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.
The first time I made this recipe there was an option to add flour and I think baking powder to the smaller size cake mix. The recipe had been updated and no longer includes those additions as an option. I did not write down the recipe, only bookmarked on my phone. Can you tell me what the additional ingredients and amounts were from this option please?
Hi Robin, for some reason those instructions were confusing to most everyone so I revised the ingredients for the smaller size cake mix. This is the wording that I changed. As well, I used 3/4 cup oil instead of 1 cup in the original recipe.
“Please note also the original Easy Strawberry Cake recipe used an 18.25-ounce cake mix. For a long time, you could still get the 18.25 size cake mix, but I have been unable to find it recently. Here are two options for adjustments to the 15.25-ounce, 16.5, or 16.25-ounce cake mix to make it work. Everything else remains the same after these additions.
You can purchase two cake mixes. Use one complete 15.25 package plus measure 3 ounces out of the second cake mix. Likewise, if you have 16.50 or 16.35-ounce box of cake mix, make up the difference with another box of cake mix. Store the remaining for next time.
Use one 15.25 ounce cake mix PLUS add 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.”
HELP! I made the cakes and frosting last night while babysitting my grand babies at my daughter’s house. Today is her birthday and I was going to surprise her with this cake. But the cake batter was very thin and when I baked them in the 9 inch round pans, the cakes did not rise. Were they supposed to? By the way, the frosting is amazing.
I don’t know if I can frost it and if it will be fit to eat or not! HELP!!
They should have risen to almost double.
I live in the Rocky Mountains at 9400 feet. What adjustments should make for high altitude baking?
Could you use two 9 oz boxes of Jiffy cake mix?
yes, that’s a great idea!
I made this cake last week with fresh strawberries. I used a sheet pan. I had enough for a thin 8×8 pan. It turned out perfect. The icing was thick and can be sweet but I added a small amount of heavy cream until it got the consistency I wanted then I knew the fresh strawberries would have moisture in it. The other strawberries cakes I’ve made with cream cream icing have always been too sweet. This cake was perfect. It’s actually deadly because it wasn’t too sweet and I caught myself wanting to eat too much, lol. Thank you!!!
OH, I love you change in the frosting!! Happy you liked it.
Is it one cup of strawberries before or after they are mashed? Thanks
Measure after they mashed/chopped
Do you refrigerate left over or is it ok to leave out on a date stand?
Refrigerate it.
I have made this cake in 9 inch cake pans and 9×13 pan. The results were excellent in both. My favorite cake. Thanks for the recipe.
I made this recipe previously and found out quickly that 1 cup of oil was way too much; the cake was soggy with oil. what happened? this time I made it with .5 cup of oil which worked out fine.
Hi Karla,
This is the second recipe I’ve baked recently that used a cup of oil and it came out great. I believe the type of oil used makes a difference. Vegetable oil appears thinner to me than olive, avocado, and sunflower oil. Sunflower oil is my favorite baking oil but I was out so I used a mix of olive oil and avocado oil with this recipe.
I made the cake last year for my birthday (June 13) and it was super. However, this year I bought sugarless jello and the amount of substance is much reduced.. Should I use less liquid or make any other changes? If you are there…please answer immediately, I’m ready to bake!
Although the weight is much less for the sugarless jello, it should equal the sweetness of the regular. Therefore, I would not make any changes.