BEST Strawberry Cake
Oh my, dear readers, let me prepare you for the BEST Strawberry Cake of all time! 🙂 Once you taste this cake you will not feel like I’m exaggerating in the least! I probably have three or four different Strawberry Cake recipes. Most are very similar but this one is extraordinary. This spectacular cake recipe is rich–I mean REALLY rich, sweet and decadent. It’s almost to the pass out level it has so much sugar! It is so sweet that I can rarely finish one piece of cake (certainly not the slabs I like to eat). And this is coming from the Sweet Tooth Queen!!!!!!
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I have used this recipe before with cupcakes and parts of the recipe for these Strawberry Almond Bars. It’s been one of my favorites since I first saw it on Pinterest years ago. Pureeing frozen strawberries and adding them to the cake with strawberry jello makes the cake delightful. Adding strawberry extract and pureed strawberries to the cream cheese icing makes this cake stand out even more.
Last month I made a meal for friends when she got home from the hospital after hip replacement surgery. The meal included Chicken Stroganoff, Creamy Strawberry Kiwi Salad, a loaf of one of my favorite breads, and this luscious cake for dessert. I got a text from that night raving over how much they enjoyed the cake. Then I sent another cake to my husband’s office and immediately got emails asking for the recipe!
This recipe ends up with a lot of leftover strawberry puree which you can drizzle over the cake (like I did), or use up in smoothies or other ways. But the cake is SO rich you may find it sweet enough without any other additions.
BEST Strawberry Cake is the perfect cake for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, Easter, anniversaries, birthdays or other holidays when you want a divine cake that everyone’s sure to love.
This spectacular cake is featured at Favorite Southern Recipes here.
BEST Strawberry Cake truly lives up to its name. This cake is divine!
If you enjoy strawberries, you’ll love this cake.
BEST Strawberry Cake is the richest, sweetest most decadent cake ever!
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients for the cake. Instead of water I substitute heavy whipping cream or half-and-half for a richer cake.
Combine cake mix and strawberry gelatin with a spoon.
Add eggs, oil and cream.
Puree thawed strawberries in a blender or Vitamix.
Add pureed strawberries to mixing bowl.
Whisk ingredients to combine.
Pour into three very well greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
Bake at 350 for approximately 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Make sure the cake is completely cooked through. Otherwise, it will be too fragile to work with and may even break apart.
Allow the cakes to cool completely. If you have time to freeze them for several hours, that’s optimal as the icing will spread easier with a frozen cake. But if not, at least allow the cakes to cool completely.
I used these ingredients to make the icing.
Cream softened cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add pureed strawberries.
Add strawberry extract.
Combine ingredients with an electric mixer until strawberries are worked into the batter. Begin creaming the powdered sugar into the icing one cup at a time until all is worked into the icing.
Yes, you will need the full seven cups of powdered sugar for this recipe.
Spread a layer of the icing on the bottom of your cake plate. This will prevent the cake from sliding off.
With a serrated bread knife, trim off any hard edges from the cake.
With an icing spreader, spread a thick layer of icing over top of the bottom cake layer.
Add another layer of cake (with the edges trimmed) and another layer of icing.
Add third cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake.
Add fresh strawberries to the top of the cake.
If desired, drizzle additional strawberry puree over top of the icing. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Cut cake into pieces and devour enjoy!
Here you can see there’s quite a bit of preserves leftover. They are wonderful drizzled over top of each cake slice too! 🙂
Here’s the recipe.
BEST STRAWBERRY CAKE
(Recipe adapted from Cooking With Crevolyn)
BEST Strawberry Cake
Equipment
- 3 9-inch round cake pans
- 1 blender
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 1 electric mixer
- 2 wooden spoons
- 1 rubber spatula
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
Ingredients
STRAWBERRY CAKE:
- 18.25 oz. box white cake mix
- 3 oz. box instant strawberry gelatin
- 15 oz. ctn. strawberries in syrup frozen, thawed and pureed
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup canola oil or use coconut oil or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or half-and-half or whole milk
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened (1/2 stick)
- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
- 10 oz. ctn. strawberries in syrup frozen, thawed and pureed (see note below)
- 1/2 tsp. strawberry extract
- 7 cups powdered sugar (yes, it's really this much sugar)
- 6 strawberries sliced, for garnish, if desired
Instructions
STRAWBERRY CAKE:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Generously grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
- Set aside.
- Combine cake mix and gelatin.
- Add strawberries, eggs, oil & cream and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Pour into prepared cake pans.
- Bake at 350° for approximately 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven.
- Cool cakes completely.
- If possible, freeze cake layers before icing.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- Soften butter and cream cheese.
- Beat in a large mixing bowl until creamy.
- Add ¼ cup of the pureed strawberries and strawberry extract and beat.
- Add powdered sugar about a cup at a time beating until smooth.
- Remove cake layers from freezer and level if desired.
- Place a little icing on the bottom of a plate so cake layer sticks to plate.
- Add the first cake layer and smooth frosting over top.
- Add second cake layer and repeat.
- Add top cake layer and frost top and sides of cake.
- Top with fresh strawberries.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- You can spoon some of the blended strawberry mixture over top of the cake if desired.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Cooking with Crevolyn.
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
BEST Strawberry Cake is perfect for holidays like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Valentine’s Day!
Prepare yourself for a sugar high!
BEST Strawberry Cake is also a delightful cake to serve company.
Time to dig in and enjoy!
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Fresh Strawberry Breakfast Cobbler
BEST Strawberry Cake
Equipment
- 3 9-inch round cake pans
- 1 blender
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 1 electric mixer
- 2 wooden spoons
- 1 rubber spatula
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
Ingredients
STRAWBERRY CAKE:
- 18.25 oz. box white cake mix
- 3 oz. box instant strawberry gelatin
- 15 oz. ctn. strawberries in syrup frozen, thawed and pureed
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup canola oil or use coconut oil or avocado oil
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or half-and-half or whole milk
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened (1/2 stick)
- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
- 10 oz. ctn. strawberries in syrup frozen, thawed and pureed (see note below)
- 1/2 tsp. strawberry extract
- 7 cups powdered sugar (yes, it’s really this much sugar)
- 6 strawberries sliced, for garnish, if desired
Instructions
STRAWBERRY CAKE:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Generously grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
- Set aside.
- Combine cake mix and gelatin.
- Add strawberries, eggs, oil & cream and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Pour into prepared cake pans.
- Bake at 350° for approximately 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven.
- Cool cakes completely.
- If possible, freeze cake layers before icing.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- Soften butter and cream cheese.
- Beat in a large mixing bowl until creamy.
- Add ¼ cup of the pureed strawberries and strawberry extract and beat.
- Add powdered sugar about a cup at a time beating until smooth.
- Remove cake layers from freezer and level if desired.
- Place a little icing on the bottom of a plate so cake layer sticks to plate.
- Add the first cake layer and smooth frosting over top.
- Add second cake layer and repeat.
- Add top cake layer and frost top and sides of cake.
- Top with fresh strawberries.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- You can spoon some of the blended strawberry mixture over top of the cake if desired.
10 Comments
Baylee
March 24, 2023 at 6:48 am
I really love baking and making it my business. I never tried this and should save this for future reference. Thank you for sharing this.
Teresa Ambra
March 24, 2023 at 5:20 pm
It’s a terrific recipe.
Laura
April 24, 2021 at 8:33 am
‘Best’ – seriously? This must be sponsored post, none of these ingredients are good at all. Cake mix, canola oil, imitation strawberry – complete rubbish. Reading this recipe was a waste of my time.
Teresa
April 26, 2021 at 7:24 am
Hi, Laura. Sorry that you think this recipe is a waste of time. Have you tried the cake? it is absolutely the best strawberry cake recipe I’ve eaten. But if you look at the recipe card you will see that I was adapting a recipe from someone else. That person titled the recipe “best strawberry cake.” Thus, I used the same title from the person who originated the recipe. Thanks for stopping by.
BEST Strawberry Cake – kuchenrezepte-ideens
September 8, 2019 at 8:23 pm
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BEST Strawberry Cake – kuchen-rezepte
September 8, 2019 at 1:31 am
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Debbie
September 16, 2017 at 2:57 am
Hi! My parents don’t enjoy cream cheese, what would you recommend replacing it with? Thank you!
Teresa
September 16, 2017 at 8:02 am
Debbie, I think you can make a regular vanilla buttercream frosting, but add the strawberry stuff as indicated. If you check out my post for Cracked Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, you can locate the icing recipe on that post. http://cantstayoutofthekitchen.com/2013/03/02/cracked-sugar-cookies-with-vanilla-buttercream-frosting/
Another really terrific frosting is the one I use on my Best Sugar Cookies. http://cantstayoutofthekitchen.com/2013/12/08/best-sugar-cookies/
Start with either of these but add the remaining strawberry syrup stuff in the original recipe. Hopefully your parents will enjoy this cake made this way too! Have a great weekend.
Joann
June 17, 2017 at 10:36 am
Hello, This looks amazing and delicious, and I can’t wait to make this gorgeous cake. I do have a couple of questions though. 1) The cake mix called for is 18.25oz. We have a 15.??oz. So do I just use the 15oz. or do I need to use the 15oz. plus enough from another box to make up the difference? 2) Have you ever tried this using a Strawberry Cake Mix? Thanks for any help you can give me. Have a wonderful and Blessed Day.
Teresa
June 18, 2017 at 8:28 am
Hi Joann. This dessert is so rich that I think you would find it really overkill to use a strawberry cake mix. Try the 15-ounce cake mix and see if it turns out. You may find you don’t have quite as much body to the cake and have to put it in two pans instead of three. It may also cook more quickly so check your oven time.