This Easy Strawberry Layer Cake is a stunning dessert to serve for any occasion. It features three moist irresistible layers of pink cake, that are frosted with a creamy fresh strawberry cream cheese icing. It’s the kind of cake you’ll want to make over and over again.

Easy Strawberry Layer Cake Recipe

I bake from scratch about ninety-five percent of the time, and that’s well documented throughout the recipe index on my website. From classic strawberry shortcake and rich pound cakes to cookies and homemade chocolate chip brownies, baking truly is my happy place.

That said, I also believe there’s absolutely nothing wrong with using a boxed cake mix now and then. This strawberry layer cake recipe starts with a doctored cake mix, and the results are so moist, flavorful, and bakery-worthy that no one will ever guess it didn’t begin entirely from scratch.

Checkout this quick list of key ingredients you’ll need to make Easy Strawberry Layer Cake: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

Cake – One box strawberry cake mix plus self rising flour to expand the volume.
Jello-O – Strawberry jello mix amps up the strawberry flavor and adds sweetness to the additional flour added.
Liquid – Buttermilk and vegetable oil thins the batterand adds mousture.
Whole Eggs – Eggs are imperative in any cake to bind and stabilize the batter.
Strawberry – Crushed fresh strawberries, plain full fat cream cheese, salted or unsalted butter and powdered sugar.

How to Make the Best Easy Strawberry Layer Cake

Heat Oven and Prepare Pans – Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans or spray with baking spray.
Cake Ingredients – Use an electric mixer to beat together cake mix, flour, gelatin mix, buttermilk, oil and eggs. Beat on medium speed until fully combined.
Transfer to Pans – Divide batter evenly between pans.
Oven – Bake per the baking time in the recipe until a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean.
Cool Cake – Cool in the pans for 20 minutes then remove and cool completely on a cooling rack.
Make Frosting – Whip together cream cheese butter and vanilla with powdered sugar. Add strawberry puree and food coloring, if using. Whip until fully combined.
Frost Cake – Frost between cake layers first, then top and sides. Decorate with whole strawberries. Chill for 6 hours or overnight to allow icing to set. Slice and enjoy.

Kitchen Equipment to Make Strawberry Layer Cake Recipe

Stand mixer or a hand mixer.
Two large bowls to whip together the cake batter and the frosting.
Measuring cups and spoons.
Small bowl and fork or potato masher to puree strawberries.
Offset icing spatula.
Three 8-inch cake pans or two 9-inch cake pans.
Wire rack.

Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions

Follow the Recipe – For this strawberry cake recipe, don’t follow the directions on the back of the cake mix box, follow the written recipe.
Why Add Flour to Cake Mix? Cake mixes have continued to dwindle in volume over time which results in smaller cakes. The addition of flour to this recipe increases the volume and does an excellent job masking or doctoring the obvious cake mix flavor.
Jell-O Intensifies the Flavor – The sweetened jello not only heightens the strawberry flavor, but it also adds enough sweetness for the extra flour added to the mix.
Strawberry Puree – Mashed strawberries release a fair amount of juice. If the berries aren’t drained well, you may need extra powdered sugar to stiffen the frosting. This frosting is naturally smooth due to the fresh berries, not stiff like a buttercream.
Frosting Tip – It’s very important to drain the mashed strawberries well before adding them to the frosting. You can expect this cream cheese frosting to be softer, not stiff like a classic buttercream, due to the fresh strawberries.
Use Wax Paper for Easy Clean-Up – Placing strips of wax paper under the bottom layer of the cake will keep the cake pedestal clean while frosting. Gently remove before chilling the cake.
Garnish – To keep things simple, I wanted to show you how arranging fresh berries on top sends the presentation of this cake into the stratosphere. Garnishes don’t have to be fussy to be impressive.
Allow Ample Chill Time for the Fresh Strawberry Frosting to Firm – Due to the fresh strawberries in the frosting, allow enough chill time for the frosting to set. If some pools around the bottom, it makes it even more luxurious to eat and no one will ever believe this started with a cake mix.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftovers – Store this easy Strawberry Layer Cake covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezer – You can freeze the strawberry cake layers to expedite make ahead preparation, but I don’t recommend freezing once frosted. The frosting may break down when thawing.

When to Serve Strawberry Cake for Dessert

There’s simply no wrong time of year to enjoy this delicious cake. The color makes it ideal for holidays such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. However, I could see serving this cake for tea parties, casual summer gatherings, wedding and bridal showers. It would also make an amazing birthday cake for the strawberry lovers in your life.

More Southern Cake Recipes to Make

Tall and gorgeous Banana Pudding Layer Cake.
Hummingbird Cake is a Southern Classic.
Three layer Boston Cream Layer Cake.
My recipe for Italian Cream Cake is the only one you’ll ever need.
This scratch made Raspberry Cake is a stunner!
Best Chocolate Cake Recipe is the perfect all occasion cake.
Red White and Blue Ice Cream Cake for your next Patriotic celebration.
Mandarin Cake from Simple Joy.

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