jenn,
I made this last night and it looked beautiful and was easy to make, but it tastes quite dry. Could I have over mixed it?
Hi Mary, Sorry the cake came out dry. It’s a very moist cake so I don’t think over-mixing would cause the problem. Did you cut back on the butter or make any substitutions?
No, although I have been known to cut back on the butter, I didn’t with this recipe. I had to go out for a few hours before dinner, so I did whip the butter and sugar, left it on the counter covered and then finished making the recipe a few hours later, would that make a difference?
Hi Mary, Probably not; I would try reducing the cook time a bit next time. Your oven may run a little hot.
I never tire of trying your recipes, Jen, they have never gone wrong! My boss and workmates loved this strawberry cake, my 3 kids wanted more of this.. I had to (which I was more than happy to do) bake this twice for a friend who never got to taste this the first time as the whole thing “melted in her daughters’ mouths”, love it!
Can I use box cake mix.
Made this and thought it was great. Used my KitchenAid mixer to do it. A photo of it was my first post on Facebook and it looks identical to yours. Thanks!
How funny! Don’t know which came first, but this looks like the same *exact* cake (picture and all) that is on Martha Stewart’s website… “Strawberry Cake.”
Hi Annabel, Yes, you’re correct. The recipe was originally published in Martha Stewart Living many years ago and sent to me by one of my readers. (You’ll find the source and link cited over the recipe and on the printed recipe page.)
Hi I tried this recipe and my friends loved it.They are waiting for next cake.I loved your red baking dish too.would you share the brand name please.
So glad you enjoyed it! I wish I could tell you the brand of the pie dish but it all it says is “Stoneware” — if it helps, I actually got it at the supermarket in the cookware section.
This is simple to make with ingredients I had on hand and strawberries that needed to be used quickly. It’s tasty and got rave reviews from my family.
I just made this and everyone loved it. Thank you!