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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This cake is amazing! My husband isn’t the biggest strawberry fan, and this is now one of his favorites. Very easy to make and all ingredients are pantry staples- don’t change a thing. Served it with homemade whipped cream, and it didn’t last! Absolutely a keeper and I’ll be making this often!
Jenn, I never post but I must say that this is time and time again, a fantastic summer dessert. I have made it so many times already and our family loves it with a little fresh whipped cream or some sour cream with a touch of sugar and vanilla or almond extract. Thank you for your generous, most tried and true recipes. 💕
This is amazing and I will make it often this summer. A little whipped cream is a treat, but it’s great without it too. Perfect summer dessert.
I forgot to add that I used a 9 x 9 square pan and it turned out perfectly, despite what other reviewers mentioned:).
Thank you for verifying! I agree, and I think that some are forgetting that Jen is using a 9″ DEEP DISH, which definitely holds more than a standard 9″ pie pan.
Have made this twice. Absolutely delicious with some fresh whipped cream on top! I only sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar and find it plenty already. Also use parchment paper in a 9×8 pan and pour the batter in directly. This will definitely be part of the dessert rotation now 🙂 Thank you!
So delicious!!!! Picked fresh strawberries and I, my friend, and daughter all made this cake with great success. Thank you!!!
Could the cake batter be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge overnight or possibly a couple of days? Going camping and would add the strawberries at the time of the bake. Thanks! Mary
Hi Mary, Unfortunately, it won’t work to refrigerate the batter as the cake won’t rise well when you go to bake it. If you’d like, you can mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another and then combine them and proceed with the recipe when you’re ready to bake it.
Having company and want strawberry dessert ready without last minute prep? This is the best strawberry dessert! Made many times and people are looking for it now strawberry season is here. Thanks so much. A retired home economics teacher
I haven’t made this yet, but I’m planning on making it soon. Im just wondering if other fruit can be used… peaches, other berries, etc.?
Yes, both peaches and other berries will work here. Enjoy!
Could you use rhubarb and strawberries in this?
Sure, I think that would work. I’d love to hear how it turns out with the addition of rhubarb. 🙂
It was so good!! I used fresh strawberries and frozen rhubarb. I also use an 8″ square pan. Best variation I’ve made of them so far, thought they are all amazing. Would nectarines work with this?
So glad you like it! Yes, I think nectarines will also work here. Please LMK how it turns out!
So delicious and easy! Definitely a keeper.
Hi, Jenn. Loved the cake, but I think the square pan size should be 8-inch. Based on volume, it seems that the equivalent of a 9-inch pie pan would be an 8-inch square pan. I baked mine in a 9-inch square pan, and it was slightly overbaked at 44 mins (plus the initial 10). It’s a darker metal pan, but still I think the sizing was part of the problem. The cake was still delicious, but it would have been even better if I had baked it a few minutes less.
Glad you liked the cake and I agree that a 9-inch square pan is a bit big – my bad! I am going to change the recipe to indicate that if you don’t have a pie pan, a 9-inch round cake pan is a good alternative. Thanks for pointing that out!
Or you can keep the 9” pan, multiply all the ingredients by 1.5, and make a bigger cake so you stand a fighting chance of having some leftover for tomorrow’s breakfast! Our only problem with this recipe is that it is gone too soon.