Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe

Top-down shot of a strawberry cake topped with strawberries on a glass serving dish with a slice being lifted out with a cake server.

5 from 5 votes

Homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe

This homemade Strawberry Cake Recipe is bursting with fresh strawberry flavor and made completely from scratch! Layers of soft and fluffy vanilla cake filled with a strawberry buttercream and a layer of fresh strawberry filling. A perfect cake for spring and summer!

Prep Time1

Cook Time40

Total Time1 40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Holiday

Servings:

Author: Julia Foerster

Ingredients

For the fresh Strawberry Puree:

1 pint fresh strawberries plus more for decorating

For the Strawberry Filling:

1 cup fresh strawberry puree (see instructions above)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tsp gelatine or agar agar powder

For the Sponge Cakes:

6 large eggs room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder

For the Strawberry Buttercream:

1/2 cup fresh strawberry puree
1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups powdered sugar
6 oz cream cheese room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Cups - Metric

Instructions

To make the Strawberry Puree:

You need about 1 pint of fresh strawberries to make 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberry puree. You'll need 1 cup for the strawberry filling and 1/2 cup for the buttercream.
To make fresh Strawberry Puree wash, dry, and stem berries then place them in a food processor or blender and process until liquid with pulp.
Set aside 1/2 cup for the buttercream. Use 1 cup for the strawberry filling.

To make the Strawberry Filling:

Cover the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with plastic wrap or use a cake ring set on a flat plate or board. You could also use a plate with a base of the same size and cover it with plastic wrap.
In a small saucepan cook strawberry puree and sugar for about 5 minutes at medium temperature until most of the liquid has evaporated and the puree is thick.
In another small saucepan combine water and agar agar/gelatine. Place over low heat, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes while stirring constantly until granules are completely dissolved.
Add the agar agar/gelatine mixture to the strawberry puree. Whisk until combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan then put it in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. This can also be done a few days in advance (Note 1).

To make the Sponge Cake:

Preheat oven to 350˚F (180°C) and line bottoms of two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper (do not grease the sides).
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs for 1 minutes on high speed until foamy.
With the mixer running, gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating for 15 minutes until the mixture is thick and fluffy. The volume of the eggs should have increased a lot, see pictures above for reference. Add vanilla extract.
In a small bowl combine flour and baking powder then sift flour mixture into egg mixture one-third at a time. Use a rubber spatula and gently fold in each flour addition just until incorporated and no flour pockets remain. Do not over-mix the batter or you will deflate it.
Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake at 350˚F for 25-30 minutes until the tops are golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Slide around the edges with a thin spatula or knife, remove the cakes from the pans and transfer cakes to a wire rack. Remove parchment paper and let cakes cool down to room temperature.

To make the strawberry buttercream:

In a small saucepan, simmer fresh strawberry puree for 5 minutes until it is reduced to about 5 tbsp puree. Set aside and let cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, cream together butter, salt, and powdered sugar on medium speed until white and fluffy about 4-5 minutes.
Add cream cheese and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Continue to beat for two more minutes until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
With the mixer running, add reduced strawberry puree one tablespoon at a time then beat another minute.

Assemble the cake:

Place one cake on a serving platter, frost top with thin layer of frosting. Then place the cold/frozen strawberry filling layer on top.
Pipe frosting around the strawberry filling disk then top with another thin layer of frosting. See pictures above for reference.
Place the second cake on top and frost the sides and top with the leftover frosting. Refrigerate cake.
I garnished the cake with buttercream roses and strawberry halves.

Notes

Note 1: If you want to do this step in advance, freeze the filling in the pan until completely frozen about 1 or 2 hours, then wrap filling disks airtight in plastic wrap.

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