This strawberry buttercream cake is light, fluffy, and full of real strawberry flavor. The pink sponge layers are made with fresh strawberry purée and frosted with a silky strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream.
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This strawberry buttercream cake has soft pink layers made with real strawberry puree and a smooth strawberry buttercream frosting If you love my white cake recipe, this one has the same fluffy texture but with a fruity twist.
The buttercream is made from my strawberry buttercream recipe, creamy and not too sweet — the perfect match for this light and fresh strawberry cake.
Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients for strawberry buttercream cake
- Butter: Unsalted and softened, with at least 80% fat. Used for both the cake and the buttercream.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar for the cake and sifted powdered sugar for the frosting.
- Egg whites: At room temperature, they give the cake a light and fluffy texture.
- Flour: Cake flour only, for soft and tender layers. Measure precisely with a kitchen scale.
- Leavening agents: A mix of baking powder and baking soda for a perfect rise.
- Milk: Preferably buttermilk, or substitute with regular milk or yogurt.
- Vanilla & salt: Use pure vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to balance the flavors.
- Strawberry purée: Made from fresh or frozen strawberries (avoid coulis — too liquid). Use a reduction for stronger flavor in both cake and buttercream.
- Food coloring: Optional. The purée already gives a nice pink tone, but you can add a drop of pink gel coloring for a deeper color.
- Heavy cream: Full-fat (30%) cream to lighten the strawberry Swiss buttercream.
How to Make Strawberry Buttercream Cake
Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and creamy.
Add the vanilla and egg whites, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat for about 5 minutes until smooth.
Alternate adding the sifted dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt) and the buttermilk, mixing gently with a spatula between each addition until just combined.
Fold in the strawberry purée and mix until the batter is smooth and evenly colored.
Divide the batter between two 8-inch (20 cm) round pans lined with parchment paper.
Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F (165°C) for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pans, then unmold.
Beat the softened butter for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and sifted powdered sugar, mix on low then on high until smooth.
Add strawberry purée and heavy cream, beat 3–5 minutes until creamy and pink.
Place the first cake layer on a board and spread a layer of strawberry buttercream.
Add the second layer and cover the whole cake with the remaining frosting. Smooth the sides and top, or create texture with a spoon.
Chill until ready to serve, then bring to room temperature about 20 minutes before serving.
Tip for this recipe
Variations & Substitutions
Recipe Questions
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes, just thaw them first and drain any excess liquid before blending.
Can I make the cake ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can bake the layers a day in advance and store them in the fridge, well wrapped.
How can I make the buttercream more pink?
Add a drop of pink gel food coloring or use a more concentrated strawberry reduction.
Can I use another frosting?
Yes, it’s also delicious with vanilla or cream cheese frosting.
How long does the cake keep?
Up to 3 days in the fridge, covered, or 2 months in the freezer (unfrosted layers).
You will also love
More Strawberry Recipes
- Strawberry mascarpone cake
- Strawberry fraisier,
- Strawberry whipped cream cake,
- strawberry charlotte cake
I hope you love this strawberry buttercream cake. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!
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Strawberry Buttercream Cake
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 10 slices
Description
Soft and fluffy strawberry cake made with real strawberry purée and covered in a smooth strawberry buttercream frosting — light, fruity, and perfect for any celebration. (for a 8 inches / 20 cm cake 8-10 slices)
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake
- 150 g (⅔ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 290 g (1 ½ cups) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 4 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 160 ml (⅔ cup) buttermilk
- 140 g (1 ⅛ cups) cake flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch - 10 g
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Pink food coloring (optional)
- 60 g (¼ cup) Strawberry puree
Strawberry buttercream frosting
Make a batch of my strawberry buttercream
Instructions
Strawberry cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and line two 7–8 inch (17–20 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper on the bottoms only.
- In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment for about 3 minutes, until pale and creamy.
- With the mixer running on high speed, add the vanilla extract and egg whites in batches, mixing well for about 1 minute between each addition until smooth. Continue beating for 3–5 minutes more.
- Using a spatula, fold in the dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately, mixing gently until the batter is smooth and even.
- Stir in the strawberry purée and a touch of pink food coloring (optional) until fully combined.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smooth the tops, and tap lightly to release air bubbles.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pans for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Wrap each layer in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours before assembling. Trim the tops if needed for even layers.
Strawberry buttercream :
Follow my recipe for Strawberry Buttercream.
Assembly
- Place the first cake layer on a cake board or serving plate.
- Spread a layer of strawberry buttercream and smooth it with an angled spatula.
- Add the second layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining buttercream.
- Decorate with fresh strawberries on top.
- Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Bring the cake to room temperature about 20 minutes before serving so the buttercream softens slightly.
Notes
Storage : Store the cake in the fridge for up to 3 days, covered in a cake box or airtight container. Bring to room temperature 20 minutes before serving to soften the buttercream.
Tips:
- Use room-temperature ingredients for a smooth, even batter.
- Measure ingredients accurately with a kitchen scale.
- Don’t overmix once the flour is added to keep the cake soft.
- Chill the layers before frosting for easy assembly.
- Use a reduced strawberry purée for stronger flavor and color.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: cake, birthday cake, dessert
- Cuisine: American
Waouw this cake is beautiful can't wait to try it for my daughters birthday thank you for the recipe
Thanks a lot Ludivine, don't forget to share your review of this cake in comments and to share it on social networks (can't wait to see your cake).
Wow, beautiful cake, I'm thinking of making it for my granddaughter's birthday.
On the other hand, there are some ads (Oréo type) that are impossible to remove and that hide part of the text, it's very very annoying....
Hello and thank you for your message, I can't wait to see your cake. Concerning the ads, this is what allows me to continue to share with you the recipes that are freely available on the blog. Normally they are displayed between the texts and not on the text, unless it's a video player which you can normally disable by clicking on the cross! See you soon