Homemade Strawberry Cake

Homemade strawberry cake is super moist, with a delicious vanilla flavor and bursting with fresh berries. Then it’s covered with a sweetened whipped cream topping and even more strawberries. 

If you’re looking for the perfect way to celebrate strawberry season, then this homemade strawberry cake is just the thing. It’s moist, buttery and filled with juicy berries. Then the sweet whipped cream topping is a fluffy cloud of deliciousness that’s finished off with even more strawberries.

Talk about a showstopper.

To be honest – lately I’ve been feeling a little uninspired with baking ideas. But when I arrived at the grocery store last weekend I was greeted with a huge display of fresh, bright red, extra juicy strawberries. I knew immediately that the baking gods were smiling down on me with this gift of juicy berries.

So strawberry treats were definitely in my future.

First I made strawberry muffins. And now – this strawberry cake. It’s moist, it has a delicious buttery vanilla flavor, and best of all – it’s packed with juicy berries in every bite. It’s kind of like strawberry shortcake in fluffy sheet cake form. And if you like frosting that isn’t too sweet – then you’ll love the whipped cream topping.

Strawberry Cake Recipe

Ok – let’s talk specifics about this strawberry cake recipe. For the strawberry cake ingredients:

• Real butter. In vanilla cakes – I always use real butter so the cake is packed with flavor and never oily.
• Just enough sugar. The fresh berries add lots of sweetness too.
• 3 eggs for tenderness.
• Vanilla extract – it’s a must in any vanilla based cake.
• For the dry ingredients we’re using cake flour, baking powder, baking powder and a little salt. I like using cake flour because it creates a finer, softer crumb. If you don’t have any cake flour – you can make your own using all-purpose flour and cornstarch. I’ve included the details in the recipe notes.
• Milk and plain Greek yogurt for moisture.
• And chopped strawberries of course.  I recommend chopping them pretty small. Larger strawberry pieces are heavier and therefore more likely to drop to the bottom of the cake.

Make sure that your butter, eggs, milk and yogurt are all room temperature before getting started so that everything can evenly mix together. You warm up the butter, milk and yogurt by microwaving them in short 10 second bursts at medium power. And you can warm up the eggs by placing them in a cup of warm water for a few minutes.

Then the baked strawberry cake gets topped with our sweet whipped cream topping. It’s made with a little cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar and a touch of almond extract. First we beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar and almond extract, then slowly mix in the heavy cream. Just be careful not to beat the mixture too much or it can collapse.

The whipped cream is light, fluffy, and not too sweet. Then the cake gets topped with the fluffy whipped cream topping, and then even more fresh berries.

This strawberry cake is bursting with berries, oh so moist, and the perfect way to celebrate strawberry season.

Print Recipe

5 from 6 votes

Strawberry Cake

Homemade strawberry cake is super moist, with a delicious vanilla flavor and bursting with fresh berries. Then it's covered with a sweetened whipped cream topping and even more strawberries. 

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Cooling30 mins

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Homemade Strawberry Cake, Strawberry Recipes

Servings: 15 slices

Author: Fiona Dowling

Ingredients

Strawberry Cake

• 2 ½ cups cake flour* , not self rising
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter , softened
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup sour cream , or Greek yogurt
• ½ cup milk
• 1 ¾ cups chopped strawberries

Sweet Whipped Cream

• 4 oz cream cheese , softened
• ¼-1/2 tsp almond extract , optional
• ¾ cup powdered sugar , use 1 cup for sweeter flavor
• 1 ¾ cups heavy cream (about 35%)
• 6-8 oz strawberries , sliced

Instructions

Strawberry Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch cake pan.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
• In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Add in the vanilla extract, then beat in the eggs 1 at a time.
• In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl whisk together the milk and sour cream.
• Then carefully beat about ⅓ of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, followed by about ⅓ of the milk and sour cream mixture. Repeat the process with the rest of the flour mixture and sour cream mixture adding about ⅓ of each at a time.
• Gently fold in the chopped berries using a spatula or wooden spoon.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 27-33 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• Allow to cool.

Sweetened Whipped Cream Topping

• In a large bowl beat together the cream cheese, almond extract and powdered sugar. 
• Beat in the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Watch carefully - if the mixture is whipped too much it can collapse.
• Spread the sweetened whipped cream on top of the cake and top with fresh berries. 

Notes

*If you don't have cake flour, measure out 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour. Remove ⅓ cups flour. Add in ⅓ cup cornstarch. Give it a whisk, then sift together 3 times. 

**Unfrosted cake can be wrapped tightly and frozen. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

***Because this cake uses fresh berries on the topping- I always recommend assembling the cake right before serving. The cake can be made 1 day in advanced and the whipped topping can be made the morning off and kept in the fridge in an airtight container. Then frost the cake and place the berries on top before serving.