Fresh Strawberry cake is a popular dessert during the summer season when markets are brimming with fresh strawberries. This fresh strawberry cake recipe comes together quickly with just a few ingredients, many of which are pantry staples. The addition of buttermilk helps keep this cake tender and moist, while the vanilla and almond extract in the batter enhances the overall flavor. Served it with a whipped cream topping or simply dust it with powdered sugar.
What is Fresh Strawbwerry Cake?
Fresh Strawberry cake is a soft, tender cake featuring a topping of fresh strawberries. Strawberry cake is often made by placing the fruit at the top of a cake pan, sprinkling granulated sugar over them, and baking until golden brown.
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Fresh Strawberry Ingredients
Note: The full ingredients list is provided in the recipe card below.
- Flour: It gives structure and texture to the cake.
- Baking powder: It lends the cake light and fluffy texture.
- Granulated Sugar: It provides moisture and aeration and enhances color.
- Eggs: It provides structure, moisture, and richness.
- Buttermilk: It contributes to the light and fluffy texture by helping to create a soft and tender crumb. If you’d prefer to use homemade buttermilk, see my easy buttermilk recipe here.
- Butter: It adds moisture and flavor. I use unsalted butter to control the salt content in the cake.
- Strawberries: 1 pound strawberries, hulled, half sliced, and half halved
Tools you’ll need
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- (1) 9-inch square nonstick cake pan
- Silicone Spatula
- Mitten Oven
- Liquid Measuring Cups
- Dry Measuring Cups
- Fine-mesh strainer
How to Make Fresh Strawberry Cake
Note: The full instructions are provided in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and flour a (1) 9-inch square nonstick cake pan; turn and tap the pan so that the flour is lightly and evenly coats the bottom and sides, then tap excess flour out. Sift together the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs and 1 sugar on high speed until thick, pale, and doubled in size, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the buttermilk, melted butter, almond, and vanilla extract; beat for another minute. Add the flour mixture; mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.
Add the flour mixture; mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly to the edges. Sprinkle the sliced berries on top. Pour the remaining batter over the berries; spread the remaining batter evenly.
Top decoratively with the strawberry halves and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into wedges and serve!
Substitutions
- Buttermilk: Feel free to substitute the buttermilk for this homemade buttermilk or whole milk.
- Strawberry: You can use frozen strawberries instead of fresh; just be sure to thaw and drain any excess juice from them.
Variations
- Flavor Enhancer: Enhance the flavor by mixing the batter with mix-ins like orange zest or lemon zest,
- Fresh Peach Cake: Check out this Fresh Peach Cake recipe.
- Fresh Plum Cake: See this Plum Cake recipe.
- French Apple Cake: Check out this Apple Cake recipe.
How to Store
Fresh Strawberry Cake can be refrigerated in an airtight for up to 3 days; remove it from the fridge about 15 to 30 minutes before serving to allow warm up and lose its chill.
Make-Ahead
Fresh Strawberry Cake can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days with a cling film cover over the top of the pan.
How to Freeze
Freeze the Fresh Strawberry Cake for up to 3 months. Wrap the cake in clingfilm twice and foil once. To defrost, unwrap and defrost for about 5 to 8 hours at room temperature on a wire rack before serving.
Tips for Making The Best Fresh Strawberry Cake
- Follow the recipe: Follow the Fresh Strawberry Cake recipe directions precisely.
- Measure Properly: Measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup, then level the cup with the back of a knife or use the weight measurements. ( I use a 240 ml Dry Measuring cup, every cup is 125g of flour).
- Use room temperature ingredients: Ensure all of your ingredients are at room temperature; this helps ensure everything gets incorporated properly; not doing this can result in poor emulsification.
- Butter and Flour the Pan: Butter a (1) 9-inch square nonstick cake pan, add a few tablespoons of flour into the pan, then shake, turn and tap the pan so that the flour is lightly and evenly coats the bottom and sides. Finally, tap excess flour out of the buttered and floured pan.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Sift dry ingredients but not sugar to combine and aerate, making a fluffier cake. Then, place it in a fine-mesh strainer over a piece of parchment paper, and shake the strainer until everything’s on the paper: When it’s time to add, pick up the paper and let the ingredients slide out into the mixing bowl. However, if you don’t have one, whisk the dry ingredients for 30 seconds to combine.
- Creaming: Beating the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy creates tiny air pockets in the butter, which helps the cake keep its texture light and rise.
- Beat in Eggs: One at a time, add the eggs, ensuring that they emulsify or blend completely with the butter mixture. Then, if desired, flavor with vanilla extract or other flavorings. It’s easier to incorporate eggs that are at room temperature. To get the eggs to warm up faster. For a few minutes, place them in a bowl of warm water.
- Alternate the Wet and Dry Ingredients: Often, a recipe calls for adding wet ingredients and dry ingredients in alternating batches. This helps prevent the gluten in the flour from developing too much, which causes heavier and not so fluffy cake. Also, do not overmix — overworking the flour makes for tough results.
- Pour cake batter into prepared pan: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake and Test for Doneness: Insert a wooden skewer or a toothpick into the center of a cake and see if it comes out clean; if it does, the cake is done. You may also notice the Fresh Strawberry cake pulling away from the pan’s sides. When you get a little more practice, you’ll be able to tell if the cake is done when you lightly press on the top and feel a slight spring back.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the Fresh Strawberry cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack until completely cool.
- Add white chocolate chips: Try adding some white chocolate chips or a swirl of strawberry jam or strawberry preserves for added depth of flavor.
- Add your favorite spices: Feel free to play around with warm, fall-friendly spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cloves, and allspice.
FAQ
Can I Substitute the buttermilk?
Yes, you can substitute it with homemade buttermilk or whole milk. However, I recommend using full-fat dairy for the best Fresh Strawberry cake.
How do you freeze Fresh Strawberry cake after baking?
Double wrap completely cooled Fresh Strawberry cake with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap and place them in a heavy-duty bag—thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
More Cakes Recipes:
- Chocolate Sheet Cake with Mocha Frosting
- Orange Sheet Cake with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
- Vanilla Sheet Cake
- Coconut Sheet Cake
- Nesquick Chocolate Cake with Brigadeiro
- Brazilian Carrot Cake “Bolo de Cenoura com Brigadeiro”
Did you make this recipe?
📖 Recipe
Fresh Strawberry Cake
Tools
- (1) 9-inch square nonstick cake pan
Ingredients
- 195 g (1-1/2 cups) all-purpose flour, spooned into a measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs , room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or whole milk
- 1 pound strawberries , hulled, half sliced and half halved
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar , for topping
Instructions
How to Make Fresh Strawberry Cake
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter and flour a (1) 9-inch square nonstick cake pan; turn and tap the pan so that the flour is lightly and evenly coats the bottom and sides, then tap excess flour out. Sift together the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on high speed until thick, pale, and doubled in size, about 3 to 5 minutes. Next, add the buttermilk, melted butter, almond, and vanilla extract; beat for another minute. Finally, add the flour mixture; mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.
- Add the flour mixture; mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly to the edges. Sprinkle the sliced berries on top. Pour the remaining batter over the berries; spread the remaining batter evenly.
- Top decoratively with the strawberry halves and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into wedges and serve!
Notes
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
