Strawberry Cake
Strawberry Cake – Tender strawberry cake layers with fresh strawberries and cream cheese frosting.
Inspiration
A couple years ago, I was in Dallas for my consulting job and had some time to grab lunch with my older brother. I travel to Dallas quite a bit for work and Chris always takes me to the yummiest restaurants (Porch, Smoke, Savor… to name a few). We usually don’t get a lot of time together, so we often skip dessert (insert sad face emoji here). This time around, however, we had just enough time to make a stop at the Cake Bar.
Of course, I wanted to order a slice of everything, but narrowed it down to two flavors: chocolate and strawberry (a customer favorite, I was told). I’m typically a chocolate lover, but this time (to my surprise) I was blown away by the strawberry cake. It was perfection; so flavorful and moist. I just couldn’t stop shoveling it into my mouth. I knew immediately that I had to recreate this cake when I got home.
Strawberry Cake
As soon as I got returned from my trip, I started looking at strawberry cake recipes. Based on my research, I knew I wanted to use flavored gelatin because it would give the cake an added punch of strawberry flavor that strawberry puree on its own didn’t seem to achieve in most recipes. The Cake Bar cake had such a great strawberry flavor. I’m convinced they used the flavored gelatin too. I’d love to find out someday!
The cake turned out super moist and fluffy, not dense like so many other strawberry cakes do. The sifted cake flour also helps to create a light cake.
So, as far as the cake goes, I’m giving it two thumbs up. I’m super happy with how it turned out and will be putting it in my arsenal of cake recipes.
Filling
When I originally made this strawberry cake, I paired it with a strawberry puree filling. I’ve since changed the filling and now fill the cake with more cream cheese frosting and fresh strawberries. It helps to make the cake a little less sweet actually.
Frosting
I used to not love cream cheese frosting until I learned to make my own. This one is SO good! It’s my go-to cream cheese frosting. I’ve used it in so many cakes (you can see the list HERE). I use less cream cheese than most people do, I think. Just enough to give it a tart flavor, but not too much where the flavor steals the show.
I hope you love this cake as much as I do. And if you’ve ever had the Cake Bar version, I’d love to know how you think it compares!
Enjoy!
Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
FOR THE STRAWBERRY CAKE
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 3 oz. package of strawberry flavored Jell-O
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 5 large egg whites room temperature
- 3 cups plus 3 tablespoons (366.5 g) cake flour
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.8 g) salt
- 1 cup (240 g buttermilk) room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (12g) pure vanilla extract
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM
- 1 1/2 cups (339 g) unsalted butter, slightly chilled
- 4 oz. cream cheese slightly chilled
- 6 cups (750 g) powdered sugar, measured and then sifted
- 3 tablespoons (43.3 g) heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.
- Fresh strawberries
Instructions
- For the Strawberry Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, then place parchment rounds on the bottom and spray again. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, Jell-O, and sugar for about 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the egg whites, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl between each addition.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla. Mix for another 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again on low for another 20 seconds.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about 16 ounces of batter in each pan). I used three 8-inch pans and my cooking time was 22 minutes. Baking time should be between 22-25 minutes for the 8-inch, but make sure to check on your cakes around 22 minutes, inserting a toothpick into the top of the cake (should come out with just a few crumbs) or gently tapping the top of your cake (shouldn't jiggle, but instead, bounce back up when done).
- Let cool in your pans for 10 minutes and then invert onto wire cooling racks until completely cooled.
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and cream cheese and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until incorporated.
- Keeping the mixer on low, add the cream, vanilla and salt.
- Turn the mixer to medium and beat the frosting for 3-5 minutes, or until it is light in color (almost white) and texture.
- To remove air bubbles from the frosting, use a wooden spoon to stir and push out the air bubbles.
Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. Strawberry cake layers with cream cheese frosting and fresh strawberries
Great recipe. This is definitely a summer showstopper with lots of flavor. The frosting is perfect. I thought the cake was a bit on the sweet side but my family loved it. Check the bake time sooner than later. Mine was perfectly baked at 12 minutes! 🙂
Loved this cake! So flavorful, and the texture is 👌🏼. However, I encountered a slight hiccup when making cupcakes…the cupcake liners do not adhere to the cupcakes after cooling; they just fall away in their own. I had the same issue with your white cake recipe and have used several different liners. Any tips? Thanks!
I’ve read a few things saying it could be a moisture issue or over baking but I’m not really sure.
Did this issue ever get resolved? I was thinking about using this recipe for cupcakes as well
I made this for my daughter’s birthday because she loves strawberries and the color pink. It was so delicious! Everyone at her party was raving about it. I did have a bit of leakage from the fresh strawberries, so I wish I had patted them a bit drier before putting them in, but it made the cake even more moist!
Wishing there was a clear “assembly” section on this recipe
Hi! I’m going to make this cake tomorrow and I’m not exactly sure where to use the fresh strawberries? Just in the frosting? And if so, when and how do I incorporate them? And about how many? It doesn’t mention them in the recipe.
Thank you!
You can use them in between layers. just a thin layer of strawberries on top of your buttercream.
I’m planning to make this recipe but looking for a substitution for the strawberry Jell-o because I’m trying to avoid food dyes. What can I use instead to incorporate the strawberry flavor?
I would use my strawberry cake from my Neapolitan cake and double it to make your layers.
Do you think I could freeze my whipping cream in an ice cube tray? I use a few tablespoons of it and then end up always throwing the rest away. Do you think it would thaw normally?
I wouldn’t. It won’t thaw the same.
About how many slices can you get out of this size cake? I am going to make this for a birthday party and there will be about 12 people.
about 18 so you’re good!
Could I use two nine-inch pans instead of the three eight-inch?
Yes
I haven’t tried this recipe but I’m sure its amazing. Would your vanilla buttercream recipe pair well with this strawberry cake? So instead of the cream frosting? I’m looking for a good strawberry cake with vanilla buttercream recipe. Hope to hear back thx.
Yes for sure!
I have successfully made several of your recipes and they were fantastic- the chocolate with salted caramel buttercream is a continued fan favorite! But I made this and it was super dense. I’m know I didn’t over beat it and it was a beautiful color all around so I don’t feel like I over cooked it. Any idea on what happened? Or is this just a denser cake. I also froze my layers… is this a cake that can’t be frozen?
It is a denser cake and you didn’t do anything wrong.
I added 1 tsp of Strawberry Extract to the icing and it gave it a delightful hint of strawberry flavor
This recipe is a favorite in our family. We keep coming back to it for birthdays and special occasions!
I think this recipe is missing the assembly instructions. Would love to know the ratios! Thanks so much
SO WEIRD! working on that right now
Cake was super dense. I am an avid baker. Followed the instruction, didn’t miss a thing! Made 3 6in rounds and each were only an inch thick. Not sure how that would have translated to an 8in pan. Would have been super thin. Mostly if not all of my cakes bake up to two inch so that was unfortunate not to know ahead of time that it needed to be doubled at least
I am so excited to make this cake for my daughter’s birthday. I was planning on doing stripes with the frosting using your stripe tool, but will the cream cheese frosting be too soft for that? Should I switch to a buttercream? Thanks!
Cream cheese buttercream can be a little trickier but will still work. If you don’t want to have to stress at all, then yeah, I’d switch to regular.
How do I make this recipe into cupcakes? And if I’m looking for a pink frosting, can I just use food coloring? Thanks!
You’ll just bake them for about 20-25 minutes but don’t change anything else. Yes you can use a little food gel coloring for the pink.
How many people will this serve?
About 16-18