Fresh Strawberry Cake

Delicious FRESH Strawberry Cake

This strawberry cake is a spring favorite of mine–and is often my choice of birthday cake. It’s a ‘cheat’ version because you start with a box cake mix. I use a gluten-free yellow cake mix, preferably King Arthur’s, but I think any regular yellow cake mix would also work!

Start by prepping your pans(s). I’ve done this cake as a flat sheet cake, a layer cake, cupcakes, and a bundt. It works well in any form! Grease and flour pans. If you are using round-layer cake pans, line them with parchment paper.

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Ingredients

Strawberry Cake

2-3 cups fresh strawberries
1 box gluten free or regular yellow cake mix
3 T or 1/2 of a 3 oz package strawberry gelatin (I have used strawberry pudding mix for the bundt cake version)
1/2 vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting

1-2 fresh strawberries
4 ounces cream cheese softened at room temperature
4 T 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
3-4 cups powdered sugar to taste. I prefer the frosting a little less sweet so I use less powdered sugar.

Instructions

Instructions for Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking pans.
Rinse, then pat dry the strawberries. Mash or puree the strawberries, then cook down in a sauce pan until volume is approximately half of where it started. You need 3/4 cup strawberry puree. Cooking down the strawberries intensifies the flavor! Cool before using.
Mix together cake mix, gelatin or pudding mix. Add room temperature puree, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Beat until all ingredients are well blended. Mix for an additional 1-2 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl.
Pour batter into prepared pan(s) or cupcake tin.
Bake approximately 18-22 minutes, until top is lightly browned and knife comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool at least 15 minutes before releasing from the pan.
Frost or glaze (to make the frosting thinner for a bundt cake glaze, add a little cream (or alternative milk) until desired consistency is reached.

Instructions for Frosting

Rinse and pat dry the strawberries. Discard stem and dice or mash.
Add cream cheese and butter to a mixing bowl. Beat until creamy.
Add strawberry. Beat to incorporate.
Add sugar and continue beating until creamy and desired sweetness is reached.

Notes

I'd love to hear if you make this cake. It's truly amazing!