Strawberry Layer Cake
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This homemade strawberry cake has layers of moist, bright pink strawberry cake and creamy strawberry frosting. Both the cake batter and the buttercream are infused with strawberry puree – making this cake absolutely beautiful and bursting with real strawberry flavor.
This cake takes a little extra effort, but the delicious strawberry flavor and beautiful color makes it so much better than using a box mix.
**This post was updated May 18, 2025 with a slightly updated recipe for a more tender cake, new photos, and step-by-step tips**
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Strawberry Cake
This fresh strawberry cake is truly stunning. It stands tall with layers of moist and tender cake and swirls of creamy strawberry buttercream. I’ve seen lots of strawberry cake recipes made with cake mix and/or strawberry jello – but this recipe is 100% from scratch and made with real berries for the perfect strawberry flavor.
The cake recipe is adapted from my favorite white cake recipe (white cake is a variation on vanilla cake, made with just egg whites). It’s tender and moist with a soft cake crumb. Then the strawberry flavor comes from adding strawberry puree to the batter. We’re using reduced strawberry puree in the batter to infuse the cake with strawberry flavor.
The strawberry buttercream is creamy, fluffy and tastes like fresh berries in sweet frosting form. It’s an American style buttercream infused with the same strawberry puree used in the cake batter.
Method – with Step-by-Step Photos
Feel free to click the link below to get directly to the printable recipe with measurements.
Jump to RecipeMake the Reduced Puree
The first step is making the reduced strawberry puree. It’s used for both the cake batter and the frosting – so it’s a very big batch.
- Core the Berries. First you’ll core the strawberries to remove the centers.
- Puree. Process the berries in a food processor or blender until smooth.
- Strain the Puree (Optional). Pour the puree through a metal sifter a little at a time to remove any seeds. This step is totally optional, and definitely takes some extra effort.
- Reduce the Puree. Then in a very large saucepan over low heat, boil down the puree to remove the excess liquid. You’ll gently stir the mixture as it boils and thickens. When the puree has reduced to about 1/2 of its original volume (you’d end up with about 1 cup in total), remove 1/2 cup of puree. This is used for the cake batter. Keep boiling the mixture while constantly stirring until the mixture is thick like jam. There should be about 1/4 to 1/3 cup left.
You can see strawberry puree for the cake batter and frosting below.
Important: Boiling down the puree until it’s thick and deep red is absolutely necessary. This step concentrates the strawberry flavor and removes excess liquid. If strawberry puree is added to the cake batter and frosting without being boiled down first, your cake will be lacking in strawberry flavor and the frosting will be watery and can separate.
Make the Cake
- Prep. Start by preheating the oven to 350F (180C) and preparing the pans. I always line the bottoms with rounds of parchment and lightly grease the sides.
- Lining the bottom with parchment makes the cakes much easier to remove from the pans after they’re done baking.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients. Sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt) together into a medium bowl. Then whisk together. Be sure to sift the flour to remove lumps. Set aside.
- Combine the Wet Ingredients. Whisk together the oil, milk, reduced strawberry puree (cooled to room temperature), vanilla and optional red food coloring. Set aside.
- I use a few drops of red food coloring to give the cake a bright pink color. It’s optional. Without the food coloring, the baked cake will be a more muted pink color.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar. The butter should be room temperature before starting. The mixture should be fluffy when finished.
- Beat in the Egg Whites. Mix the egg whites into the butter mixture about 1/2 at a time.
- Egg yolks add a richness to the flavor and a golden yellow color to baked goods. I didn’t want the richness of egg yolks to compete with the strawberry flavor, which is why this cake recipe uses just egg whites.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients and Wet Ingredients into the Butter Mixture. This is done a little at a time, alternating between the dry ingredients and wet ingredients. You’ll mix about 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, followed by 1/2 of the wet ingredients. Then you’ll repeat the process. You’ll finish by mixing in the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients.
- This process helps prevent over mixing and ensures an even cake batter.
- Pour into the Prepared Pans.
- I always use cake strips to help the cakes bake with flat tops. These are soaked in water and then wrap around the outside of the cake pans. They can be purchased online or in specialty baking shops.
- Bake. Cake pans should always be baked on the same rack of the oven. The cakes will bake for:
- Two 8-inch Round Pans (with at least 2 inch sides) – 30-35 minutes
- Two 9-inch Round Pans – 25-30 minutes
Frosting & Assembling the Cake
Then after the cake layers are done baking, you’ll make the frosting and assemble the cake.
The frosting is an American style buttercream made with butter, powdered sugar, reduced strawberry puree, a salt, and a touch of whipping cream if needed. The reduced puree must be fully cooled and thick like jam before making the frosting – otherwise it will separate.
When assembling the cake, I like to frost a thin layer around the sides to seal in any cake crumbs first. Then once it crusts (ie – the thin layer of frosting starts to harden) – you’ll frost the cake with thick swirls.
Baking Tips
- Boiling down the strawberry puree is absolutely mandatory. Don’t skip this step.
- Using frozen berries is fine, but it will take longer for the puree to boil down because there’s more liquid.
- The butter, eggs, and milk should all be room temperature before getting started on the cake batter. Take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before.
- If your cake layers are domed at the top, use a serrated knife to gently saw off the rounded top of each cake. Wait until the cakes are completely cooled before doing this.
- The puree should be room temperature before adding it to the frosting. If it’s a little cold, that’s ok, but it definitely shouldn’t be warm.
- The cake must be entirely cooled before frosting. Otherwise, the buttercream will melt.
- If you want to save a bit of time and a bit of money – make a half batch of strawberry puree. Use the reduced strawberry puree in the cake batter, and substitute the puree in the frosting with seedless raspberry preserves. I don’t recommend using preserves in the cake batter however.
- For more tips on making strawberry frosting – see my detailed post on how to make the perfect strawberry buttercream.
Make Ahead Tips
The reduced can be made up to 3 days before making the cake and stored in an airtight container in the fridge (just be sure to blot any condensation off the container).
The cake can be made 1 day before serving. Cool fully, then cover tightly and store at room temperature overnight (keep the rest of the puree in the fridge). Make the frosting and assemble the cake the day you plan to serve.
If you love this strawberry layer cake, be sure to try:
- Strawberry Cupcakes
- Strawberries and Cream Cake – this is a vanilla cake with pieces of strawberries in the batter and whipped cream and berries on top
- Strawberry Ice Cream Cake
- Strawberry Cheesecake
Strawberry Cake
Equipment
- Two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans (with high sides)*
Ingredients
Strawberry Puree – Makes Enough for the Cake and Frosting
- 2 lbs strawberries* (900 grams)
Strawberry Cake
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (334 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil (30 ml), or canola
- 3/4 cup whole milk (180 ml)
- 1/2 – 2/3 cup reduced strawberry puree (120 ml – mine weighed a little over 100 grams), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-4 drops red food coloring, optional
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (168 grams) , softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300 grams)
- 5 large egg whites, discard the yolks
Strawberry Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (340 grams) , softened – but still slightly firm to the touch
- 5-6 cups powdered sugar (550 – 660 grams)
- 4-5 tablespoons reduced strawberry puree (60-75 ml), room temperature or cold, but not warm!
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- a few drops red food coloring, optional
- 1-2 tablespoons whipping cream (15-30 ml), as needed
Instructions
Reduced Strawberry Puree
- Core the berries.
- Pulse in a food processor or blender until smooth.
- Optionally, to remove the seeds pour the puree through a metal sifter, pushing it through with the back of a spoon. Do this a little at a time. This step is optional.
- Add the puree to a large saucepan over low-medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil while stirring. The mixture will boil gently as it thickens. This will go slowly at first and then start to go more quickly.
- Once the mixture is reduced to about 1/2 to 1/3 of its original volume (about 1 cup of liquid in total), remove 1/2 cup of reduced puree. This is for the cake batter. Keep stirring the remaining puree constantly until it is thick like jam and a dark red color. It should be about 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Remove from the heat. The very thick reduced puree is for the frosting.
- Cool fully. Once cooled, both reduced purees can be stored in the fridge overnight.
Strawberry Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees. Line the bottom of two 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans with 2 inch (5 cm) sides with rounds of parchment paper. Grease and flour the sides. If your 8-inch cake tins are sandwich tins with 1 to 1 1/2 inch sides, use 9-inch round cake tins.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Give the bowl a whisk. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the oil, milk, 1/2 cup reduced strawberry puree, vanilla and optional red food coloring. If using gel food coloring, I recommend only using 1-2 drops.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Beat in the egg whites into the butter mixture about 1/2 at a time.
- With the mixer on low speed, beat about 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Then mix in about 1/2 of the milk and strawberry mixture. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Repeat the process until all the flour mixture and milk mixture are incorporated. Do not over mix the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans and smooth the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes for 8-inch round pans and 25-30 minutes for 9-inch round pans, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with a few cake crumbs but no gooey cake batter.
- Cool the cakes completely in the pan, then gently inserted onto a wire rack.
Strawberry Frosting
- In a very large bowl, beat the butter until smooth and fluffy.
- Starting with the mixer on low speed, mix in 2 cups powdered sugar along with the salt and vanilla.
- Mix 2 tablespoons of reduced strawberry puree (it should be room temperature or cold from the fridge).
- Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time, alternating with 1 tablespoon of reduced strawberry puree until the desired sweetness and thickness is reached. You can beat in a few drops of red food coloring if you'd like a brighter pink color.
- Optionally, beat in 1 – 2 tablespoons of whipping cream if you feel your frosting is a little thick.
Assembling the Cake
- Once the cake layers are completely cooled, use a serrated knife or cake leveller to gently saw off the domed top of each cake layer.
- Place one layer top side down on the plate or cake stand that you plan to serve it on.
- Frost the top of the layer with about 3/4 cup of frosting.
- Place the second cake layer on top, top side down.
- Frost the sides of the cake with a thin layer of frosting (a crumb coat), and let harden in the fridge for about 20 minutes.
- Frost the sides with about 1/3 of the frosting and the top with about another 1/2 of the frosting, making swirls as you go.
Notes
- Cake Pan Sizes: Cake can be made in two 9-inch round cake pans. The bake time will be around 25-30 minutes. The recipe can also be made in a 9×13 inch pan. Grease and flour the bottom and sides of the pan. Only fill the pan about 2/3 to 3/4 full – you may have some leftover batter. The bake time will be around 40-45 minutes. If using a 9×13 inch pan, divide the frosting recipe in half. Therefore, you’ll only need 1 1/2 lbs of strawberries to make the reduced puree.
- Strawberries: If you’d like to save a bit of time and money, you can use 1 lb of strawberries to make the strawberry puree. Use the reduced puree in the cake batter. Then use 4-5 tablespoons of strawberry preserves in the frosting, instead of reduced strawberry puree.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: The butter, milk and eggs should be room temperature before making the cake batter. Separate the eggs while they’re still cold (it’s easier this way). Then let them warm on the counter to room temperature before adding to the cake batter.
- Reduced Strawberry Puree: The reduced strawberry puree should be room temperature before adding it to the cake batter. If you’ve made it in advance and stored in the fridge, take it out of the fridge about 60 minutes before making the cake batter. For the frosting, the reduced strawberry puree must be room temperature or cold – it cannot be even slightly warm or the frosting will separate.
- Make Ahead Tips:
- The reduced strawberry puree can be made up to 3 days in advance. Cool fully, then store in the fridge in an airtight container. Remove from the fridge and bring to room temperature before making the cake batter.
- Cake layers can be made 1 day before serving. Cool fully, then wrap each layer individually and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Unfrosted cake layers can be wrapped tightly (individually), placed in a freezer container and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge.
- Frost the cake the day you plan to serve it.
- Storage: Store frosted cake covered at room temperature for up to 8 hours if your kitchen is not warm. Store leftovers covered in the fridge. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving to let the cake come to room temperature.
