Go Back
–+ servings
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe

Made with fresh and freeze-dried strawberries, this homemade strawberry cake is soft, flavorful, and topped with a dreamy strawberry frosting.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake, homemade strawberry cake, homemade strawberry cake recipe, how to make strawberry cake, strawberry buttercream, strawberry cake, strawberry cake from scratch, strawberry cake recipe, strawberry sheet cake
Servings: 16 servings
Author: Alyssa Rivers

Equipment

  • 1 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan

Ingredients

Cake

Strawberry Buttercream

  • 3 tablespoons powdered freeze-dried strawberries about ½ ounce before being crushed
  • 1 cup softened salted butter
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Cake

  • Crush the freeze-dried strawberries to powder using a food processor, blender, or coffee grinder. If you don’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.
  • 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 ½ teaspoon salt to a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside.
  • Add ½ cup softened unsalted butter and 1 ½ 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 ½ 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 ¾ 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 ½ 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: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 302mg | Potassium: 313mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 50g | Vitamin A: 724IU | Vitamin C: 219mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 5mg

QR code

Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.

qr code