Perfect for any occasion, this Southern-style Triple-layer Strawberry Cake is a moist, amazingly delicious cake with a fresh, luxurious strawberry buttercream frosting. (Made from scratch - no boxed cake mix!)
Jump to:
- What's the Story Behind this Recipe?
- Why this Recipe Works
- Fresh Strawberry Cake Ingredients
- How to Make this Strawberry Cake Recipe
- Substitutions
- Equipment
- Storage
- Top Tips
- FAQ
- More Fresh Strawberry Recipes
- What to Serve with Strawberry Cake
- Triple-layer Strawberry Cake with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
What's the Story Behind this Recipe?
For me, baking is often about memories. Sometimes I bake memories for people I love: pineapple-upside down cake when we go camping, peach cobbler in August, pumpkin pie for my mother's birthday. Other times, baking is a path that takes me back in time.
In the summer of 2018, Mr B and I traveled to Tennessee, where we had the honor of attending the Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony for one of his best friends from his Navy days.
If you’ve never attended the retirement rites of a senior military officer, I highly recommend it. It may very well renew (or redeem) your faith in both our country and the people who protect it. (And if the flag passing ceremony of Olde Glory doesn’t move you to tears, I don’t know what will.)
After the formal ceremonies concluded, we were ushered into a reception room filled with sailors decked out in their full dress whites, along with families and friends. My eyes roamed from one small cluster to the next; to the smiling faces, the convivial conversations, the warm embraces.
In the middle of the reception room was a long refreshment table with two large, beautifully decorated cakes on either end. Centered between them sat a modest, unpretentious pale pink layer cake.
A memory flickered.
That pink cake. My mother always told me that Southerners love their cakes. I plated a small piece and took a bite.
In an instant, I was four...maybe five, sitting on my stool at my Pop's yellow chrome and formica kitchen table. I don’t know the occasion, but I remember that cake. Smooth, sweet, pink, and perfectly strawberry.
It tasted like summer.
Standing in that reception room in Tennessee, I had not tasted strawberry cake in fifty years, but as that single bite melted on my tongue, it was yesterday.
When Mr B and I returned home to Oregon, I set about baking myself a memory.
Why this Recipe Works
Perfecting a recipe for a Strawberry Cake from scratch wasn’t easy. Nearly every source I could find required a boxed cake mix, and I was determined to create a *scratch* strawberry cake recipe.
In my quest, I consulted at least fifteen different recipes, cookbooks, and bakers' websites before I finally felt confident about my game plan. However, once I got the ratios for everything right (the sugar levels were especially tricky) and recognized that those whipped egg whites make all the difference, it all fell into place.
I couldn’t be happier with the outcome!
This strawberry scratch cake is far and away easier to make than you might imagine; and in my opinion, working with three thinner layers is easier than two thicker layers. This Strawberry Cake results in a moist, amazingly delicious cake with a fresh strawberry buttercream frosting. You are going to love it!!!
Fresh Strawberry Cake Ingredients
All ingredients should be room temperature.
- Strawberries: Either fresh and frozen will work. Thoroughly defrost frozen berries before using.
- Cake flour: It's important to use cake flour for this cake. Cake flour is a finely milled, delicate flour that results in a fine crumb and a good rise. My personal cake flour preference is Bob's Red Mill Super Fine Cake Flour.
- I cannot stress this enough: when it comes to flour in baking, sift first, THEN measure.
- The primary difference between cake flour and all-purpose flour (AP) is that cake flour has slightly less protein, which translates to less gluten in your cake, which means you will have a more tender cake.
- Eggs: I use USDA Large eggs (EU Medium) to make this cake. Both egg whites and yolks should be room temperature before using.
- Unsalted butter: Do not use butter substitutes. Butter should be room temperature.
- Sugar: Use white granulated sugar.
- Powdered sugar: i.e., Confectioner's/ icing sugar.
- Jell-O®: Y'all know that I try to avoid the boxes, but this recipe just doesn't fly without Jell-O®. If possible, avoid using off-brand gelatin: the strawberry flavor in them usually tastes like cheap kids' candy.
- Milk: I use whole milk to make this recipe. It has not yet been tested using low-fat milk or alternative milks.
- Lemon zest: Use fresh lemon zest.
- Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
- Strawberry jam: Use any strawberry jam that you like. (I use strawberry freezer jam.)
- Salt: Use fine sea salt or table salt.
- Baking powder
How to Make this Strawberry Cake Recipe
Strawberry Puree
Combine fresh strawberries and two tablespoons of sugar in a blender. Pulse until strawberries are reduced to a pulp.DO NOT blend until smooth. (You will use ½ cup of the puree for the cake. Reserve the remaining puree to use in the frosting.)
Set aside and allow to the strawberries to macerate further while you perform next few steps.
Cake Layers
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
HINT: Line the bottom of the pans with parchment rounds for easy release and clean-up.
In a medium bowl, combine sifted flour and baking powder. Set aside.
Whisk together milk, strawberry puree, lemon zest, and vanilla. Set aside.
Use an electric stand mixer to cream together butter, sugar, dry strawberry Jell-O®, and salt. Beat in eggs yolks one at a time.
Turn the mixer on low, and add the flour mixture into batter alternately with strawberry-milk mixture. Remove the mixing bowl from the stand and set aside.
In a clean, medium mixing bowl, whip the eggs whites until they form medium peaks. (Medium peaks can hold their shape, but the peak curls over when the beaters are lifted.)
Use a clean spatula to fold the whipped egg whites into the batter.
Pour the cake batter evenly into the three prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean.
Allow cakes to cool in their pans over wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully tap out onto wire racks to cool completely.
Wrap layers in plastic and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour before frosting.
Strawberry Frosting
Using an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high until light and fluffy.
With mixer on low, add powdered sugar to the whipped butter alternately with ⅓ cup pureed strawberries. Combine thoroughly into a soft, creamy mixture that will hold its shape.
Cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, or until the frosting firms up slightly.
Frosting the Cake
Spread the top of the bottom layer of cake with frosting.
Add the middle layer and refrigerate again until the frosting has firmed up a bit; about 10 minutes. Add the top layer and repeat.
For a cleaner frosting, apply a crumb coat to the entire outside of the cake first to keep the crumbs out of your final frosting. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
Complete frost the cake and decorate with fresh strawberries as desired.
Decorate with fresh strawberries if desired.
Frosting Philosophy
There are two basic schools of thought about frosting: (1) the cake is a necessary conveyance for getting as much frosting as possible into your mouth; and (2) the cake is the star, and frosting is, well… frosting. It is for sealing the cake and adding additional texture and sweetness, but don’t go all crazy and let it overpower the cake.
I belong to the second, “less-is-more” group. You may notice that, in the images here, there is only enough frosting between the layers to hold them together, and that the outer frosting isn’t spread on very heavily. For my tastes, this amount of frosting provides the perfect balance for this cake.
If, however, you lean toward the first, “the-more-frosting-the-better” group, be assured that you will not run short of strawberry frosting with this recipe. I had well over a cup leftover when this cake was done. (Hello, late-night frosting-n-graham-crackers!)
Substitutions
Easy Cake Flour Substitute*: If you can't buy/find cake flour, try this easy substitute. For each cup of cake flour, measure out 1 cup of flour, then remove 2 tablespoons from the cup. Add 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and sift together.
*Note: I have never made this particular cake using this cake flour substitute, so substitute at your own risk.
Homemade Powdered Sugar: To make powdered sugar, combine granulated sugar and cornstarch in a ratio of 1 cup to 1 tablespoon. Place them in a high-powdered blender (i.e., Vitamix, Blendtec) and blitz until the mixture is ground to a soft powder.
Equipment
Use the Right Cake Pans
The kind and quality of baking pans you use can have a great impact on the success of your cake. For this recipe, I recommend using three 8-inch stainless steel round cake pans, lined on the bottom with parchment rounds. (I love the weight of these pans!)
If you use glass or dark pans, or pour only two cake layers instead of three, you will need to adjust the baking time and/or temperature.
Storage
Store cake on the counter in a covered cake plate or wrapped in plastic wrap. It will last about a week before it starts to get stale.
How to Freeze Cake Layers
Cake layers can be baked well ahead of time, then frozen for up to 3 months, until you are ready to frost them.
- To freeze cake layers, first bake and completely cool the layers.
- Wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap.
- Wrap each plastic-wrapped layer in aluminum foil.
- Use a permanent marker to label and dates the layers
- Bonus: place each wrapped, labeled layer in a reusable freezer bag.
Top Tips
How to Know When a Cake is Done
- The edges of the cake pull away from the sides of the pan.
- The cake springs back when gently pressed.
- When inserted near the center, a toothpick comes out clean.
- The internal temperature, measured on an instant-read thermometer, is 210°F (99°C).
- If you listen very carefully, you can hear the cake layers sing as they bake. You will heat a faint crackling or sizzling sound, as the steam from the liquid ingredients cooks out. As the cake gets closer to being done, the sound will become softer and slower, becoming a barely audible whisper when the cake is done.
FAQ
♦︎ Soft peaks barely hold their shape, and flop over as soon as the beaters are lifted.
♦︎ Medium peaks can hold their shape, but the peak curls over when the beaters are lifted.
♦︎ Stiff peaks stand straight up when the beaters are lifted.
More Fresh Strawberry Recipes
What to Serve with Strawberry Cake
A slice of strawberry layer cake and a scoop of fresh strawberry ice cream (or homemade vanilla ice cream) is a memorable summer treat! (For a real down-home meal, serve up some Nashville Hot Chicken, Memphis coleslaw, and fried green tomatoes for the main dish!)
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Triple-layer Strawberry Cake with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- 1 Blender or immersion blender
- 3 9-inch round cake pans or 8-inch round cake pans
- 1 Sifter
Ingredients
Strawberry Puree
- 8 ounces fresh hulled strawberries
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
Strawberry Cake
- 4 egg whites room temperature
- 2½ cups sifted cake flour VERY Important: Sift, THEN measure.
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1⅜ cups white sugar
- 3 ounces Strawberry flavored Jell-O® 1 small package
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup milk 2% or whole
- ½ cup fresh strawberry puree
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Strawberry Frosting
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅓ cup strawberry puree
- 1 tablespoon strawberry jam or ½ tsp. strawberry extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Strawberry Puree
- Combine fresh strawberries and two tablespoons of sugar in a blender. Pulse until strawberries are reduced to a pulp.DO NOT blend until smooth. (You will use ½ cup of the puree for the cake. Reserve the remaining puree to use in the frosting.) Set aside and allow to the strawberries to macerate further while you perform next few steps.
Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans. HINT: Line the bottom of the pans with parchment rounds for easy release and clean-up.
- In a medium bowl, combine sifted flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- Whisk together milk, strawberry puree, lemon zest, and vanilla. Set aside.
- Use an electric stand mixer to cream together butter, sugar, dry strawberry Jell-O®, and salt. Beat in eggs yolks one at a time. Turn the mixer on low, and add the flour mixture into batter alternately with strawberry-milk mixture. Remove the mixing bowl from the stand and set aside.
- In a clean, medium mixing bowl, whip the eggs whites until they form medium peaks. (Medium peaks can hold their shape, but the peak curls over when the beaters are lifted.)Use a clean spatula to gently fold the whipped egg whites into the batter.
- Pour the cake batter evenly into the three prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean.
- Allow cakes to cool in their pans over wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully tap out onto wire racks to cool completely. Wrap layers in plastic and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour before frosting.
Strawberry Frosting
- Using an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, add powdered sugar to the whipped butter alternately with ⅓ cup pureed strawberries. Combine thoroughly into a soft, creamy mixture that will hold its shape.
- Cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes, or until the frosting firms up slightly.
Frosting Cake
- Spread the top of the bottom layer of cake with frosting.Add the middle layer and refrigerate again until the frosting has firmed up a bit; about 10 minutes. Add the top layer and repeat.
- For a cleaner frosting, apply a crumb coat to the entire outside of the cake first to keep the crumbs out of your final frosting. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
- Complete frost the cake and decorate with fresh strawberries as desired.Decorate with fresh strawberries if desired.
Notes
- To freeze cake layers, first bake and completely cool the layers.
- Wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap.
- Wrap each plastic-wrapped layer in aluminum foil.
- Use a permanent marker to label and dates the layers
- Bonus: place each wrapped, labeled layer in a reusable freezer bag.
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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Emily says
This recipe was labeled vegetarian but had jello in it? I’m confused..
Renée B. says
You’re absolutely right — I made a mistake when labeling the recipe. I’ve corrected it now. 😊
Theola says
Hi your cake looks good and I’m ready to try it for a birthday cake could I use a regular and half recipe to make the cake bigger your thoughts greatly appreciatef
Gail Reid says
Hi,should that be a 3 oz packet of jello? Cheers x
Renée says
Yes; the recipe lists one 3-ounce package.
Ashley says
Hi, I am looking for a gluten free version. Have you experimented with replacing the flour? Thanks!
Renée says
I have not tried gluten-free flour with this cake yet. However, if you do, please come back and let us know how it turned out. (My SIL is GF, and this cake would make her so happy!)
Paige says
Do you need to let the strawberries thaw before you make the purée? I was worried the extra water might throw off the recipe
Renée ♥ says
No. The water released by frozen berries is the same water you would have inside the berries if they were fresh. They do, however, need to be thawed enough to break down in the blender.
Callie says
Can I make this recipe into cupcakes? This cakes is delicious!!! I have made it many times and folks rave about it!
Renée ♥ says
I'm so glad you like the recipe, Callie! Of course you can make it into cupcakes. I haven't tried doing that with this recipe yet, but generally, when you convert a cake recipe to cupcakes, you keep the oven temperature the same and reduce the oven time. In this case, I'd probably start with 15 minutes, test for doneness, and go from there. Please come back and let me know how they turn out! ?
Jessica says
Is this cake moist and not thick in texture?
Thanks
Renée ♥ says
Yes, the cake is very moist. The thickness is determined by the number and size of the pans you use. If you make it as shown, each layer turns out to be about 1-inch thick.
Jen says
Just made this cake for my son’s 18th birthday. I made a few changes. I slightly increased the amount of strawberry puree and left out the jello. I found an increase in puree adds a beautiful pink color without the artificial and adds a wonderful strawberry taste as well. I did discover that by the time I added the egg whites, they’d be better off being whisked before adding them to the batter. They tend to slightly break down while sitting aside in a bowl. My son took a taste of the batter from the mixing bowl (after I poured into the pans) and he loves it!
Renée ♥ says
Thanks for your feedback! I'm so glad you liked the cake. Yes, as the directions indicate, it is VERY important to have the batter ready BEFORE you whip the egg whites. I have made it both with and without the Jello, and I personally like the extra flavor with it, but I'm glad it worked for you without it. Great for people trying to avoid coloring, etc. ?
Yolanda Cox says
how long can the icing be kept
Renée ♥ says
The frosting is butter-based, so about a month in the fridge, or 6-9 months in the freezer. We had this cake from the freezer just last week: it had been there 7 months and it tasted delicious.
Yolanda Cox says
Great! I made it on Saturday and I had a lot of icing leftover and didn't want it to go to waste. The cake was great and my family enjoyed it especially my son as he is a cray about anything strawberry. I just wished the layers were a little bit bigger. I had one more question. I don't have a 3/8 measuring cup which I figured it out, but is there a easier way to figure out 3/8 cup?
Renée ♥ says
I'm so glad it turned out so well for you! You can make the layers thicker/deeper by using 8-inch round pans instead of 9-inch, in which case you would need to increase the baking time by 5-6 minutes. And 3/8 cup = 1/4 cup + 2 Tbls = 6 Tbls. ☺️
Jackie Jenkins says
Hello, can I make this in a 9×12 pan
Renée ♥ says
I've only made it as a layer cake, so I don't know how it would fit in a 9x12, but it should work fine. You'll need to increase the baking time, of course.
Yolanda COX says
Great! Thank you so much. I can't wait to try it.
Mr B says
Even from the freezer, this cake is amazing. We had some leftover that we froze and I decided to pull it out yesterday after being in there since August. I loved it!
Julia says
This looks so delicious! I have a birthday party to go to this weekend and was thinking I may make this cake!
Nataly says
Wow, thank you for the recipe! It looks so delicious. I will try to make this cake tomorrow!
Stine Mari says
What a gorgeous color you got on the cake! And fresh strawberries are so yummy in cakes, I bet this is too!
Sheree says
This strawberry cake looks and sounds delicious, I will definitely have to try it for the family, thanks for sharing!
~xo Sheree
poshclassymom.com
Mary says
What a beautiful cake! I'm with you on the frosting. I don't like to go overboard. I like a nice balance so you can equally taste the cake with just enough frosting.
Leah says
YES YES YES!!! When strawberries are back in season this is the first thing I will whip up!!!
Renée ♥ says
I absolutely love and truly appreciate your joyful enthusiasm, Leah!! ?
Jenni LeBaron says
That color is spectacular! I don't think anything beats a good pink dessert and this looks absolutely tasty. I love that it utilized fresh strawberries too!
Cassie says
The cake looks beautiful! I've never put too much thought into how much my baking habits resonate with memories growing up!
Gabi says
This cake looks perfect! I really the presentation!
Pech says
What a pretty cake, and I love the sweet colors and the lovely story about the inspiration from the near past and farther past. It is so nostalgic and classic!
Lauren says
Thank you for sharing! My mom LOVES strawberry cake and we're always looking for a good classic strawberry cake recipe from scratch. Will definitely be printing this one off for the recipe box.
Amanda says
I LOVE strawberry cake. It has always been a favorite for some strange reason. Well, not so strange, really. It really is delicious.
Renée ♥ says
Me too, Amanda. I think it's more unique than strange ?
Waz says
Gorgeous cake! The color from the fresh strawberries is so pretty, and baking from scratch is so much better than using boxed cake mix. Also, love the idea of baking a memory. What a lovely thought!
Renée ♥ says
Thank you so much!
Catherine @ To & Fro Fam says
"Baking a memory" -- what a beautiful turn of phrase to express the way taste can transport us in time. It doesn't hurt that the cake turned out to be gorgeous!
Renée ♥ says
Thanks, Catherine. From one word person to another, that means a lot. ?
Maryanne says
Lovely cake! I like that you used fresh strawberries to get that natural pink coloring in the frosting.
Renée ♥ says
Thank you, Maryanne. The color in the frosting is 100% natural. The color in the cake comes from a combination of fresh strawberries and Jell-O. (I couldn't get it to work without it.)
Katie says
I have been to a similar ceremony and I agree- they're something incredibly special about being a part of those. As for your cake, that looks so good! And I love the naturally pink color that comes from the strawberries!
Amanda says
I love strawberry cake! Your version looks so light and fluffy -- just perfect. Can't wait to give this a try!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
I love that this cake is made with fresh strawberries. It looks really tasty!
traci says
Oh man, I would love a big slice of this right now to go with my coffee this morning! Strawberry cake is a must for everyone's recipe box...thanks for sharing!
Yolanda Cox says
i would love to make this for my son. how long can this cake set up if I make it on a Friday or Saturday for Sunday? does it have to be refrigerated?
Renée ♥ says
This particular cake seems to last a pretty long time, so I think you'd be safe making it as early as Friday and still be good for Sunday, and as long as you cover it well to keep the frosting from hardening, it should be fine out of the fridge as long as its kept somewhere cool and dry. (If it gets too warm, you'll run the risk of that butter-based frosting slipping.)
We've eaten this cake up to five days after it was made, and it still tastes great; maybe not quite as "light" in the sponge-cake sense, but just as delicious - just fractionally denser, if that makes sense. Also coincidentally, just last weekend, we took a six-month old quarter-cake out of the freezer, and we were very pleasantly surprised at how fresh-tasting and well-preserved it was.
Lanie says
Can I use bread flour or all purpose flou r?
Renée ♥ says
I imagine that you can use all-purpose flour, although I've never done it myself. Your cake won't be as light, but I think it would ok. DO NOT, under any circumstances, use bread flour - you will just end up with a baked brick.
Leslie says
Beautiful cake. I love using Jello in cake recipes. It really boosts the flavor. I will never know if it works to freeze...it won't last long enough for that at my house!