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Celebrate strawberry season with this Easy Strawberry Cake – it starts with a white cake mix, strawberry jello, fresh strawberry puree, and topped with a whipped and fluffy strawberry frosting. This strawberry cake is loaded with real strawberry flavor and it’s so simple to make!
For more strawberry cake recipes try this Strawberry Lemonade Cake, Strawberry Tres Leches Cake, and Strawberry Icebox Cake.
Easy Strawberry Cake Recipe (Fresh Strawberry Flavor)
I just love quick and simple dessert recipes like this easy semi-homemade strawberry cake recipe. I am not opposed to using a cake mix in any dessert recipe. In fact, I love those recipes that call for a boxed cake mix because with a few added ingredients, and minimal effort, it will taste homemade and no one would ever be able to tell the difference, and there is little to no room for error when using a cake mix.
Celebrate strawberry season and make this easy cake that starts with a box of white cake mix, pureed fresh strawberries, strawberry flavored jello, and frosted with a whipped cream cheese frosting that has more fresh strawberries in it.
It’s one of the easiest cakes you’ll ever make but the results is a pretty pink cake, a fluffy cake, and so moist and delicious.
Key Ingredients Needed
Simple Strawberry Cake Ingredients
- White Cake Mix
- Large Eggs
- Vegetable Oil
- Strawberry Gelatin : A small box of strawberry Jello gives the cake the pretty pink color and a more intense strawberry flavor.
- Fresh Strawberry Puree : This is simple to make with real strawberries that get processed in a blender, food processor, or small food chopper.
Fluffy Strawberry Frosting Ingredients
- Cream Cheese : Use softened, room temperature cream cheese to avoid lumps in the fluffy whipped strawberry frosting.
- Cool Whip
- Powdered Sugar
- Fresh Strawberry Puree
How To Make Fresh Strawberry Cake Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer (or use the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), add the white cake mix, large eggs, vegetable oil, strawberry jello powder, and fresh strawberry puree. Beat on medium-low speed, increase speed as needed, until combined well and fluffy. About 1-2 minutes.
Evenly spread the strawberry cake batter into the prepared pan.
Cook for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean with moist crumbs.
Let the cake cool completely to room temperature on a wire cooling rack. Once the cake is completely cooled, you can prepare the frosting and frost the cake.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until it’s creamy and smooth with no lumps. Add the Cool Whip, powdered sugar, and pureed strawberries and beat on low speed until combined well and fluffy.
Use a spatula or icing spatula to evenly spread the frosting on top of the cake.
The cake can be served right away, but I recommend covering the cake pan with a lid and refrigerating for several hours, or even overnight, for the best results as this cake is much better chilled.
How To Store Leftovers
Leftover cake should be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can cover the cake pan with a lid or plastic wrap, or remove individual slices of the cake to an airtight container for storage.
The cake is best served chilled so serve it from the fridge and I recommend not leaving the cake out at room temperature for too long, or else the frosting will soften and not hold together super well. Again, the cake has the best flavor and texture when it’s chilled.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Make This Cake Ahead of Time?
Yes! This strawberry cake is the perfect make-ahead dessert because it’s actually better chilled. There are a couple ways you can make it ahead of time. Make the cake and let it cool to room temperature, cover it, and either store it in the fridge overnight or at room temperature. In the morning, prepare the frosting, frost the cake, and then store the frosted cake in the fridge until ready to serve. You could also make the frosting ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge until ready to use.
I Don’t Want To Use Cool Whip. Can I Use Whipped Cream?
Making your own whipped cream is an easy substitute that you could do. Instead of using a tub of Cool Whip you’ll want to add 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream + 1/3 powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat until stiff peaks form – start at low speed and increase to medium speed, and high speed, as needed.
How Can I Garnish The Cake For Serving?
I love the cake garnished with sliced strawberries for serving. If you’re not planning on serving and eating the entire cake, I would recommend just garnishing each slice as you serve it. You could also use some whipped cream (spray, store-bought, homemade, or Cool Whip) as an extra garnish on top of each slice for serving. Another garnish and serving option is to microwave some strawberry jam, so it’s a thinner consistency, and you can drizzle that over each slice for serving.
More Strawberry Desserts
- Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
- Strawberry Cheesecake Lush
- Strawberry Lemon Blondies
- Strawberry Jello Poke Cake
- No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
- Strawberry Shortcake Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Strawberry Cream Pie
Easy Strawberry Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Strawberry Cake
- 1 box (15.25 oz) white cake mix
- 1 box (3 oz) strawberry Jello
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup pureed strawberries *see notes
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
Fluffy Strawberry Frosting
- 1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese softened
- 1 carton (8 oz) Cool Whip thawed
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup pureed strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13 inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Make The Strawberry Cake
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer (or use the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment), add the white cake mix, strawberry jello powder, large eggs, pureed strawberries, and vegetable oil.Beat on medium-low speed, increase speed as needed, until combined and fluffy. About 1-2 minutes.1 box (15.25 oz) white cake mix, 3 large eggs, 3/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 box (3 oz) strawberry Jello, 1 cup pureed strawberries
- Evenly spread the strawberry cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Cook for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean with moist crumbs.
- Let the cake cool completely to room temperature on a wire cooling rack. Once the cake is completely cooled, you can prepare the frosting and frost the cake.
Make The Whipped Strawberry Frosting
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until it's creamy and smooth with no lumps.1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese
- Add the Cool Whip, powdered sugar, and pureed strawberries and beat on low speed until combined well and fluffy.1 carton (8 oz) Cool Whip, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/3 cup pureed strawberries
- Use a spatula or icing spatula to evenly spread the frosting on top of the cake.
- The cake can be served right away, but I recommend covering the cake pan with a lid and refrigerating for several hours, or even overnight, for the best results as this cake is much better chilled.*Do not add any garnishes (whipped cream or sliced strawberries) until right before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love to see it! You can share it with me on @togetherasfamilyblog and follow on Pinterest @together-as-family-blog-recipes or Facebook @togetherasfamilyblog for more!
Delicious cake, very moist and full of flavor. I cheated and used 1 cup of strawberry pie filling. It worked beautifully. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Delicious cake, very moist and full of flavor. I cheated and used 1 cup of strawberry pie filling instead of the puree. It worked beautifully. Thank you for sharing your recipe.