Indulge in the ultimate homemade dessert with our exquisite Strawberries and Cream Cake! Crafted from scratch, this delightful cake features a tender, moist strawberry-infused crumb, generously topped with a decadent, thick cream cheese frosting and beautifully garnished with glistening sugared fresh strawberries. It’s truly the perfect centerpiece for Mother’s Day, Easter Sunday, or any joyous spring or summer celebration.
Homemade Strawberries and Cream Cake: Your New Favorite Dessert!
Right in time for those cherished occasions like Mother’s Day, I’m thrilled to share a dessert recipe that promises to impress and delight everyone at your table. This Strawberries and Cream Cake is a labor of love that, despite its impressive appearance, is surprisingly straightforward to bake from scratch. Forget the fuss of complex layering or intricate designs; this recipe focuses on pure flavor and a beautiful presentation that speaks for itself. It’s incredibly moist, bursting with natural strawberry essence, and adorned with a frosting so good it might just steal the show.
What makes this cake truly special isn’t just its delicious taste, but its undeniable charm. The vibrant pink hue of the cake, paired with the creamy white frosting and ruby-red berries, makes it a visually stunning dessert suitable for a myriad of events. Imagine serving this at a baby girl shower, a lively pink-themed birthday party, an elegant Easter brunch, or simply as a gorgeous treat to celebrate the arrival of spring and summer. Once your family and friends experience the magic of this homemade strawberry cake, you’ll find yourself reaching for this recipe again and again!
Crafting the Perfect Strawberry Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide
The foundation of this exceptional dessert is a truly flavorful strawberry cake, infused with real strawberries throughout the batter. This ensures every bite delivers an authentic, fruity burst. But the strawberry indulgence doesn’t stop there! We crown this magnificent cake with an exquisite topping of glistening sugared strawberries, elevating it to an irresistible strawberry sensation.
The Art of Building Flavor and Texture: Key Ingredients and Techniques
- Creaming the Base: Begin by beating room-temperature unsalted butter until it’s wonderfully light and fluffy. This creaming process incorporates air, which is crucial for a tender cake texture. Gradually incorporate granulated sugar, continuing to beat until the mixture is pale and airy. This forms the essential foundation for a light, fluffy cake.
- Egg and Enhancements: In a separate bowl, lightly whisk your eggs before adding them to the butter and sugar mixture. This prevents overmixing and ensures even incorporation. A splash of fresh lemon juice is a secret weapon here; it doesn’t just add a subtle brightness, but it also remarkably enhances the natural sweetness and tartness of the strawberries, making their flavor pop. Next, stir in buttermilk, which contributes to the cake’s incredible moisture and tender crumb. Store-bought buttermilk is ideal, but a homemade version (milk with vinegar or lemon juice) works perfectly too! You can also add a few drops of red food coloring at this stage for a more vibrant pink hue, though this is entirely optional as the Jell-O and fresh strawberries provide natural color.
- Achieving a Fine Crumb: For a cake that boasts a supremely fine and moist crumb, we’ll create our “DIY cake flour.” Sift all-purpose flour together with cornstarch. Sifting is non-negotiable; it aerates the dry ingredients and removes any lumps, ensuring a uniform batter. Then, gently stir in the dry strawberry Jell-O® mix (not prepared!), baking soda, and a pinch of salt. The Jell-O not only boosts the strawberry flavor but also contributes to the cake’s vibrant color and moistness.
- Combining Wet and Dry: The golden rule here is *don’t over-mix!* Gradually add your sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture, beating on low speed only until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, leading to a tough, dry cake. A few lumps are perfectly fine.
- The Star: Fresh Strawberries: The pièce de résistance! Gently fold in finely chopped fresh strawberries into the batter. This ensures real fruit flavor and delightful pockets of tender berry throughout the cake. Make sure your strawberries are finely diced to distribute evenly without weighing down the batter.
- Baking and Cooling: Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Proper cooling is just as important as baking. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before attempting to frost it. A warm cake will melt your frosting into a gooey mess! For best results, cool at room temperature for an hour, then refrigerate for another hour to firm it up.
Quick Baking Tip: Precision in Measuring Flour
Achieving the perfect cake texture hinges significantly on accurately measuring your flour. A common mistake is to simply scoop a measuring cup directly into a bag of flour, which compacts it and results in using far too much. Excess flour makes cakes dry, dense, and less flavorful. To ensure accuracy, gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it overflows, then level off the top with the flat back of a table knife. This method guarantees the right amount of flour for a consistently moist and tender crumb every time.
Mastering the Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting
This magnificent Strawberries and Cream Cake wouldn’t be complete without its crowning glory: a luscious, tangy, and perfectly sweet cream cheese frosting. This frosting is the “cream” in “strawberries and cream,” creating a harmonious balance with the fruity cake base. While the cake is baking and cooling, you can prepare this irresistible frosting and the sugared strawberry topping.
The Secret to Silky Smooth Frosting: Temperature is Key!
The single most crucial factor for a flawless cream cheese frosting is ensuring that both your cream cheese and unsalted butter are at perfect room temperature. I cannot stress this enough! When these ingredients are too cold, they won’t emulsify properly, leading to a lumpy, inconsistent frosting. Conversely, if they’re too soft, melted, or even slightly warm (e.g., microwaved), the frosting can become greasy, runny, and won’t hold its shape. The goal is softened, not melted. They should be soft enough to indent easily with a finger but still cool to the touch. This ideal temperature allows them to blend together seamlessly, creating an incredibly smooth, light, and spreadable base for your frosting.
Vanilla: The Heart of the Frosting
My personal “secret” ingredient for what I believe is the absolute best cream cheese frosting is vanilla bean paste. Unlike regular vanilla extract, the paste delivers a more intense, complex vanilla flavor that truly elevates the frosting. Plus, those gorgeous little flecks of vanilla beans add a sophisticated visual appeal that hints at its gourmet taste. While I highly recommend trying vanilla bean paste for this recipe, a high-quality pure vanilla extract will also yield delicious results. After beating your butter and cream cheese, gradually add powdered sugar, a quarter cup at a time, until you reach your desired sweetness and consistency. Finish with a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.
The Role of Jell-O in a “From-Scratch” Cake
When crafting a cake “from scratch,” some might raise an eyebrow at the inclusion of a packaged strawberry Jell-O mix. I completely understand this perspective! However, through countless experiments with various strawberry cake recipes over the years, I’ve consistently found that my absolute favorites (and indeed, many beloved recipes from reputable bakers) incorporate a small amount of gelatin mix. This is precisely why my recipe includes it, as it genuinely enhances the cake’s strawberry flavor, vibrant color, and maintains an incredibly moist texture.
For those who prefer to avoid packaged gelatin mixes, you certainly have alternatives. You can substitute the Jell-O with concentrated strawberry extracts for a flavor boost, or a reduced strawberry puree for a more natural approach. Be aware that using puree might alter the cake’s moisture content and require adjustments to other liquid ingredients. Here is an example of a recipe that does not include strawberry Jell-O mix, if you wish to explore that route. However, it’s important to remember that the term “from-scratch” is relative in modern baking. Unless you’re churning your own butter, grinding your own flour, or culturing your own cream cheese, nearly all “from-scratch” recipes utilize packaged ingredients. The Jell-O simply serves as a fantastic, reliable, and convenient way to amplify the core strawberry essence and achieve that delightful pink hue without extra effort. It’s a smart shortcut that doesn’t compromise on the homemade quality!
More Irresistible Strawberry Dessert Ideas:
- Mini Vanilla Cheesecakes with Strawberry Sauce
- Frozen Strawberry Ice Cream Pie
- Strawberry Pretzel Salad
- Strawberry Scones
- Homemade Strawberry Milkshake
Print Recipe
Strawberries and Cream Cake
Video
Equipment
- 9 x 13-inch baking pan
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 lemon (for 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice)
- 2 cups + 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons strawberry Jell-O mix dry, not prepared
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk or milk mixed with lemon juice, see note 1 below
- 3 to 4 drops red food coloring optional, for more vibrant color
- 2/3 cup finely diced fresh strawberries
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese full fat, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste for richer flavor
- 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar sifted, depending on desired sweetness and consistency; 3 cups typically yields a perfect frosting
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
- 1-1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
For the Strawberry Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan by greasing it thoroughly with butter or non-stick spray, then lightly flouring it. Tap out any excess flour. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the room-temperature unsalted butter until it is light in color and creamy in texture, about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the granulated sugar, continuing to beat for another 3-5 minutes until the mixture is very light and fluffy. This aeration is key for a tender cake.
- In a separate small bowl, lightly whisk the large eggs. Add the whisked eggs to the butter mixture and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice; this enhances the natural strawberry flavor. Next, beat in the buttermilk (see Note 1 below for making homemade buttermilk). If desired, add 3-4 drops of red food coloring at this stage to achieve a more vibrant pink cake and mix until evenly colored.
- In another separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and cornstarch by sifting them together. Sifting ensures a finer crumb. Then, add the dry strawberry Jell-O mix, baking soda, and salt to the flour mixture. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly. Using separate bowls for wet and dry ingredients helps prevent overmixing when combined, which can lead to a dense cake.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating on the lowest speed of your mixer until *just* combined. Mix only until no streaks of flour remain; do not overmix, as this will make your cake tough.
- Remove the stems from your fresh strawberries and finely chop them. Gently fold the finely diced fresh strawberries into the cake batter using a spatula.
- Pour the prepared batter evenly into your greased and floured 9×13-inch pan. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour at room temperature. For easier frosting, then refrigerate the cooled cake for an additional hour to ensure it is firm and completely chilled.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and room-temperature full-fat cream cheese together with a hand mixer until the mixture is completely smooth, creamy, and free of any lumps. This will take about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in the vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste) and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed until smooth and your desired consistency is reached. If the frosting seems too thick, you can add a tablespoon of milk or cream. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar until it’s perfectly spreadable.
- Once the cake is completely cooled and chilled, spread the prepared cream cheese frosting evenly over the top using an offset spatula or knife.
For the Sugared Strawberry Topping (optional but highly recommended):
- In a medium bowl, gently stir together the sliced fresh strawberries and 1-1/2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Let them stand at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes. This allows the sugar to draw out the natural juices from the strawberries, creating a luscious, sweet syrup that pairs beautifully with the cake. Add these sugared strawberries to the frosted cake only when you are ready to serve, not beforehand, to prevent the cake from becoming soggy.
Recipe Notes & Expert Tips:
Storage: To maintain its freshness and flavor, store any leftover frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. For best taste and texture, allow slices to come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving.
Freezing Instructions: This cake can be frozen! If you plan to freeze, do so *before* frosting. Wrap the cooled cake tightly in several layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and serving. Frosted cake can also be frozen for up to 1 month, but the texture of the frosting may change slightly upon thawing.
Variations: Experiment with different berry Jell-O flavors for unique twists, or add a teaspoon of strawberry extract to boost the natural strawberry flavor even further. A sprinkle of lemon zest in the cake batter can also add an extra layer of brightness.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 920kcal |
Carbohydrates: 145g |
Protein: 11g |
Fat: 35g |
Saturated Fat: 21g |
Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g |
Monounsaturated Fat: 9g |
Trans Fat: 1g |
Cholesterol: 132mg |
Sodium: 506mg |
Potassium: 256mg |
Fiber: 2g |
Sugar: 111g |
Vitamin A: 1109IU |
Vitamin C: 34mg |
Calcium: 150mg |
Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
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