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I’ve always felt that a strawberry cake just feels happy. Bright pink layers, creamy frosting, and that unmistakable sweet strawberry flavor—it’s the kind of cake that looks like it belongs at a celebration, even if you’re just making it on a random weekend.
This Strawberry Layer Cake is soft, moist and full of real strawberry flavor, with a creamy frosting that brings everything together. It’s simple enough to make from scratch, but feels like something you’d pick up from a bakery.
If you love bakery-style desserts, you might also like to try our recipes for snickerdoodle blondies, brookie bars and Oreo brownies.
What Makes This Homemade Strawberry Cake Different
This isn’t just a vanilla cake with a hint of strawberry.
You’re getting:
• Strawberry gelatin for bold flavor and color
• Real strawberry puree for freshness
• A soft, tender crumb that stays moist
• A creamy, slightly tangy frosting that balances the sweetness
It’s that mix of classic + homemade that makes this cake stand out- just like our chocolate cake with chocolate marshmallow frosting.
Ingredients That Matter
- Butter + Sugar: Creaming these properly is what gives the cake its light texture.
- Strawberry Gelatin: Adds color and that classic strawberry cake flavor.
- Strawberry Puree: Keeps the flavor fresh—not artificial.
- Cake Flour: Gives a softer, more tender crumb than all-purpose flour.
- Cream Cheese Frosting Base: Adds a slight tang that keeps the cake from being overly sweet.
How To Make a Strawberry Layer Cake:
- You’ll start by creaming butter, sugar and gelatin until light and fluffy—this is where the texture begins.
- Then eggs, dry ingredients and milk are added in stages, followed by strawberry puree and vanilla.
- Once baked and cooled, the cake is layered and frosted with a creamy strawberry cream cheese frosting.
Don’t Skip the Crumb Coat
This step makes a big difference.A thin layer of frosting seals in crumbs so your final layer looks smooth and clean.
👉 Chill the cake after the crumb coat for best results.
Tips for this Strawberry Cake Recipe
- Use room temperature ingredients: This helps everything mix evenly.
- Don’t overmix the batter: Keeps the cake soft and tender.
- Measure flour correctly: Too much flour = dense cake.
- Chill between frosting layers: Makes decorating much easier.
The Texture You’re Going For
This cake hits that perfect middle ground:
✔ Soft and fluffy
✔ Moist but not dense
✔ Easy to slice and stack
✔ Holds up well with frosting
And the frosting? Smooth, creamy and just thick enough to spread beautifully.
How to Serve It
This easy strawberry cake recipe is perfect for:
• Birthdays
• Spring and summer gatherings
• Baby showers
• Weekend baking projects
Serve chilled or at room temperature. And if you’re looking for more celebration-type cakes, try our recipes for Kit Kat cake, Funfetti cheesecake cake and easy ice cream sandwich cake.
Why Use Cake Flour in Cakes?
Cake flour makes a big difference in texture. Compared to all-purpose flour, cake flour has less protein, which means:
• A softer, more tender crumb
• A lighter, fluffier texture
• A more delicate cake overall
That’s exactly what you want in a layer cake like this.
👉 If you don’t have cake flour, you can substitute by removing 2 tablespoons of flour per cup and replacing it with cornstarch—but for best results, cake flour is worth using.
Can You Use Frozen Strawberries for Cake?
Yes—frozen strawberries work perfectly for this recipe. Thaw them completely, and then blend them into a puree. Drain excess liquid if needed. Frozen strawberries are often picked at peak ripeness, so they can actually have great flavor year-round.
Storage Tips
• Store covered in the refrigerator
• Keeps well for up to 3 to 4 days
• Let sit at room temperature before serving for best texture
The combination of gelatin + puree gives you strong strawberry flavor without needing artificial extracts. And the cream cheese frosting balances everything so it doesn’t feel overly sweet. This is one of those cakes that looks impressive but is actually pretty approachable. It’s colorful, flavorful and just plain fun to make—and even better to eat.
Strawberry Layer Cake
Ingredients
CAKE:
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 3 ounces strawberry jello gelatin powder
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2¾ cups cake flour (measure, then sift)
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup strawberry puree (blend frozen strawberries)
FROSTING:
- 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup butter, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup strawberry puree (blend frozen strawberries)
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
MAKE THE CAKE:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease and flour two 8-inch round pans.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the sugar, butter and gelatin until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with the milk. Then stir in the vanilla and strawberry puree, making sure the batter is well combined. Divide the batter between the two pans.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool on wire racks for about 15 minutes. Then tap the cakes out of the pan onto the racks to cool completely.
FROST THE CAKE:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese and the butter, and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla, strawberry puree and cream and continue to mix until well combined. Mix in 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Add the third cup a little at a time until you reach a consistency that you're happy with. You may not use it all, or you may use more. It just needs to be thick enough to be spreadable.
- Apply a crumb coat layer of frosting to the cake (see *NOTES below), and refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, or until the frosting is set. Apply the second layer of frosting, if needed. Decorate, as desired, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients
- Don’t skip the crumb coat for smooth frosting
- Adjust powdered sugar for desired frosting thickness
- Chill between frosting layers
- Use cake flour for best texture
Nutrition
This recipe comes from RecipeBoy.com
