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
WHILE YOU’RE HERE, CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES.
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
Equipment
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 flavored gelatin 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 powdered sugar (aka confectioners) 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
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are important to you, I recommend calculating them yourself.
This is a Great Cake!! I made this for my Mom’s birthday party in a 9 x 13 glass dish. Everyone LOVED and complimented it!!! I used Royal brand strawberry gelatin because it had way less sugar than Jello brand. Also, my fresh strawberries weren’t very sweet, so I bought a package of organic frozen strawberries (no sugar added), and those made up about half of the strawberries. This increased the juice, so I reduced the liquids a bit. Soooo good!!!
This looks delicious! I have a bag of frozen strawberries in the freezer. Can I use them (thawed and drained) in place of fresh?
Hi there! I’m planning to make this weekend as cupcakes. How many would you estimate this might make? I’m guessing a cook time of 15 mins at 350?
Thanks!
About 36 cupcakes
I made this cake. It is delicious. The only problem is the icing is so heavy, the cake cracked in several spots. Was way too much icing and 6 cups powdered sugar sounds like a lot of sugar. It is way too sweet. What can I do to correct these problems?
What is jello. Is strawberry jelly or strawberry instant pudding
gelatin – Jello is a brand of gelatin
Hi Paula. I am planning on making this strawberry cake. I am using Pillsbury Moist supreme white mix. Your recipe calls for 1 Cup oil and 4 eggs, and the box cake calls for only 1/2 c. oil and 3 eggs. Is this correct? A whole cup of oil seems like a lot.
Just checking as I don’t want to mess it up.
Thank you,
Debbie
A whole cup is a lot, it’s a very moist cake you could reduce it to 3/4 cup. This is an old recipe that used the 18oz cake mix, you may have the new smaller size cake mix. However, the recipe treated the cake mix as flour and didn’t go by the cake mix directions.
I love this cake and so do all my coworkers. But everytime I make it, the frosting is always very runny. Is it supposed to be this way?
It’s so hard to judge how juicy the berries will be. I usually start with a small about of berries and juice and add as needed.
Just curious….I’ve seen a lot of comments on the frosting being too thin or runny….should the whipping cream be whipped before adding to the frosting mix? Would that help with the consistency? I can’t wait to try this recipe!
No, the problem comes when the berries or too juicy therefore too much liquid for the sugar to absorb. I’ve started adding in the berries a few at a time, this has helped to add too much liquid
I used to make this and lost the recipe – so glad to find it again! Hope you can help with a question, though. Is it 1 cup of strawberries, chopped? Or 1 cup of chopped strawberries? That’s a pretty big difference, and I doing want to use too much or too little.
I always chop then measure. ( I need to check how I have it written )
I made your Strawberry Cake for Easter and was thrilled at how beautiful it looked and it tasted even better! I added a phyllo dough “nest” and Cadbury egg candies for Easter. To keep the frosting from softening too much I refrigerated overnight & then let took it out Easter morning. It was perfect and moist . Wish I could add a pic because it was so pretty. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe !
I love your nest and egg idea! I’m so happy you liked the recipe
Do you put sugar on your strawberries before mixing them in or just cut them up and throw them in?
looks wonderful, unfortunately, you lost me at box cake mix and vegetable oil.