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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hello mrs.Jen
sorry to trouble you.
My batter was not thick like i expect it to be,instead it quite fluid.What should i do?.?
Hi Belt, Sorry you had trouble with the batter. Did you make any substitutions?
nope, I tried to bake the batter anyway
it was a bit sticky, but still delicious
I guess I add too much milk and flour, will try to make a better one next time C:
This recipe frustrates me no end as first time I made the cake the strawberries all sunk and the cake colour was pink although the taste was delicious. The second time I did it it was perfect! No sunken strawberries and the cake looked like the one in the picture and tasted once again delicious. I’ve just made another one and haven’t done anything different but once again all strawberries have sunk!
Hi Shirley, Are you using fresh or frozen strawberries?
My family loved this cake. Can it be made using other fruits?
Hi Jan, Yes, I know from experience that other berries and peaches work well.
we in the uk work in gms or pounds and ounces. your cake looks great but your recipe means nothing to me.
Hi Derna, I am in the process of updating all of my recipes with metric measurements. This one has been updated — just click on “metric measurements” in the top right corner of the recipe.
Has anyone tried using this with frozen strawberries??? Does it come out or work the same??
Made this twice, both times came out very good. Next time I think I’ll add even more fruit, but that’s just me.
Hi Jen, I’m from the UK and work in grams not cups, any chance you could post a conversion? Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Hi Rachael, I’ve just updated the recipe with metric (I’m in the process of doing this with my other recipes as well). On the recipe, you will see a button where you can select cup measures or metric. Hope that helps!
This looks great. Is there a substitute for the butter?
Hi Bernie, Margarine would work. Enjoy!
Thanks for your response. Could I use Canola Oil or would that change the consistency too much?
Hi Bernie, Oil won’t work in this recipe — sorry!
luv luv your strawberry cake recipe❤️❤️ I have to get a red pie dish like yours..
Could you share the brand? Thanks in advance…jeanne
Hi Jeanne, Wish I could be more helpful but I just checked and it doesn’t say anything on it. I bought it at the supermarket. Sorry!
I got a red pan just like in the photo from Target.
This sounds so delicious and I am looking to make this right now. Can I use salted butter as I don’t have unsalted?
Hi Iris, Yes, that’s fine; just reduce the salt in the recipe to 1/4 teaspoon.