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    Home » Recipes » Cakes

    Simple Strawberry Cake

    Published: Feb 12, 2015 · Modified: Jun 1, 2024 by Stephanie @ Pretty.Simple.Sweet. · This post may contain affiliate links · 14 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Easy and simple to make, this beautifully tempting cake is moist, flavorful, and loaded with juicy strawberries.

    Simple Fresh Strawberry Cake | prettysimplesweet.com

    If you’re one of those who wait for summer to get your hands on some fresh strawberries, then trust me – this cake is worth the wait. As much as I want to apologize for all my strawberry recipes and photos lately, I won’t because once summer arrives, you’ll be thanking me.

    Simple Fresh Strawberry Cake | prettysimplesweet.com

    Taste and Texture

    This strawberry cake really took me by surprise when I first tried it. It was love at first bite. It’s dense, but definitely not overly so, and is kind of melt-in-your-mouth moist, in part because of the fresh strawberries. The cake isn’t supposed to be tall, that way every bite has just the right amount of cake and strawberries. Just know that it works, and don’t be tempted to use a smaller and taller pan. Besides, as you can see, it’s absolutely beautiful with these dimensions.

    This cake wasn’t originally flavored with lemon, but it tasted so much better once I tried it that way.

    Simple Fresh Strawberry Cake | prettysimplesweet.com

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    Strawberries

    The star of this cake is (obviously) the strawberries, and there are plenty of them, so use the sweetest and most delicious strawberries you can find. I mix them with a bit of lemon juice and sugar before topping them over the cake, just to give some extra flavor and sweetness. During baking, the strawberries will sink slightly, but not all the way to the bottom. You can arrange them on top however you like. As you can see in the photos, the perfectionist in me like to arrange them symmetrically in circles.

    Pro tip: use a strawberry huller or melon baller to remove the stems quickly and easily.

    Serving suggestions

    If you want to make the strawberry cake extra special, serve it with this vanilla sauce. It’s the easiest sauce ever, and it compliments the flavors well. Even a few more strawberries mixed with a bit of lemon juice and sugar added on top of each slice is a great addition. Otherwise, serve with whipped cream or as-is, which means perfect.

    Simple Fresh Strawberry Cake | prettysimplesweet.com

    More delicious cakes made with fruit

    • Cherry Almond Cake – topped with juicy dark cherries and almond flour in the batter.
    • White Chocolate Raspberry Loaf Cake – with juicy raspberries in every bite.
    • Blueberry Crumb Cake – buttery, delicious crumble makes this cake perfect.
    • Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake – although technically a vegetable, this rhubarb cake is perfectly tart and sweet all at the same time.
    Simple Fresh Strawberry Cake | prettysimplesweet.com
    5 from 4 votes
    Print

    Strawberry Cake

    Easy and simple to make, this beautifully tempting cake is moist, flavorful, and loaded with juicy strawberries.
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
    YIELD 1 9-inch cake
    Author Stephanie @ Pretty.Simple.Sweet.

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups (200g/7 oz.) all-purpose flour
    • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (175g/6.2 oz.) granulated sugar
    • Lemon zest from ½-1 lemon
    • ⅓ cup (75g/2.7 oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk
    • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 2 ¾ cups (400) g/14 oz. fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
    • Easy vanilla sauce, optional

    Instructions

    1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350℉/180℃. Grease a 10-inch pie dish, or a 9-inch round springform pan. Set aside.

    2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, toss together ¾ cup (150g) sugar and lemon zest until combined.
    3. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and lemon-sugar mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Occasionally scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the egg and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla extract. Add half of the flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. Beat in heavy cream just until combined, followed by the rest of the flour mixture. Do not over mix. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
    4. In another small bowl, toss strawberries with lemon juice and 2 tablespoons sugar, then arrange them cut-side down on top of the batter, being careful not to press them in.
    5. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 325F/160C and continue baking for 45-60 minutes, or until cake is golden brown, firm to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake (and not into a juicy strawberry) comes out clean. If the top is browning too fast while baking, cover pan loosely with aluminum foil. Allow cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
    6. Serve plain, with whipped cream, or with vanilla sauce.

    Recipe Notes

    Cake can be kept, covered, at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 days.

     

    Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Thalia @ butter and brioche says

      February 12, 2015 at 4:17 pm

      So simple yet so delicious.. this strawberry cake is perfect Shiran! As always, I love your photography.

      Reply
      • Shiran says

        February 14, 2015 at 7:34 am

        Thank you so much Thalia! You know how much I love your photography too!

        Reply
    2. Winnie says

      February 14, 2015 at 6:06 pm

      זאת יופי של עוגה. פשוטה ומאדדדדדדדדד טעימה
      דווקא תוספת של לימון עושה אותה מיוחדת לדעתי
      ואיזה כייף שיש יופי של תותים עכשיו 🙂

      Reply
      • Shiran says

        February 15, 2015 at 10:48 am

        I also think that the lemon makes this cake more delicious. I can’t stop baking with strawberries lately, they are so pretty and delicious now!

        Reply
    3. Dayna says

      November 15, 2016 at 8:29 pm

      I love all the strawberry recipes . Strawberries are mine and my family,s favorite. Keep them coming

      Reply
    4. Leyla says

      September 02, 2018 at 6:53 am

      Hi Shiran,
      I finally purchased a springform pan JUST to try this recipe and I’ll be trying the nutella tart next. Made this strawberry cake yesterday (one piece with appleslices because I knew someone in my family doesn’t like strawberry’s in cakes/pies) and everyone lOVED it!! I WILL be making this cake every summer during strawberry season!
      Anyway, I want to try it with a mango next but I’m out of heavy cream and milk. Can I substitute it with creme fraîche?

      Also, what other fruits have you tried this recipe with?

      Reply
      • Shiran says

        September 03, 2018 at 9:46 am

        Thank you so much, Leyla! I’m glad you like it! Creme fraiche should work here, but the flavor will be slightly different. I tried it only with strawberries, but any kind of berries would work well.

        Reply
    5. MJ says

      May 26, 2020 at 7:42 am

      Lovely cake! Topped with strawberries & blueberries. The lemon adds just the right amount of brightness. Thanks!

      Reply
    6. Andrea says

      July 17, 2020 at 9:55 pm

      Hi Shiran!
      I’m wondering if I can prepare this pie and freeze it before baking so we can eat it in a couple of weeks. Do you think it is a good idea?

      Reply
      • Shiran says

        July 20, 2020 at 11:50 am

        Hi Andrea. Do you mean the cake? Yes, you can freeze it, then thaw it overnight (or for at least 8 hours) in the fridge.

        Reply
        • Andrea says

          July 22, 2020 at 11:00 pm

          Thanks Shiran! But… never mind! I baked the cake and it was SO YUMMI that we ate it the same day 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

          Reply
    7. Tan says

      December 28, 2020 at 1:03 am

      Hello!!!
      This looks soooooo tempting. I would love to try this. Just was wondering, if I want to divide the recipe into half, what size of pan should I be using??
      Thanks much!

      Reply
      • Shiran says

        December 28, 2020 at 4:10 am

        You can use a 7-inch pan.

        Reply
    8. Shwetal says

      February 17, 2022 at 5:43 pm

      Hi Shiran , the strawberry cake turned out to be great. Thanks a ton for the recipe. Just wanted to ask..may be small pieces of strawberry could be added to the cake inside instead of just over the top to give more of the strawberry flavour!! What do you say??

      Reply

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