Strawberry Vanilla Cake with Real Strawberry Buttercream

This cake is all about real strawberry flavor in a soft, tender crumb. Fresh berries go right into the batter, and the buttercream uses reduced strawberry purée so you taste the fruit, not just sugar. It is a simple vanilla cake made special with honest strawberry taste.

If you need a cake that looks as good as it tastes, this is the one. Two golden layers get stacked with a fluffy, naturally pink frosting that needs no food coloring.

Why This Strawberry Cake Works

The fresh strawberries inside stay suspended in the batter and keep every bite moist. No artificial syrups, no Jell-O. You get the real fruit flavor because the berries themselves do the work.

The frosting is just butter, sugar, and concentrated strawberry purée. Reducing the purée on the stovetop drives off extra water, so the buttercream stays thick and glossy without turning runny.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups (310 g) all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped
• 2 ½ tsp baking powder: make sure it is fresh for lift
• ½ tsp fine sea salt: balances sweetness
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened: bring to room temperature about 1 hour ahead
• 1 ¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar: regular white sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature: cold eggs can curdle the batter
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract: pure extract gives the best warmth
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, at room temperature: you can use 2%, but whole keeps the cake tender
• 1 ½ cups (225 g) finely diced fresh strawberries: small pieces so they distribute evenly
• For the buttercream: 1 ½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened; 4 to 5 cups (480 to 600 g) powdered sugar; ½ cup (120 ml) reduced strawberry purée (from about 2 cups fresh berries); 1 tsp vanilla extract; pinch of salt

Variations / Substitutions

• Dairy-free milk: use oat or almond milk in the same quantity, but the crumb may be slightly less rich
• Strawberries: you can use frozen berries for the purée; thaw and drain well before reducing. For the diced berries in the batter, frozen works but pat them very dry so they do not bleed too much juice
• Cupcakes: this batter makes about 24 cupcakes baked at 350°F (175°C) for 18 to 22 minutes
• Simpler frosting: fold the reduced purée into 2 cups of whipped cream for a lighter topping
• A plain Strawberry Loaf Cake is a great option when you want the same flavor without the layering and frosting.

How To Make Strawberry Vanilla Cake with Real Strawberry Buttercream

Step 1: Reduce the Strawberry Purée

Place about 2 cups of fresh or thawed strawberries in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Pour the purée into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, for 8 to 10 minutes until the purée reduces by half and thickens to a jammy consistency. You should have ½ cup once it cools.

This step removes the water that would otherwise turn the buttercream into a thin mess. Let the purée cool completely before you start the frosting.

Set it aside. While it cools, you can move on to the cake layers.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and butter the paper. Dust lightly with flour and tap out the excess.

In a large bowl, beat the 1 cup softened butter and 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed. Beat for about 4 minutes, until the mixture is pale and fluffy. You will see the color change noticeably. Scrape down the bowl halfway through.

Step 3: Add Eggs and Alternate Wet and Dry

Crack in the 4 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the 1 tbsp vanilla extract.

Whisk together the 2 ½ cups flour, 2 ½ tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp salt in a separate bowl. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the 1 cup milk in two parts. Start and end with the flour. Mix just until each addition disappears. Overmixing here can make the cake tough, so keep an eye on it.

Step 4: Fold in the Diced Strawberries

Gently fold the 1 ½ cups finely diced strawberries into the batter with a spatula. You want to distribute them without crushing the pieces. The batter will look thick and dense with fruit.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The tops will spring back when lightly pressed.

Let the layers cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges with a knife and turn them out onto the rack to cool completely. They must be totally cool before frosting, or the buttercream will melt.

Step 5: Make the Strawberry Buttercream

Beat the 1 ½ cups softened butter in a clean bowl until creamy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, slowly add 4 cups of the powdered sugar, then the cooled ½ cup reduced strawberry purée and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Add a pinch of salt.

Increase the speed to medium and beat for 3 to 4 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy. If it feels too soft, beat in the remaining 1 cup of sugar a little at a time. The color will be a natural soft pink.

Step 6: Fill, Frost, and Serve the Cake

Place one cooled layer on a serving plate, flat side up. Spread a generous cup of buttercream over the top. Set the second layer on top, flat side down, and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Swirl the top and sides with an offset spatula.

Finish with a few fresh strawberry slices or whole berries on top if you like. Slice and serve at room temperature, and the crumb will be tender with pockets of sweet berry throughout.

Tips for a Sturdy, Tender Cake

• Room-temperature ingredients really matter. Pull the butter, eggs, and milk from the fridge about an hour before you start. Cold ingredients will not cream smoothly.
• Dice the strawberries small, no bigger than a pea, so they bake evenly through the crumb without sinking to the bottom.
• If your frosting separates or looks curdled, it is likely too cold or the purée was still warm. Let everything come to the same cool room temperature and beat again.

Here are bake times for different pan sizes:

Storing and Freezing This Cake

Refrigerate the frosted cake in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The buttercream firms up in the cold, so let slices sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before eating. You can also freeze the unfrosted cake layers, wrapped tightly in plastic, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and frost fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?

Yes, for both the purée and the diced berries in the batter. For the purée, thaw and drain them first. For the diced berries, thaw, pat very dry with paper towels, and toss in a little flour to help absorb extra moisture.

Why did my cake layers come out dense?

Overmixing the flour or using cold ingredients are the most common reasons. Cream the butter and sugar until truly fluffy, and mix the dry ingredients in gently, stopping as soon as the flour disappears.

Can I skip the purée reduction and use jam?

A good quality seedless strawberry jam works as a shortcut. Use ½ cup jam in place of the reduced purée and skip the stovetop step. The frosting will be sweeter and slightly less intense in fresh fruit flavor.

How do I make this cake gluten-free?

Substitute a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend for the all-purpose flour. The texture will be slightly more delicate but still works well. No other adjustments are needed.

Can I make this a single layer cake?

Yes, halve all the ingredients and bake in one 8-inch round pan. Check for doneness a few minutes earlier, around 25 to 28 minutes.

Strawberry Vanilla Cake Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 587

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 ½ cups (310 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ¾ cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups (225 g) finely diced fresh strawberries
• 1 ½ cups (340 g) unsalted butter, softened (for buttercream)
• 4 to 5 cups (480 to 600 g) powdered sugar
• ½ cup (120 ml) reduced strawberry purée (from about 2 cups fresh berries)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (for buttercream)
• Pinch of salt

Method

 

1. Purée 2 cups strawberries, simmer in a saucepan for 8 to 10 minutes until reduced by half and thick. Cool completely.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
3. Beat 1 cup butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
4. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter mixture in three parts, alternating with milk, mixing just until combined.
5. Fold in diced strawberries. Divide batter between pans and bake 28 to 32 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
6. For the buttercream, beat 1 ½ cups butter until creamy. Gradually add 4 cups powdered sugar, then reduced purée, vanilla, and salt. Beat until fluffy, adding more sugar if needed.
7. Place one cake layer on a plate, spread with frosting, top with second layer, and frost the entire cake. Slice and serve.

Notes

Let the reduced strawberry purée cool fully before making the buttercream; warm purée will melt the butter. If the cake layers dome, you can trim the tops flat for neater stacking.