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Ever since I discovered the amazing flavors that freeze-dried strawberries add, Iโ€™ve been using them as much as possible. This strawberry cake? No exception. And donโ€™t even get me started on the frosting… Itโ€™s dangerously good.

Slice of strawberry cake on a plate with a fork with a bite of cake on it.

Reasons You’ll Fall in Love with This Cake

  • Real Strawberry Flavor: Made with fresh and freeze-dried strawberries, this cake blows boxed cake out of the water. Strawberry lovers, this oneโ€™s for you!
  • Soft and Fluffy Texture: One bite and youโ€™ll get soft, fluffy cake with frosting that basically melts in your mouth. I can’t wait for you to try it!
  • That Frosting Though! When I tell you this frosting will be your new obsession, Iโ€™m not lying. I seriously just want to eat it with a spoon!

Strawberry Cake Ingredients

Overhead shot of labeled strawberry cake ingredients.
Overhead shot of labeled strawberry butter cream ingredients.
  • For a strawberry-lemon twist: Add lemon zest and swap the cream for lemon juice in the frosting.

How to Make Strawberry Cake from Scratch:

This cake is surprisingly simple to make with just a few basic steps. Follow along and youโ€™ll have a homemade dessert that tastes as amazing as it looks.

  1. Crush The Strawberries: Crush the freeze-dried strawberries into powder using a food processorblender, or coffee grinder. If you donโ€™t have any of those on hand, you can put them in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to crush them as fine as possible.
  2. Whisk Dry Ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350ยบF. Spray a 9 x 13 x 2-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside. 
  3. Beat Butter and Sugar: Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and beat on medium-high speed with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
  4. Add Wet Ingredients: Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla and mix until combined. Add the powdered strawberries and mix until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  5. Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. The batter will be quite thick.
  6. Add Strawberries: Stir in the diced strawberries by hand until evenly distributed in the batter. 
  7. Bake: Add the cake batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed on. Remove the strawberry cake from the oven and let it cool completely.

Frosting

  1. Crush the Strawberries & Beat Butter: Crush the freeze-dried strawberries for the frosting in the same manner as instructed above, and set aside. Add the butter to a large bowl and beat on high speed with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. 
  2. Finish with Sugar and Strawberry Powder: Beat in the powdered sugar and strawberry powder on low, then increase speed until creamy, scraping as needed. Add cream and mix until smooth. Spread over the cooled cake. Top with fresh strawberries, if youโ€™d like, and serve.

Alyssa’s Top Tip

Expert Tip: Do NOT skip the freeze-dried strawberry powder! They are dried at peak ripeness, so they have tons of flavor and don’t add unnecessary moisture to the cake.

Different Cake Options

  • Cupcakes: Want cupcakes instead? Try these Strawberry Cupcakes!
  • Round Layer Cake: Round cakes are great if you are making this for a special occasion! To make a round layer cake, split the batter between two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25โ€“28 minutes, until the center springs back and a toothpick comes out clean.
Overhead shot of someone frosting the homemade strawberry cake.

Leftover Strawberry Cake Instructions

  • Room Temperature: Cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
  • Freezing: Wrap the cake in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for 2โ€“3 hours. Can be frozen with or without frosting.

More Ways to Enjoy Sweet Strawberries

This strawberry cake is a perfect way to enjoy all of the fresh summer berries available, just like this Strawberry Spinach Salad, Honey Lime Poppyseed Salad, and this Strawberry Cobbler. Here are a few more ideas!

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Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe

5 from 1 vote
By: Alyssa Rivers
Made with fresh and freeze-dried strawberries, this homemade strawberry cake is soft, flavorful, and topped with a dreamy strawberry frosting.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 16 servings

Equipment

  • 1 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan

Ingredients 

Cake

Strawberry Buttercream

  • 3 tablespoons powdered freeze-dried strawberries about ยฝ ounce before being crushed
  • 1 cup softened salted butter
  • 2 ยฝ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions 

Cake

  • Crush the freeze-dried strawberries to powder using aย food processor,ย blender, orย coffee grinder. If you donโ€™t have any of those on hand, you can put them in a ziplock bag and use aย rolling pinย to crush them as fine as possible.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13 x 2-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and, if you would like to remove the cake from the pan before serving, line it with a sheet of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on either side. Spray the parchment lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Add 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ยฝ teaspoon salt to a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
  • Add ยฝ cup softened unsalted butter and 1 ยฝ cups granulated sugar to a large bowl and beat on medium-high speed with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  • Add 2 large eggs, 1 ยฝ cups sour cream, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add 1 cup powdered freeze-dried strawberries and mix until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  • Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. The batter will be quite thick. Stir in ยพ cup diced fresh strawberries by hand until evenly distributed in the batter.
  • Add the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed on. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely.

Strawberry Buttercream

  • Crush the freeze-dried strawberries as directed above.
  • Add 1 cup softened salted butter to a large bowl and beat on high speed with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
  • Add 2 ยฝ cups powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons powdered freeze-dried strawberries and beat on low speed until combined.
  • Increase the speed and beat until creamy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream and mix until smooth.
  • Spread the buttercream evenly over the top of the cooled cake. Garnish with fresh sliced strawberries, if desired, and serve.

Notes

Updated April 21, 2025

Nutrition

Calories: 512kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 4gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 302mgPotassium: 313mgFiber: 3gSugar: 50gVitamin A: 724IUVitamin C: 219mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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7 Comments

  1. How would I substitute for the freeze dried strawberries? I don’t have any. I have leftover strawberry pulp from making syrup–can I use that? If so, how much?

    1. Unfortunately, strawberry pulp will not work in this dish. This recipe needs freeze-dried strawberries.

  2. Hi Serene can we use fresh strawberries instead of freeze dried? I can freeze them and then use them?

    1. Yes, that will work great too. You will want to wash them and pat them completely dry before adding them to the recipe.