Easy Fresh Strawberry Cake Recipe

I grew up having this cake every year in June, when strawberries where at their peak in Michigan. Strawberry Cake is so simple to make and it is an absolute showstopper! This cake is full of strawberries in the cake and the frosting making it so moist. I comes together very quickly with a few simple ingredients. No making homemade jam to make this cake, just smash some fresh or frozen strawberries. This is by far the easiest strawberry cake recipe you will ever find!

Why I love fresh strawberry cake SO MUCH…

Does anyone remember the good ol days when we only ate fresh produce in season? We go to the strawberry patch and fill every large bowl, pot, box we could find, full of strawberries and we would eat our self silly as we picked. Then we would go home and my mom would make jam, and freeze berries, and the rest of the week we would eat strawberry cake, strawberry shortcake, and anything else we could think to throw strawberries on top of or into. When the frozen strawberries were gone usually around February, we would start looking forward to warmer weather and strawberry season. Now we can get strawberries all year long at the grocery store, but they are not the same. My favorite season is strawberry season. It signals the beginning of summer, sunshine, longer days and fresh produce!

Gather these ingredients

How to make fresh strawberry cake.

You can use a stand mixer or a electric mixer to mix your ingredients, but honestly there is not need a whisk works perfectly! Add a box of super moist white cake mix to a large bowl.

Combine dry ingredients: Add 3 ounce package of strawberry jello to the white cake mix and whisk to combine.

Wet ingredients: Add in vegetable oil and eggs. Whisk until combined. Batter will be thick.

Now add in 1 cup of smashed fresh strawberries. The strawberries do not need to be a pureed. You can simply smash them with a fork or a potato masher, there can be some bigger lumps. It will be delicious!

You mighty be tempted to add extra strawberries, because you love the fresh strawberry flavor so much, believe me I have tried and it didn’t go so well! Stick to 1 cup, don’t worry we get to put some in the strawberry frosting. (insert heart eyed emoji) Isn’t that pink color remarkable?! I did not do any editing of this photo besides sizing it. This is the for reals color. I think I want a nail polish this color. Hey Essie I’ve got an idea, it’s called “homemade strawberry cake” for my piggy toes.

This fresh strawberry cake recipe has become known as the official birthday cake of my family and of several of my close friends families. I made this for our youngest birthday, so I made a cake layers. However, you can also make this cake in a 9×13 inch cake pan. If making a layer cake you will want to use 2 – 8 inch round pans, cut parchment paper out to fit into the bottom of the pan and either spray the pan with non-stick baking spray or grease with shortening. If making a standard single layer 9×13 cake simply grease pan no need to use parchment paper.

Be sure to mix your batter thoroughly, scraping the bottom of the bowl, and the sides of the bowl with a spatula. To ensure that your cakes are even I use a measuring cup to evenly distribute the cake batter into the prepared cake pans. Now place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Remove cakes from oven when they are fully baked, let stand for 5 minutes and then gently remove them to a wire rack, and allow to cool fully before frosting.

Strawberry Frosting: This frosting is so easy. You can make it in a bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, which ever you prefer. Add softened (not melted) butter, and vanilla extract to 1 lb of powdered sugar. Start to mix, it will become crumbly, then very gradually add 1 tablespoon at a time of smashed strawberries to the frosting, until you achieve the consistency that you want. Be careful because this frosting can get runny quickly, if that happens, hopefully you have more powdered sugar on hand, add a few tablespoons until you have it just how you want it.

Lets frost this delightful strawberry cake!

I always start with a dollop of frosting on the platter to hold the cake in place.

I am no expert at layered cakes, so if you have a preferred method, have at it! Place cake flat side up and frost with a layer of frosting that is not too thick but covers the cake.

Place the second layer flat side down and frost the sides with a thin layer of frosting, have a warm glass of water so you can dip your knife in to making it easier to frost.

After you get the sides frosted, frost the top and then go back over the sides with the remaining frosting. You will need every bit of this frosting, so don’t be eating too much of it!

This easy strawberry cake is so beautiful. It is for sure one of our favorite cake recipes!

Did you know when I started this whole blogging adventure the name of this website was Strawberry Cake?  No joke. Strawberry Cake was my very first recipe I ever posted. This recipe is something that I grew up with, it tastes and smells like home to me.  Whenever there was a family gathering this cake was there.  When my sister got married my mom made huge sheet cakes of it for her wedding dessert! I used to naively think that we were the only family that held the recipe card to this cake. Ummm we are not, in case you wondered. Don’t google it.

There she is in all her pink glory. So moist and full of fresh berries! Store cake in an airtight container or cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator or at least a cool spot in your home until you are ready to serve. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

I would be very grateful if you would rate this recipe in the recipe card below, also pin it, and tag Eat2gather if you share on Facebook or Instagram. Thanks for stopping in. Enjoy, Sheila