Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing

Fresh Strawberry Cake is a pretty pink cake that tastes just as good as it looks. This homemade strawberry cake recipe is easy to make, and is topped with the most amazing strawberry cream cheese icing. This sheet cake is perfect for birthday parties, or just an excuse to enjoy a cake when you’ve got fresh strawberries on hand!

Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing

There is something unique about my strawberry cake—it’s lighter than chocolate but more fun than vanilla and just as easy as a box mix. It perfectly pairs with luscious strawberry cream cheese icing for just the right touch of decadence! Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or just craving something delicious, this sheet cake is a delightful treat!

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Fresh Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing

4.33 from 52 votes

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Total: 55 minutes mins

Servings: 20 slices

Author: Becky Hardin

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Fresh Strawberry Cake is easy to make. It perfectly pairs with luscious strawberry cream cheese icing, for just the right touch of decadence! Whether you're celebrating Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or just craving something delicious, this sheet cake is a delightful treat!

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Equipment

• Kitchen Scale (optional)
• Baking Sheet
• Stand Mixer

Ingredients 

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For the Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake

• ▢ 1¼ cups unsalted butter 283 grams, room temperature (2½ sticks)
• ▢ 2½ cups granulated sugar 500 grams
• ▢ 5 large eggs 250 grams, room temperature
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 14 grams, from ½ lemon
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract 6 grams
• ▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour 360 grams
• ▢ 3 ounces strawberry-flavored gelatin 85 grams (1 box)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda 6 grams
• ▢ 2 teaspoons kosher salt 6 grams
• ▢ 1¼ cups buttermilk 284 grams (SEE NOTE)
• ▢ 1 cup diced fresh strawberries 167 grams

For the Fresh Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

• ▢ 16 ounces cream cheese 454 grams, room temperature (2 bricks)
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 2 lemons juiced and zested
• ▢ ¾ cup diced fresh strawberries 125 grams, mashed
• ▢ 3½ cups powdered sugar 396 grams, plus more if needed

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Instructions 

For the Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake

• Set the oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a half-size (18x13x1-inch) rimmed baking sheet with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth.

  Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  1¼ cups unsalted butter, 2½ cups granulated sugar
  
• Beat in eggs, one-at-a-time, until well combined.
  5 large eggs
  
• Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.
  1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  
• In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, gelatin powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3 cups all-purpose flour, 3 ounces strawberry-flavored gelatin, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  
• Turn mixer to low speed. Starting with the flour mixture, beat in the flour and buttermilk alternately to the butter mixture in 5 additions (beginning and ending with flour) beating just long enough after each addition to be blended.
  1¼ cups buttermilk
  
• Gently fold in the strawberries.
  1 cup diced fresh strawberries
  
• Spread batter into the prepared baking sheet.
  
• Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

  Cool the cake on a cooling rack before frosting.
• While the cake cools, make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt on medium speed until creamy and lighter in color, about 2 minutes.
  16 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  
• Beat in the fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and mashed fresh strawberries just until blended.
  2 lemons, ¾ cup diced fresh strawberries
  
• Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add enough powdered sugar until the desired consistency is achieved. If the mixture is too thick, add more lemon juice or mashed strawberries.
  3½ cups powdered sugar
  
• Frost the cooled cake with the strawberry cream cheese frosting, slice, and serve.
  

Video

Becky’s Tips

• NOTE: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use whole milk or DIY buttermilk.
  • To make your own buttermilk, measure 1¼ cups of milk, remove 4 teaspoons of it, and mix in 4 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.
• All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 517kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 6gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 108mgSodium: 471mgPotassium: 127mgFiber: 1gSugar: 52gVitamin A: 889IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Strawberry Cake With Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing Step by Step

Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet: Set the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350°F. Spray a half-size (18x13x1-inch) rimmed baking sheet with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

Mix wet ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 1¼ cups unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth.

Gradually add 2½ cups granulated sugar and continue beating until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

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To this, add 5 large eggs one-at-a-time. Beat them until well combined.

Add in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract, mix well.

Combine dry ingredients: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3 ounces strawberry-flavored gelatin, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt.

Prepare the strawberry cake batter and bake: Turn mixer to low speed. Starting with the flour mixture, beat in the flour and 1¼ cups buttermilk alternately to the butter mixture in 5 additions (beginning and ending with flour) beating just long enough after each addition to be blended.

Gently fold in the 1 cup diced fresh strawberries.

Spread batter into the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool the cake on a cooling rack before frosting.

Make strawberry cream cheese frosting: While the cake cools, make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 16 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup unsalted butter and ½ teaspoon kosher salt on medium speed until creamy and lighter in color, about 2 minutes.

Beat in the fresh lemon juice of 2 lemons, lemon zest, and ¾ cup mashed fresh strawberries just until blended.

Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add enough 3½ cups powdered sugar until the desired consistency is achieved. If the mixture is too thick, add more lemon juice or mashed strawberries.

Frost the cooled cake with the strawberry cream cheese frosting, slice, and serve.

How to Store

Store fresh strawberry cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Serving Suggestions

This cake makes a great dessert to go with your Easter menu. It’s a yummy dessert to serve after my Beef Tenderloin or make it for a birthday party along with my tie dye cookies.

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