You are going to love this fresh strawberry cake recipe! It's studded with fresh berries in a simple, single-layer cake that's easy to make and tastes great.
This is the perfect afternoon snack cake or simple cake for a summer party! It requires very little hands-on time to make but is still bursting with the bright, fresh strawberry flavor.
Jump to:
This easy strawberry cake recipe is a family favorite. It's always gone in less than two days because we enjoy it so much!
Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients you'll need for this homemade strawberry cake.
- Fresh Strawberries
- All-Purpose Flour
- Unsalted Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Large Egg
- Skim Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Baking Powder
- Kosher Salt
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan.
Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer (a hand mixer or stand mixer both work) at medium speed for 3 minutes or until pale and fluffy.
Add the egg, milk, and vanilla to the bowl and mix on high speed till combined.
Stir together the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl till combined. Then, half the dry mixture is added to the wet mixture. Stir till flour is incorporated. Add the remaining dry mixture and stir to combine. Beat for 1 minute until the batter is fluffy.
Pour the cake batter into the cake pan and spread till you have an even layer.
Place the fresh strawberry slices on top in a single layer. Sprinkle an additional 2 teaspoons of sugar on top of the cake.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Test the cake with a wooden skewer or cake tester to see if the center of the cake is fully baked before removing it from the oven.
Let the pan cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before removing the cake and cutting.
Tips for Making this Recipe
Baking Tips - You can grease the cake pan with either butter or vegetable oil spray or use a parchment paper round. The pan must be greased or covered though to prevent the cake from sticking.
Specialty Ingredients - Use the ripest, in-season strawberries as possible for this cake. Strawberries are in season in spring and summer, but they are at their peak strawberry season is in May and June.
Recommended Tools - Use a round, 9-inch cake pan for this recipe. I do not recommend making it on a pie plate; the sides of the pan should be straight. You can use a springform pan as well for this recipe.
Storage
This cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Or you can place it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
This cake can freeze as well. Place it in a freezer safe container or cover it in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven.
What to Serve with Strawberry Cake
- Keep it simple and add a dollop of whipped cream on top
- For a hot day when you want to cool off, pair it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
- For a Valentine's Day worthy dessert, drizzle it with some dark chocolate or shaved chocolate
- Serve it as an afternoon snack and pair it with a warm cup of tea or coffee
- If you absolutely love strawberries, add a bunch more sliced fresh strawberries on top
More Delicious Cake Recipes
- Fresh Raspberry Cake - a gorgeous cake studded with fresh raspberries that's perfect for summer.
- Easy Blueberry Cake - this easy to make single layer cake is made with fresh blueberries!
- Strawberry Tahini Cake - another delicious strawberry cake idea! This one pairs tahini with fresh strawberries. You'll serve it with whipped cream for a strawberry shortcake vibe!
If you try this recipe, let us know! Connect with us on Instagram and share your photos, or leave us a rating.
Fresh Strawberry Cake
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar plus 2 teaspoons for topping
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup skim milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch cake pan.
- Beat the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes or until pale and fluffy.
- Add the egg, milk, and vanilla to the bowl and mix till combined.
- Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl until combined. Then, add half the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Stir, with a spatula, till flour is incorporated. Add the remaining dry mixture and stir to combine. Beat for 1 minute until the batter is fluffy.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan and spread till you have an even layer.
- Place the strawberries on top in a single layer. Sprinkle the additional 2 teaspoons of sugar on top.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Before removing the cake from the oven, test it with a wooden skewer or cake tester to see if the center is fully baked.
- Let the pan cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before removing the cake and cutting.