EASY STRAWBERRY CAKE
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Easy Strawberry Cake with
This cake is ‘easy’ because it starts with a cake mix, but don’t worry unless you tell no one will ever know, it tastes homemade. Yep, moist strawberry cake recipe from box. It’s light, tender, moist, and bursting with strawberry flavor.
EASY STRAWBERRY CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
This is my recipe box. Yes, it’s quite large and it’s not the only recipe box I have. This is the box of my family ‘favorites’; I also have a box of recipes that I want to try. And a binder of pretty entertaining and party recipes and tips. And, I have cookbooks.
So many recipes, so little time! One-third of these recipes are for desserts! I know it’s my passion.
As well, this Strawberry Cake recipe has been one of my favorite desserts for many years. It’s the cake I always wanted my Mom to make for my birthday (or anytime I could persuade her to make it!)
Strawberry Cake recipe tips & suggestions
- First, this strawberry cake starts with a boxed cake mix. However, because it has fresh strawberries it tastes homemade.
- You can use fresh or frozen strawberries.
- For the 1 cup of strawberries, you can mash with a potato masher, hand chop, or chop in a food processor. They add just the right amount of flavor and moisture.
- As well, you’ll add a 3-ounce box of strawberry gelatin (Jello is the most-known brand) to the batter. If you have a strawberry flavored boxed cake mix, you can skip this step. However, adding strawberry gelatin to a white cake mix is a huge strawberry flavor boost.
- This cake calls for vegetable oil. It adds moisture and makes the texture amazing. (I haven’t tried reducing the oil amount.)
- You can make this into either 2 or 3 layers. It also works well in a 9x13x3-inch baking pan as well as cupcakes.
- For a 9x13x3-inch cake, you may want to reduce the amount of frosting. (I don’t, but I love frosting!)
Cooking times for pan size
I prefer these brands for cake pans: Fat Daddio’s, Wilton, USA Pan Store, and Cuisinart. Various brands are listed below depending on what was in stock at the time I linked them.
- two 9-inches round or 9×9-inch square 28 to 31 minutes
- two 8-inch round or 8×8-inch square 30 to 33 minutes
- three 8-inch round 28 to 30 minutes
- 9x13x3-inch baking pan, cook for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Standard cupcakes take 18 to 20 minutes for standard cupcakes or 10 to 12 minutes for minis. Cool the cupcakes in the tin on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove them from the tin and cool them on the rack completely.
If you want to accurately test a cake for doneness, I recommend using a cake thermometer. A cake is done when it reaches 210°F in the center. Use caution to not touch the bottom of the baking pan.
I prefer it made in three 8-inch layers and iced.
But, if it’s easier in a 9×13-inch pan, by all means, you do not have to stack it.
EQUIPMENT NEED TO MAKE THIS EASY STRAWBERRY CAKE
I made it for the teachers at my son’s school and baked it in an aluminum 9×13. It was much easier to transport and I didn’t have to go back and collect a cake pan.
The beauty of this recipe? Dump all ingredients in the bowl and mix!
I like using the whisk attachment for cakes. I think it incorporates more air into the batter.
Mix it all together and pour it into the pan. Bake, then frost. I frosted it with
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You may also enjoy my Pound Cake Series
June 10, 2018. I updated the recipe for the cake and the frosting. This frosting has the same flavor and ingredients, I made it thicker. The changes are correct in the recipe as written.
Easy Strawberry Cake
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Ingredients
Cake
- 15.25 ounce box white cake mix (use ingredients listed here NOT what is listed on the box) You can also use 16.25-ounce size
- 3 -ounce box strawberry jello you'll use the powder
- 1 cup strawberries fresh or frozen mashed or finely chopped (measured after you chop or mash them)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup whole milk or 2% milk
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 -ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- 5 to 6 cups confectioners’ sugar sifted then measured, more if needed
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream more if needed
- ¼ cup strawberries fresh or frozen, mashed or chopped fine, drained
Instructions
PLEASE READ POST ABOVE FOR MORE INFO
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray pan(s) with non-stick spray or Wilton cake release.
- Add cake mix, eggs, milk, and vegetable oil to a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer and mix well. Mix in the 1 cup of mashed strawberries and the (dry) strawberry gelatin.
- Mix 3 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl a couple of times.
- Divide the batter evenly among layer pans or pour into a 9×13-inch baking pan. Cool the cake layers for 10 minutes in the pan before removing them to a wire rack. Wait until the cake is completely cool before frosting.
For Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Sift sugar and add one cup at a time to the cream cheese mixture. Add heavy whipping cream and strawberries and incorporate completely.
- For a more professional cake, remove the domes from the tops of the cake layers with a cake leveler or large serrated knife.
- Place one layer of cake on a serving plate. Spread about 1 cup of the frosting on top in an even layer. Repeat with the next layer of cake and frosting, then top the cake with the final layer of cake (if you have 3 layers).
- Frost the outside of the cake. An offset spatula makes it really easy to get an even layer.
Video
Notes
- For 9×13 pan bake 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- two 9-inches round or 9×9 inch square 28 to 31 minutes
- two 8-inch round or 8×8-inch square 30 to 33 minutes
- three 8-inch round 28 to 30 minutes
My son always ask for this cake for his birthday.
I love that. I have too for as long as I remember, but I have to make it for myself now.
This recipe looks delicious! Any suggestions on baking time for a Bundt cake? Thank you!
I made this last night and it’s delicious, everyone loved it.
Made two cakes with this cake recipe! The best! We love it!!
I’m wanting to make some cupcakes! Do you know if this could be used?
Yes, it makes great cupcakes – I thought the time was up in the narrative. I’ll take a look.
Oh gosh! I read over that and just completely missed it! Just checked & it is there!! Sorry &&& thank you!!!
No problem, I overlooked it the first time I went back. 🤦🏼♀️
This recipe is the best. Easy and very delicious. My grandson wanted strawberry cake for his special day. Thanks for sharing. It’s going in my cookbook.
That’s a great content, exactly billionaire boys club jacket what I was looking for. Thank you and continue doing a good job!
Thank you!
I made this cake for my son’s 18 birthday because he requested strawberry cake. He loved it, and so did my whole family! It was perfect! Thank you!
Great!! Love to hear this – I’m so happy you all liked it. (I have an 18yo son too. 😍)
I was looking forward to making this. I made the cake, put in the oven.
Afterwards, I realized I left the eggs out. Oh my, how is this going to turn out.
Oh no, probably flat.
Fantastic! I used Duncan Hines strawberry cake mix so I did not add the box of jell-o. The fresh strawberry flavor totally shines in both the cake and the frosting. I ended up pureeing the strawberries and probably added more than 1 cup in the cake mix and definitely more than 1/4 cup in the frosting. It was so delicious and was hit for my daughter’s 8th birthday cake 🙂 I used a 9×13 pan just because I wanted to add lots of candles and cute things to the cake so I had some leftover frosting which I’ll figure out what to do with if I can stop eating it directly from the bowl!
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you liked it! And, girl, straight icing is my weakness too!!
I have had this hankering for a versatile Strawberry Cake recipe; versatile as in one can use any box cake mix and turn it into a delicious Strawberry Cake by adding a few easily available ingredients. You recipe is perfect. Thank you so much. I made it with a DH Perfectly Moist Butter Golden Cake Mix and didn’t even add the strawberry fruit, since I didn’t have any at home & added an extra ounce of oil (7 oz., not 3/4 C) and 1 C whole milk (not 1/2 C). I also added approx. another 1.5. oz of Strawberry Jello, all to make up for the lack of fruit and I seriously cannot get enough of the cake. It is so good I don’t need any frosting which is the way I like my cakes. I like the cake itself to shine w/o being smothered in the sugar and fat of the frosting. Thank you so much. I must really must try making it per your ingredients, since I can only imagine how good that will be. Thank you again!
I made this cake this afternoon. We love strawberry cake with cream cheese icing. I’ve made a few in the past but decided to try this recipe. I have to say, this is a good cake. Not the best one but a good version of strawberry cake. I baked the cake in two 8 inch round pans for 33 minutes. I made the icing as well but omitted the strawberries and whole milk. The icing recipe makes an abundance of icing.
I feel like the whole pack of jello may have been a bit much and maybe a but too much vegetable oil. The cake turned out dense and doesn’t raise as much as other cakes. Super moist and firm probably due to all the jello. It didn’t really have much of a cake texture. Having said that, the flavor was very good and we did eat it. I like the icing to be more firm so I refrigerate my cakes and I’m sure tomorrow when we have another slice we will enjoy the flavor of this cake again.
I made this cake in a 9×13 dish and it was wonderful! I used frozen strawberries that my father-in-law had cut up and froze. I believe his strawberries were sweetened a little. When I make this recipe again I’d try and do exactly what I did last time so I turns out the same.
Thank you for the recipe! It’s a keeper!
I guess I should have made with frozen not fresh strawberries because the cake turned out horrible, does anyone ever use frozen sweetened strawberries? My icing is super runny as well. Should it be thick?
The print function does not work properly. The printable page(s) only flash for about 1/2 a second and then goes back to the previous page.
I’m so sorry for the inconvenience. There are a few random recipes that happens on. I’m having it looked at.
2 questions.
Is this cake sturdy enough to stack?
Can whole buttermilk be substituted for whole milk?
Yes, you can stack it. I haven’t tested it with buttermilk so I can’t say with 100% certainty that it’ll be good.
This cake is so DELICIOUS! I was wonder if I can make a vanilla cake or a chocolate cake substituting the coordinating flavor for the jello? And of course not add the strawberries. Or if I should add pudding instead of jello.
Yes, I made this Key Lime Cake following the same ratios/ingredients.
Unfortunately this cake did not turn out for me. I followed the recipe with the difference being that I used half & half because I didn’t have milk. It was very dense and not sweet enough. It didn’t rise properly. I used a brand new box of Pillsbury Strawberry cake mix.
It’s really disappointing because I wanted to make a special treat for Memorial Day.
Half & half is too rich for this cake.
Outstanding strawberry cake. A most popular option for birthdays. When I create this cake, I usually bake it in 4 layers to save time.