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Packed with real strawberry flavor, this homemade strawberry sheet cake is made with fresh strawberry reduction and freeze-dried strawberries for a rich, fruity taste in every bite.
It’s soft, moist, and topped with a creamy strawberry buttercream frosting. Best of all, there’s no gelatin or artificial flavors, just real strawberries and simple ingredients.
For more strawberry recipes, check out these fresh strawberry donuts and strawberry cobbler.
Table of Contents
I’ll be honest, chocolate cake will always be my favorite, but strawberry cake is a very close second. If you’ve been following along, you know I’ve already shared a two-layer
strawberry cake and a strawberry bundt cake on the blog, and now it’s time for a strawberry sheet cake.
I’m always looking for an excuse to make and share strawberry desserts, but this one is especially good. I’ve already made it four times, and it’s the perfect cake for summer.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Strawberries – frozen can be used. Simply thaw and drain the excess liquid.
- Lemon juice– enhances the strawberry flavor but is not essential.
- Unsalted butter – also used for buttercream frosting. Salted butter can be used. Just decrease the amount of salt slightly.
- Buttermilk– creates a soft, tender crumb and keeps the cake moist. Homemade is made simply by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to 1 cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes before using.
- Red or Pink Food Coloring– optional but adds a little pink hue to the cake and frosting.
- Freeze-dried Strawberries – not the same as dried strawberries.
Top Tips For a Fail-Proof Strawberry Cake
- Use room temperature ingredients for the best cake texture.
- Avoid overmixing the batter or over baking the cake. Be very careful not to over bake the cake, even one extra minute can make it dry.
- Chilling the cake for 20-30 minutes before cutting helps set the frosting and makes cleaner slices.
- Use sweet and ripe strawberries for the best flavor.
- If frosting is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar to thicken it up.
- If frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until it reaches desired consistency.
FAQ’s
Can I use frozen strawberries for the strawberry reduction?
Yes! Frozen strawberries work well. Simply thaw completely and drain any excess liquid before making the reduction.
What is strawberry reduction?
Fresh strawberry puree contains a lot of water that will not give the proper texture to the cake. Reducing the strawberry puree reduces excess liquid while also concentrating the flavor for the most intense strawberry flavor possible. The reduction is perfect when it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but still is pourable. It should be a deep red color and have a tomato sauce-like consistency.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, the unfrosted cake can be baked up to 2 days in advance, covered tightly with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months. The frosting can be made up to 3 days and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring the frosting to room temperature and re-whip before using.
Why use freeze-dried strawberries?
Freeze-dried strawberries add a concentrated strawberry flavor and a beautiful color without excess moisture, making them ideal to flavor the frosting.
Storage:
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days or at room temperature for up to 1 day.
Freezing:
Freeze for up to 2 months. The frosting can be made up to 3 days and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring the frosting to room temperature and re-whip before using.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Also, please consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake
Equipment
- 9 x 13 baking dish
- Electric mixer
- large bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- Blender or Food Processor
Ingredients
For The Cake
- 1 pound strawberries, hulled and chopped (about 3 cups)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar, depending on berry sweetness
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ¾ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 2-3 drops red or pink food coloring, optional
Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup freeze-dried strawberries, powder
- ¼ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2-3 drops red or pink food coloring, optional
Instructions
For the Strawberry Reduction
- Place strawberries in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Cook the strawberry puree, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced to 1 cup. This typically takes between 20-30 minutes. It is perfectly reduced when it is a deep red color and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon yet is still pourable.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool completely before using. You will only use ¾ of the cooled strawberry reduction for the cake.
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and grease.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a second bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Mix in the vanilla paste and ¾ cup strawberry reduction.
- Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix. Then add 1/3 of the buttermilk to the wet ingredients and mix. Continue alternating the dry ingredients and the buttermilk into the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined. Avoid overmixing. Add food coloring for a nice pink color, if desired.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting
- Blend the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Allow to sit for 1 minute before removing the lid to allow the powder to settle a bit.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and freeze-dried strawberry powder and beat on low, then increase speed and beat until fluffy for 2 minutes.
- Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until incorporated. Add food coloring and blend to achieve the desired color.
- Use an offset spatula to frost the cooled cake. Use a spoon to create pretty swirls in the cake. Top with fresh strawberries or crushed freeze-dried strawberries for a stunning look.
- Note: another option for the strawberry frosting is to add up to ¼ cup of the remaining strawberry reduction and reduce the amount of heavy cream 1-2 tablespoons as needed for desired consistency.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for the best cake texture.
- Avoid overmixing the batter or over baking the cake. Be very careful not to over bake the cake, even one extra minute can make it dry.
- Chilling the cake for 20-30 minutes before cutting helps set the frosting and makes cleaner slices.
- Use sweet and ripe strawberries for the best flavor.
- If frosting is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar to thicken it up.
- If frosting is too thick, add a tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until it reaches desired consistency.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
