If you’re searching for a showstopping, fruit-forward dessert that delivers both gorgeous looks and luscious flavor, the Fresh Strawberry Cake With Strawberry Buttercream Recipe is your new baking adventure. This cake is delightfully moist, beautifully pink, and jam-packed with real strawberries in every single bite — paired with a cloud-like strawberry buttercream that’s seriously swoon-worthy. Whether it’s peak berry season or you’re using frozen fruit, this is the ultimate cake to brighten celebrations and indulge your berry-loving cravings.

Fresh Strawberry Cake With Strawberry Buttercream Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients You’ll Need

The secret to the Fresh Strawberry Cake With Strawberry Buttercream Recipe is in the simplicity and freshness of each ingredient. Every one, from the juicy strawberries to the creamy butter, is essential in building layers of flavor, color, and irresistible texture.

Fresh or Frozen Strawberries (32 ounces): Use fresh for peak season flavor or frozen for convenience — they create that signature strawberry punch.
Sugar (4 ounces, optional): Sweetens the reduction and enhances berry flavor, but adjust to your taste or the sweetness of your strawberries.
Lemon Juice (1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon, fresh): Adds brightness and balances the sweetness in both the cake and reduction.
Lemon Zest (zest of 2 lemons): Zest brings a pop of citrus aroma and depth alongside the berries.
Salt (pinch + 1/2 teaspoon): Makes every flavor in the cake shine and cuts richness in the buttercream.
Unsalted Butter (24 ounces, room temperature): Richness and moistness — the heart of both cake and buttercream.
Granulated Sugar (10 ounces): Gives structure and sweetness to your sponge layers.
Egg Whites (6 ounces + 4 ounces pasteurized): Create a tender crumb and build smooth, fluffy buttercream without yolky heaviness.
Milk (4 ounces, whole): Adds moisture and a soft crumb to each bite.
Strawberry Reduction (6 ounces for cake, 4 ounces for buttercream): Intensifies the fruit flavor and color — worth every minute to make!
Vegetable or Canola Oil (2 ounces): Keeps your cake moist and tender for days.
Strawberry Emulsion or Extract (1.5 teaspoons): Amplifies that nostalgic strawberry scent and taste (I love LorAnn Bakery Emulsion!)
Vanilla Extract (2 teaspoons total): Rounds out the flavors and deepens the cake’s aroma.
Pink Food Color (1/2 teaspoon): For a vivid berry-pink crumb — Americolor electric pink gel is my go-to.
All-Purpose Flour (14 ounces): Just enough to give structure, but keep things tender.
Baking Powder (1.5 teaspoons) & Baking Soda (1 teaspoon): Give the cake that gorgeous, gentle rise.
Powdered Sugar (16 ounces): Silky-smoothness and perfect sweetness for your buttercream.

How to Make Fresh Strawberry Cake With Strawberry Buttercream Recipe

Step 1: Make the Strawberry Reduction

This step is where the magic begins! Blend your strawberries until silky smooth. Pour the puree, sugar, zest, juice, and a pinch of salt into a saucepan, then simmer gently until thick and reduced to a jammy consistency, about 40 to 60 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking — you want it rich and almost like tomato sauce in thickness. Let it cool; this reduction will infuse both your cake layers and your buttercream with real, concentrated berry flavor.

Step 2: Prepare Ingredients and Cake Pans

It’s crucial that all your refrigerated ingredients (butter, egg whites, milk, and strawberry reduction) are at room temperature for a smooth, even batter. Pull them out an hour ahead or gently microwave your reduction to take the chill off. Preheat your oven to 350ºF (176ºC) and grease two 8-inch round pans with butter or your favorite release method. This ensures every lovely crumb slips easily from its pan.

Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, strawberry reduction, strawberry emulsion, vanilla, lemon zest, more lemon juice, and the pink food coloring. This rosy elixir is the source of your cake’s gentle blush and those lively, fruity flavors.

Step 4: Combine the Dry Ingredients

In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. These classic dry ingredients create the perfect foundation for a fluffy, tender strawberry cake.

Step 5: Cream Butter, Sugar, and Egg Whites

Beat the room temperature butter in your stand mixer with a paddle, mixing until it’s glossy and smooth — about 30 seconds. Gradually add in the sugar, beating well, until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Then add the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each. Everything should look luscious and evenly combined (if not, your ingredients are likely too cold, but it’ll still work!).

Step 6: Bring the Batter Together

On low speed, alternate adding the dry mixture and the wet strawberry mixture in thirds. Start and end with dry ingredients. Only mix until just combined — overmixing can toughen your cake. When the batter looks cohesive and almost like strawberry ice cream, you nailed it!

Step 7: Bake

Divide the pretty-pink batter between your prepared pans. Smooth the tops and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until set and a toothpick poked in the center has just a few moist crumbs. Don’t overbake — you want a soft, melt-in-your-mouth crumb!

Step 8: Cool the Cakes

Let the cakes cool in their pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife along the edges, then invert onto the rack to finish cooling completely — patience here keeps your layers fluffy and prevents sogginess.

Step 9: Make the Strawberry Buttercream

Place the pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in your mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat on low to combine, then whip on high until thick, glossy, and satiny — about 5 minutes. Add your softened butter in pieces, then whip on high 8 to 10 minutes until fluffy, white, and smooth. Beat in the strawberry reduction, vanilla, and salt for that dreamy berry flavor. For extra-smooth buttercream, switch to a paddle and mix on low to remove air bubbles.

Step 10: Assemble the Cake

Layer up: Place one cake layer on your plate, spread with a bit of strawberry reduction if you want extra berry flavor, then add a generous layer of strawberry buttercream. Top with the second cake layer and frost the entirety of the cake in more glorious, strawberry-pink buttercream. For best texture, chill the cake briefly before slicing.

How to Serve Fresh Strawberry Cake With Strawberry Buttercream Recipe

Garnishes

Nothing tops a Fresh Strawberry Cake With Strawberry Buttercream Recipe quite like a flurry of fresh, halved strawberries and maybe even a scattering of edible flowers or white chocolate shavings. Try piping swirls of extra buttercream around the top and nestling a few perfect berries into each. It’s bright, beautiful, and irresistible!

Side Dishes

Pair this cake with lighter fare since it’s such a star. A crisp, simple fruit salad, a bowl of tangy lemon sorbet, or even a glass of cold milk are all perfect companions. These keep the focus on the cake without overwhelming your palate.

Creative Ways to Present

Think outside the classic round! Bake the batter as cupcakes for adorable party treats or use heart-shaped pans for Valentine’s Day. For a summer brunch, slice it thin and serve with dollops of whipped cream and a drizzle of strawberry sauce. You can even make mini-cakes or cake jars for festive, portable desserts.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, wrap slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The buttercream actually keeps the cake layers exceptionally moist, and flavor deepens as it sits!

Freezing

To freeze, place individual cake slices or whole layers (unfrosted or frosted) on a baking sheet in the freezer until solid, then wrap in several layers of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. They’ll keep beautifully for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying.

Reheating

No need to reheat this cake, but if you want to bring slices to room temperature for extra tenderness, let them sit out for 30 minutes before serving. If you’d like a warm buttercream flavor explosion, zap a slice in the microwave for just 10 seconds!

FAQs

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh for this cake?

Absolutely! Frozen strawberries work just as well as fresh in the Fresh Strawberry Cake With Strawberry Buttercream Recipe, especially since you’re blending and reducing them. Just thaw and drain any excess liquid before starting your reduction.

Why is all the emphasis on room temperature ingredients?

It’s all about creating a smooth, even batter and perfect buttercream! Cold ingredients can cause batters to curdle and buttercream to separate, but when everything’s room temp, you get that beautifully light, fluffy cake and frosting.

Is the strawberry emulsion necessary?

While you can use a plain strawberry extract, a bakery emulsion (like LorAnn’s) gives a much more robust, natural berry flavor and aroma. It really makes the Fresh Strawberry Cake With Strawberry Buttercream Recipe taste like summer in a slice.

What’s the best way to ensure my cakes come out of the pan cleanly?

Be generous with your nonstick spray or even better, use “cake goop” (a homemade mix of equal parts flour, oil, and shortening). Also, always let your cakes cool for 10 minutes before turning them out — this keeps everything intact and beautiful.

Can I make this recipe as cupcakes?

Definitely! Simply portion the batter into lined muffin tins (about halfway full) and bake at 350ºF for 18–22 minutes. You’ll have the sweetest little strawberry cupcakes, perfect for sharing!

Final Thoughts

Bursting with berry flavor, beautiful to behold, and perfect for sharing with friends, the Fresh Strawberry Cake With Strawberry Buttercream Recipe is an absolute treat for any occasion. I can’t wait for you to taste just how fresh and exuberant homemade strawberry cake can be. Give it a whirl—you’ll fall head over heels for every dreamy, fluffy bite.

Fresh Strawberry Cake With Strawberry Buttercream Recipe

★★★★★

5.2 from 30 reviews

Author: Mariam
Total Time: 2 hours
Yield: 1 2-layer 8″ cake 1x
Diet: Vegetarian

Print Recipe

Description

Delight in the fresh flavors of summer with this delectable Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream recipe. Bursting with real strawberry goodness in both the cake and frosting, this dessert is a true celebration of the season.

Instructions

Strawberry Reduction Instructions
I recommend making this reduction the day before you’re ready to make your cake. Place your thawed or fresh strawberries into the blender and blend until smooth. Place the strawberry puree, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice into a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Once bubbling, reduce heat to medium-low and slowly reduce the puree until you have two cups of liquid and the mixture is very thick like tomato sauce. This can take between 40-60 minutes. Occasionally stir the mixture to prevent burning. You will use some of the reduction for the cake batter, some for the frosting and the rest for filling between the cake layers for extra moisture. Leftover reduction can be stored in the fridge for up to one week or frozen for 6 months.
Strawberry Cake Instructions
NOTE: It is SUPER IMPORTANT that all the room temperature ingredients listed above are room temperature and not cold or hot. Make sure to take your strawberry reduction out of the refrigerator 1 hour before making your cake so that it comes to room temperature or microwave it for about a minute so that it’s warm. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350ºF/176ºC. Grease two 8″ cake pans with cake goop or preferred pan release. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, strawberry reduction, strawberry emulsion, vanilla extract, lemon zest, lemon juice, and pink food coloring. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add room temperature butter to your stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat at medium speed until smooth and shiny, about 30 seconds. Gradually sprinkle in the sugar, beat until mixture is fluffy and almost white, about 3-5 minutes. Add the egg whites one at a time, beating 15 seconds in between. Your mixture should look cohesive at this point. If it looks curdled and broken, your butter or egg whites were too cold. Mix on low speed and add about a third of the dry ingredients to the batter, followed immediately by about a third of the milk mixture, mix until ingredients are almost incorporated into the batter. Repeat the process 2 more times. When the batter appears blended, stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. If it looks like ice cream, you did it right! Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake cakes at 350ºF/176ºC until they feel firm in the center and a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs on it, about 30-35 minutes. Place pans on top of a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Then flip your cakes onto the racks and cool completely. Once cooled, wrap each layer in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze before assembling your cake.
Buttercream Instructions
Place egg whites and powdered sugar in a stand mixer bowl. Attach the whisk and combine ingredients on low and then whip on high for 5 minutes. Place pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the whisk attachment and combine ingredients on low, then whip on high for 5 minutes. Add in your softened butter in chunks and whip on high for 8-10 minutes until it’s very white, light and shiny. It may look curdled and yellow at first, this is normal. Keep whipping. Add in strawberry reduction, vanilla extract and salt and continue whipping until incorporated. Optional: Switch to a paddle attachment and mix on low for 15-20 minutes to make the buttercream very smooth and remove air bubbles.

Notes

Make sure all room temperature ingredients are truly at room temperature for best results.
Refrigerating or freezing the cake layers before assembling can make the process easier.
Store any leftover strawberry reduction properly for future use.

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 1 hour
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
Calories: 420
Sugar: 34g
Sodium: 320mg
Fat: 24g
Saturated Fat: 14g
Unsaturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 48g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 4g
Cholesterol: 60mg

Keywords: Strawberry cake, Strawberry buttercream, Fresh strawberry cake, Summer dessert, Strawberry recipes