Easy Strawberry Sheet Cake (Made with Fresh Strawberries)
This strawberry sheet cake has a tender, pink crumb and a tangy cream cheese frosting that swirls with real strawberry flavor. It is the kind of dessert you can throw together for a party or a quiet Tuesday without pulling out a mixer or stacking layers.
If you have ever been let down by a strawberry cake that tasted more like artificial candy than fruit, this one fixes that problem. The batter and the frosting both get their color and taste from fresh strawberry puree, so every bite actually tastes like strawberries.
What Makes This Strawberry Cake So Good
This cake stays moist and soft for days because the puree replaces some of the liquid you would normally add, and the buttermilk keeps the crumb tender. The flavor is bright and real, not heavy or cloying.
The frosting is a whipped cream cheese base with just enough puree to tint it pale pink and carry the berry tang all the way through. Spreading it over a single sheet pan means no carving, no stacking, and no fuss.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped.
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar: keeps the crumb light.
- 2 tsp baking powder: make sure it is fresh for a good rise.
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt: brings out the strawberry flavor.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted: use unsalted so the salt stays in balance.
- 2 large eggs: room temperature if you remember, but cold works.
- 1 cup strawberry puree: from about 8 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and blended smooth.
- 1/2 cup buttermilk: adds tang and tenderness.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract: rounds out the fruit.
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened: full-fat block style for the smoothest frosting.
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened: beat it until fluffy before adding the sugar.
- 3 cups powdered sugar: sift if it is lumpy.
- 2 to 3 tbsp strawberry puree: use the rest of the batch for the frosting color and taste.
- 1 tsp vanilla extract: for the frosting.
Variations / Substitutions
- Frozen strawberries: Thaw them first and drain any excess liquid, then puree. The puree will be a little thinner, so use the smaller amount in the frosting.
- Dairy-free: A good plant-based cream cheese block and vegan butter sticks both work. Oat milk with a teaspoon of lemon juice replaces the buttermilk.
- No cream cheese: Swap the cream cheese for an extra 1/2 cup butter and a pinch of salt for a classic buttercream finish.
- Gluten-free: A 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum will give you a similar crumb.
For a quicker weeknight cake, I skip the puree step and use the same weight of finely mashed very ripe strawberries, but the color is not as even.
How to Make Strawberry Sheet Cake
Step 1: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch metal baking pan. Whisk the 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl for about 30 seconds just to disperse the leavening and break up any sugar clumps.
The mixture should look even, with no streaks of baking powder. A fast whisk is all you need; you are not trying to add air the way you would with sifted flour.
Step 2: Stir the Wet Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk the 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 eggs, 1 cup strawberry puree, 1/2 cup buttermilk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until the color is a uniform rosy pink, about 1 minute. The mixture will smell gently sweet and tart from the berries and buttermilk.
Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula just until the last streak of flour disappears. Stop as soon as it comes together; overmixing will make the cake dense.
Step 3: Bake the Cake
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake on the center rack for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan once halfway through. The cake is done when the center springs back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs.
The cake will puff up and the edges will pull away just slightly. Let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before you frost it, which takes about an hour.
Step 4: Whip the Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat the 8 ounces of softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup softened butter with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth and no lumps remain, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl, then add the 3 cups powdered sugar a little at a time on low speed so it does not fly out.
Once the sugar is incorporated, add 2 tablespoons of strawberry puree and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat on high for 1 to 2 minutes, until the frosting is fluffy and a soft pink. If it feels too thick, add the last tablespoon of puree.
Step 5: Frost and Slice
Scoop all the frosting onto the completely cooled cake and use an offset spatula to push it out to the corners in swooping swirls. The frosting will spread easily and the color deepens slightly as it sits.
Slice into big squares right in the pan and serve. The cake tastes best at cool room temperature, when the crumb is tender and the frosting firms up just enough to hold its shape.
A Few Notes Before You Start
- Weigh your flour if you have a scale. Even a little extra flour makes a dry sheet cake, so spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off.
- Puree the strawberries until completely smooth, with no visible seeds if you want a cleaner look. If you prefer the texture, a coarse blend works fine too.
- The butter in the batter is melted, not creamed, which means you can mix this entire cake with a whisk and a spatula. No mixer needed until the frosting.
- A metal 9×13 pan gives you the best browning and the quickest bake. Glass pans work, but the cake will need 4 to 6 extra minutes and the edges may be a bit darker.
Scale this cake for a different pan:
| Pan Size | Baking Time |
|---|---|
| 9×13 inch metal | 30 to 35 minutes |
| 8×8 inch metal | 25 to 30 minutes |
| Two 8-inch round metal pans | 22 to 27 minutes |
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Cover the frosted cake tightly and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. The cold firms the frosting nicely.
- Serve cold: Many people prefer a slice straight from the refrigerator, where the frosting gets almost fudge-like. Let it sit out for 10 minutes if you want a softer crumb.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes, thaw them completely and drain the liquid before blending. The puree will be slightly thinner, so use the smaller amount of puree for the frosting to keep it from getting runny.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
Usually that means the cake was pulled from the oven before the center was fully set. Check with a toothpick at 30 minutes and give it 2 to 3 more minutes if the pick is still wet, even if the edges look done.
Can I make this cake without buttermilk?
You can stir 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice into 1/2 cup whole milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. It thickens and sours enough to mimic buttermilk in a pinch.
How do I keep the frosting from getting too sweet?
The cream cheese and the natural tartness of the strawberry puree cut the sweetness. Using exactly 3 cups of powdered sugar and not packing it keeps the balance right.
Can I double the recipe for a larger crowd?
Yes, bake it in a half sheet pan (13×18 inches) for about 25 to 30 minutes, but make the frosting in two separate batches so the mixer can handle the volume.
Strawberry Sheet Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch metal pan. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl for 30 seconds.
- In another bowl, whisk melted butter, eggs, 1 cup strawberry puree, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir wet ingredients into dry just until combined. Pour into the pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely.
- Beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, then add 2 tbsp strawberry puree and vanilla. Beat on high until fluffy, adding the last tbsp puree if needed.
- Spread frosting over the cooled cake, slice into squares, and serve.
